Survivor: Nicaragua
Survivor: Nicaragua is the twenty-first season of Survivor, held in, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. The game started with two Tribes of ten individuals, separated by age. This season introduced The Medallion of Power, where the Tribe who holds it can use it on any challenge to gain an advantage but as soon as they use it, the other Tribe gets it for next time. The Tribes compete in Reward Challenges, to gain food and supplies. Then they compete in Immunity Challenges. The winning Tribe guarantees that all Tribe members are safe a few more days while the losing Tribe must go to Tribal Council and vote somebody off. After some Reward or Immunity Challenges, there a clues to the location of the Hidden Immunity Idol, one hidden at each Tribes camp, the Hidden Idol could be used at any time up to and threw the Final Six, case they think they're in danger. This is also the first and so far only appearance of the Medallion of Power. The Tribe that has it can use it at any time to get an advantage in a Challenge but once they use it, the other Tribe gets it. During this process, each Tribe lives on separate beaches and must build a shelter, make fire and catch and cook food to survive. There are also Tribal Swaps, where the existing Tribes swap some members to form new Tribes and really change the Tribe dynamic. Once a certain amount of players have been voted off, the two Tribes merge to form one Tribe. They then compete for individual Rewards, where one (or more if the winner gets a chance to select somebody to accompany them), castaway enjoys food or some sort of cultural experience. They also compete for individual Immunity, where the person that wins cannot be voted out at Tribal Council and one of the others is voted out. However, the person that wins Immunity has a chance to give Immunity to someone else and become vulnerable themself. At a certain point, the voted out castaways become members of the Jury, who, once down to the final competitors, vote for who they think should win the million dollars. The finalist with the most votes is deemed the sole survivor.
La ForAlina Wilson (23; Downey, California)
Ben "Benry" Henry (24; Los Angeles, California) Brenda Lowe (27; Miami, Florida) Chase Rice (24; Fairview, North Carolina) "Fabio" Jud Birza (21; Venice, California) Kelly Bruno (26; Durham, North Carolina) Kelly "Purple Kelly" Shinn (20; Mesa, Arizona) Naonka Mixon (27; Long Beach, California) "Sash" Matthew Lenahan (30; New York, New York) Shannon Elkins (30; Lafayette, Louisiana) |
EspadaDan Lembo (63; Water Mill, New York)
Holly Hoffman (44; Eureka, South Dakota) Jane Bright (56; Moore County, North Carolina) Jill Behm (43; Erie, Pennsylvania) Jimmy Johnson (67; Tallahassee, Florida) Jimmy Tarantino (48; Gloucester, Massachusetts) Marty Piombo (48; Mill Valley, California) Tyrone Davis (42; Inglewood, California) Wendy DeSmidt-Kohlhoff (48; Fromberg, Montana) Yve Rojas (41; Kansas City, Missouri) |
1st Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Wendy eliminated (9-1, Yve)
Espada used The Medallion of Power to gain an advantage in the Reward/Immunity Challenge
Naonka sits out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for La Flor
Dan sits out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for Espada
Reward and 2nd Immunity: Espada
La Flor Tribal Council: Shannon eliminated (7-3, Brenda)
Reward and 3rd Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Jimmy J. eliminated (8-1, Dan)
La Flor uses the Medallion of Power to gain an advantage in the Reward/Immunity Challenge
Dan sits out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for Espada
Kelly B. and Purple Kelly sit out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for La Flor
Reward and 4th Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Jimmy T. eliminated (5-3, Dan)
Tribal Switch:
Espada Tribal Council: Wendy eliminated (9-1, Yve)
Espada used The Medallion of Power to gain an advantage in the Reward/Immunity Challenge
Naonka sits out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for La Flor
Dan sits out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for Espada
Reward and 2nd Immunity: Espada
La Flor Tribal Council: Shannon eliminated (7-3, Brenda)
Reward and 3rd Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Jimmy J. eliminated (8-1, Dan)
La Flor uses the Medallion of Power to gain an advantage in the Reward/Immunity Challenge
Dan sits out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for Espada
Kelly B. and Purple Kelly sit out of the Reward/Immunity Challenge for La Flor
Reward and 4th Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Jimmy T. eliminated (5-3, Dan)
Tribal Switch:
La Flor
Brenda
Sash Kelly B. Fabio Purple Kelly Marty Jill Jane |
EspadaHolly
Dan Tyrone Yve Chase Benry Alina Naonka |
Reward: Espada
5th Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Tyrone eliminated (6-2, Naonka)
6th Immunity (One member of each Tribe): Jill (La Flor), Holly (Espada)
Reward: Jill (For La Flor)
La Flor Tribal Council: Kelly B. eliminated (3-3-2, Marty, Brenda; Re-Vote: 5-1, Marty)
Espada Tribal Council: Yve eliminated (6-1, Dan)
Jane sits out of the Reward Challenge for La Flor
Reward: Espada
Sash sits out of the Immunity Challenge for La Flor
7th Immunity: Espada
La Flor Tribal Council: Jill eliminated (3-2-2, Marty, Jane)
MERGE: Libertad
5th Immunity: La Flor
Espada Tribal Council: Tyrone eliminated (6-2, Naonka)
6th Immunity (One member of each Tribe): Jill (La Flor), Holly (Espada)
Reward: Jill (For La Flor)
La Flor Tribal Council: Kelly B. eliminated (3-3-2, Marty, Brenda; Re-Vote: 5-1, Marty)
Espada Tribal Council: Yve eliminated (6-1, Dan)
Jane sits out of the Reward Challenge for La Flor
Reward: Espada
Sash sits out of the Immunity Challenge for La Flor
7th Immunity: Espada
La Flor Tribal Council: Jill eliminated (3-2-2, Marty, Jane)
MERGE: Libertad
Original La Flor
Brenda
Chase Sash Fabio Purple Kelly Alina Benry Naonka |
Original Espada
Marty
Dan Jane Holly |
Switch La FlorBrenda
Sash Fabio Purple Kelly Marty Jane |
Switch EspadaDan
Holly Chase Benry Naonka Alina |
8th Immunity (One man, One woman): Elimination Order: Purple Kelly, Dan, Alina, Benry, Sash, Naonka, Holly, Marty, Chase
WINNER: Jane, Fabio
Tribal Council: Alina eliminated (10-2, Marty) First Member of Jury
Chase was not put on a team, so he chose to back Brenda, Purple Kelly, Holly, Jane and Naonka where if they win, he'll join them on Reward
Reward: Marty, Dan, Fabio, Benry and Sash
9th Immunity: Elimination Order: Jane, Naonka, Holly, Purple Kelly, Sash, Fabio, Chase, Benry, Marty
WINNER: Brenda
Tribal Council: Marty eliminated (7-4, Jane) Second Member of Jury
Reward: Chase, Fabio, Naonka, Purple Kelly and Jane
10th Immunity: Elimination Order: Sash, Purple Kelly, Holly, Brenda, Dan, Fabio, Naonka, Benry, Chase
WINNER: Jane
Tribal Council: Brenda eliminated (8-1-1, Naonka, Benry) Third Member of Jury
Dan is not chosen for a team so he chooses to back Chase, Naonka, Holly and Benry where if they win, he'll join them on Reward
Reward: Chase, Naonka, Holly and Benry
Holly forgoes the Reward in order to give the Tribe more food
Naonka chooses to quit the game, Fourth Member of Jury
Purple Kelly chooses to quit the game, Fifth Member of Jury
Reward: Round 1: Chase, Jane, Benry, Holly
Round 2: Chase, Benry
WINNER: Chase (Takes Holly and Jane)
11th Immunity: Round 1: Fabio, Benry, Sash
WINNER: Sash
Tribal Council: Benry eliminated (4-2-1, Fabio, Holly) Sixth Member of Jury
Reward: Chase (Takes Sash and Holly)
12th Immunity: Fabio
Chase plays the Hidden Immunity Idol
Sash plays the Hidden Immunity Idol
Tribal Council: Jane eliminated (5-1, Sash) Seventh Member of Jury
13th Immunity: Fabio
Tribal Council: Dan eliminated (4-1, Chase) Eighth Member of Jury
14th Immunity: Fabio
Tribal Council: Holly eliminated (3-1, Sash) Ninth Member of Jury
Final Tribal Council: Jud "Fabio" Birza wins Survivor: Nicaragua (5-4-0, Chase Rice, Sash Lenahan)
WINNER: Jane, Fabio
Tribal Council: Alina eliminated (10-2, Marty) First Member of Jury
Chase was not put on a team, so he chose to back Brenda, Purple Kelly, Holly, Jane and Naonka where if they win, he'll join them on Reward
Reward: Marty, Dan, Fabio, Benry and Sash
9th Immunity: Elimination Order: Jane, Naonka, Holly, Purple Kelly, Sash, Fabio, Chase, Benry, Marty
WINNER: Brenda
Tribal Council: Marty eliminated (7-4, Jane) Second Member of Jury
Reward: Chase, Fabio, Naonka, Purple Kelly and Jane
10th Immunity: Elimination Order: Sash, Purple Kelly, Holly, Brenda, Dan, Fabio, Naonka, Benry, Chase
WINNER: Jane
Tribal Council: Brenda eliminated (8-1-1, Naonka, Benry) Third Member of Jury
Dan is not chosen for a team so he chooses to back Chase, Naonka, Holly and Benry where if they win, he'll join them on Reward
Reward: Chase, Naonka, Holly and Benry
Holly forgoes the Reward in order to give the Tribe more food
Naonka chooses to quit the game, Fourth Member of Jury
Purple Kelly chooses to quit the game, Fifth Member of Jury
Reward: Round 1: Chase, Jane, Benry, Holly
Round 2: Chase, Benry
WINNER: Chase (Takes Holly and Jane)
11th Immunity: Round 1: Fabio, Benry, Sash
WINNER: Sash
Tribal Council: Benry eliminated (4-2-1, Fabio, Holly) Sixth Member of Jury
Reward: Chase (Takes Sash and Holly)
12th Immunity: Fabio
Chase plays the Hidden Immunity Idol
Sash plays the Hidden Immunity Idol
Tribal Council: Jane eliminated (5-1, Sash) Seventh Member of Jury
13th Immunity: Fabio
Tribal Council: Dan eliminated (4-1, Chase) Eighth Member of Jury
14th Immunity: Fabio
Tribal Council: Holly eliminated (3-1, Sash) Ninth Member of Jury
Final Tribal Council: Jud "Fabio" Birza wins Survivor: Nicaragua (5-4-0, Chase Rice, Sash Lenahan)
Trivia
- This is the second season to have tribes split by age, the first being Survivor: Panama, which was divided by age and then by gender.
- This season's Tribal Council set is designed after a destroyed church, with a mock graveyard pathway where the eliminated castaways walk after being voted out.
- This was the first season since Survivor: All-Stars to feature two castaways quit in the same season.
- This season marked the first, and currently only instance in Survivor that two castaways quit at the same time.
- This season marked the second time that Jeff bribed a tribe for something after an unfortunate event at camp. The first time this happened was in Survivor: The Australian Outback, where the Barramundi tribe suffered miserably after a terrible storm, with their remaining food supply being washed up. Jeff bribed them to dismantle their shelter for a new supply of rice.
- This season has three 4-day cycles. "Company Will Be Arriving Soon", "Not Sure Where I Stand", and "This Is Going to Hurt" all covered more than 3 days.
- This season marked the second time that more than one castaway used a Hidden Immunity Idol at a single Tribal Council, being Sash and Chase.
- Original La Flor members had an etched flower design at their torches, while the original Espada had saber-like etchings on theirs.
- This was the first time that tribe names were prominently displayed on the buffs, though this would be the second time that buffs were customized for a tribe, following Survivor: All-Stars, where their buffs had their tribe insignia drawn on it.
- This is the first (and most recent overall) season since Survivor: Gabon where the difference in the jury vote was only one vote.
- It is the first season since Survivor: Cook Islands where the jury vote has been 5-4-0. There had been three seasons with a final three and nine jury members between Cook Islands and Nicaragua.
- It is the first season since Survivor: Cook Islands where the jury vote has been 5-4-0. There had been three seasons with a final three and nine jury members between Cook Islands and Nicaragua.
- This season marks the third all-male Final Tribal Council, following Survivor: Thailand and Survivor: Tocantins.
- This season also marks the first and only all-male Final Three.
- This season also marks the first and only all-male Final Three.
- This is the first season to have a castaway that was born in the 1990s: Kelly Shinn.
- Composer Russ Landau had composed a new version of "Ancient Voices" for this season featuring indigenous flutes and elements of Spanish music, however the producers instead used an extended version of the original theme from Survivor: Borneo. The theme composed for Nicaragua was later released on iTunes and is known as "Survivor: Nicaragua Unapproved."