Each week Inside Survivor contributor Rob Brodeur will be collecting various Survivor related statistics and information based off the latest episode of Survivor: Winners At War.

Cast/Season

Parvati, Ethan, Tony, and Sandra are the only players returning this season who lost in the most recent season they played. The other 16 winners are returning from the season they won.

Winners at War has the oldest average cast in Survivor history at 37.85. The previous record-holder was Nicaragua with an average cast age of 37.6. Adam, who was 28 at the time of filming, is the oldest person to be the youngest player in a season.

This is the first time that the prize money has been increased to $2 Million. It’s the largest monetary prize in any version of Survivor.

This is the only full-returning player season in which a player from the previous season isn’t returning. All-Stars – Rupert was on Pearl Islands before. Heroes vs. Villains – Russell was on Samoa before. Cambodia – Joe & Shirin were on Worlds Apart before. Game Changers – Michaela & Zeke were on Millennials vs. Gen X before. If you include Rob and Sandra as Island of the Idols representatives, then every returning player season has had at least one person return from the previous season.

If you swapped all the winners that are on Winners at War with the runner-up from their winning season, Rob would still be on this season, as Amber beat him in All-Stars. Depending on which runner-up you chose from Sandra’s winning seasons, Parvati would also still be on this season as Sandra beat her in Heroes vs. Villains.

Danni is the only player this season to never play on a season with a beach location. Guatemala was set in the jungle of Guatemala. Winners at War is her first “beach location” season.



Tribal Council #1

Natalie was voted out 7-2-1.

Her sister Nadiya was voted out first in San Juan del Sur. They were both eliminated first on Survivor and The Amazing Race All-Stars (season 24). Natalie and Nadiya are the only players to be eliminated first from both Survivor and The Amazing Race.

Natalie is the 27th woman voted out first.

She’s the first person voted out on day 2.

Natalie is the first player named “Natalie” to play Survivor more than once. Natalie Bolton (Micronesia), Natalie White (winner of Samoa), Natalie Tenerelli (Redemption Island), and Natalie Cole (David vs. Goliath) have only played once. Natalie Bolton was an alternate for Heroes vs. Villains and was on location but was cut before filming began. Natalie Tenerelli was a candidate for Cambodia but didn’t get enough fan votes to make it onto the season.

This was her first time being voted out.

Natalie got her first elimination votes at this tribal council.

She is the second winner to be voted out first from a season. The first was Tina Wesson in All-Stars. However, Tina is the only winner to be permanently eliminated first as Natalie was sent to Edge of Extinction with the opportunity to return later in the game.

Natalie is the first returning player from San Juan del Sur who was voted out before the merge.

This was Adam’s first time getting votes pre-merge.

Natalie is the second person named “Natalie” to be voted out pre-merge, after Natalie Cole in David vs. Goliath. Natalie Cole is the only Natalie to be voted out only pre-merge, as Natalie Anderson previously won.

Jenna Morasca is now the only Survivor player who was on The Amazing Race that has never been voted out of Survivor. Rob, Amber, Ethan, Natalie, Nadiya, Keith, Whitney, Rupert, Laura, Bret, Chris, Eliza, and Corinne have all been on The Amazing Race and also voted out of Survivor. Natalie, Rob, and Amber are the only Survivor people to compete on The Amazing Race and Survivor more than once.

This was the first time that Jeremy, Natalie, Michele, and Adam attended the first tribal council in a season.

Everyone with the last name “Anderson/Andersen” has been voted out pre-merge in Survivor. BB Andersen in Borneo. Joel Anderson in Micronesia. Nadiya Anderson in San Juan del Sur. Natalie Anderson in Winners at War.

This was the first pre-merge tribal council that Michele attended. She didn’t go to tribal council in Kaoh Rong until day 22.

Nuku is the only blue starting tribe in a Fiji season that didn’t go to the first tribal council. Levu in Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. Manu in Edge of Extinction. Sele in Winners at War.

Every all-returning player season that had previous winners on the cast had a woman voted out first. Tina Wesson in All-Stars. Sugar Kiper in Heroes vs. Villains. Ciera Eastin in Game Changers. Natalie Anderson in Winners at War. The only all-returning player season that didn’t have any winners on the cast, Cambodia, had a male first boot (Vytas).

Every player who was first voted out in an all-returning player season also played in a Blood vs. Water themed season, except for Sugar. Tina Wesson was first out in All-Stars and played on Blood vs. Water. Ciera Eastin was first out in Game Changers and played on Blood vs. Water. Vytas was first out in Cambodia and played on Blood vs. Water. Natalie Anderson was first out in Winners at War and played on San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water.

Ethan has attended the first tribal council in all three seasons he’s been on.

Amber, Yul, Sophie, Tyson, Sarah, Wendell played multiple times and never went to the first tribal council.

Tyson is the only 4+ time player to never go to the first tribal council in a season.

Ozzy – Micronesia, South Pacific.

Rupert – All-Stars, Heroes vs. Villains.

Rob – Marquesas, Redemption Island, Winners at War.

Parvati – Micronesia, Winners at War.

Cirie – Panama, Micronesia, Heroes vs. Villains.

Sandra – Game Changers.

Tribal Council #2

Amber was voted out 6-3-1

This is her first time being voted out of Survivor in 20 years. The last time she played, she won, so the last time she was voted out was in season 2.

Amber is the fifth winner to be voted out more than once. Tina Wesson won The Australian Outback and was voted out in All-Stars and Blood vs. Water. She returned from Redemption Island that season and was voted out again. JT Thomas won Tocantins and was voted out in Heroes vs. Villains and Game Changers. Rob Mariano won Redemption Island, previously he was voted out in Marquesas, and later Heroes vs. Villains. Tyson Apostol won Blood vs. Water, previously he was voted out in Tocantins and Heroes vs. Villains.

Both Natalie and Amber were voted out this season on the same colored starting tribe that they were on in their winning season. Natalie started on a blue tribe when she won San Juan del Sur and was voted out while on a blue tribe this season. Amber started on a red tribe when she won All-Stars and was voted out while on a red tribe this season.

Every time Amber played Survivor, she received six votes against her.

Despite voting for her in the pre-season EW Dalton Ross vote, Sarah was one of the people that didn’t vote Amber out this episode.

This was Kim’s first time getting votes pre-merge.

This is the first time that Denise didn’t attend tribal council in her Survivor career.

Both people eliminated this episode (Natalie and Amber) previously competed on two seasons of The Amazing Race. Both of them were on two different The Amazing Race All-Stars seasons. Rob and Amber were on the first The Amazing Race All-Stars season (season 11). Natalie and Nadiya were on the second The Amazing Race All-Stars season (season 24).

Nick got his first elimination vote in this episode.

Every winner on this season now has had elimination votes cast against them in their Survivor career, as Nick and Natalie were the only winners going into this season without any elimination votes. With Nick and Natalie receiving votes, Mike Skupin is the only returning player in Survivor history, out of 103 players, to never receive a vote against him. The only vote he’s ever received in Survivor was a jury vote from Carter in Philippines. Brian Heidik winner of Thailand is now the only winner to never receive a vote against him .

Both players voted out in this episode were voted out pre-merge for the first time.

Due to him having the super idol from very early on in Cook Islands, this was Yul’s first time being vulnerable at a tribal council he attended.

Dakal Tribe

Dakal is the 20th red tribe It’s the 16th red starting tribe. The most recent red starting tribe was Yawa aka “Hustlers” in Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. Red is the third most common tribe color.

The average age of the tribe is 37.7 Sophie and Nick are the only players on Dakal who are younger than 30.

Dakal is a version of “dakai” which is the Fijian word for “gun.”

Sandra, Amber, Tyson, and Tony have previously started on red tribes.

The Dakal tribe is on the beach that was previously used for Vokai in Island of the Idols, Kama in Edge of Extinction, David in David vs. Goliath, Malolo in Ghost Island, Yawa in Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, Tavua in Game Changers, and Vanua in Millennials vs. Gen X.

Nick and Adam started on this beach previously. Ben and Sarah swapped to this beach.

All three women winners who won returning player seasons are on Dakal. Amber Mariano – All-Stars. Sandra Diaz-Twine – Heroes vs. Villains. Sarah Lacina – Game Changers. The only man that won a returning player season (Jeremy in Cambodia) is on Sele.

The Dakal tribe has a total of 545 days played between the 10 of them.

The Dakal tribe has five players who have only played once before (Kim, Nick, Sophie, Wendell, and Yul). There are three players who have played twice before (Amber, Sarah, and Tony). There are two players who have played three times before (Sandra and Tyson).

The entire end of the alphabet (by first name), starting with Sandra, is on Dakal. Amber, Kim, and Nick are the other players on the tribe.



Sele Tribe

Sele is the 25th blue tribe It’s the 20th blue starting tribe. The most recent blue starting tribe was Manu in Edge of Extinction. Blue is the most common starting tribe color.

The average age of the tribe is 38.2 Michele and Adam are the only players on Sele who are younger than 30.

Sele is the Fijian word for “knife” or “to cut.”

Parvati, Denise, Natalie, Sarah, Jeremy, and Ben have previously started on blue tribes.

The Sele tribe is on the beach that was previously used for Lairo in Island of the Idols, Manu in Edge of Extinction, Goliath in David vs. Goliath, Naviti in Ghost Island, Soko in Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, Man/Maku Maku in Game Changers, and Takali in Millennials vs. Gen X

Wendell, Sandra, and Tony started on this beach previously Nick and Adam swapped to this beach.

The Sele tribe has a total of 585 days played between the 10 of them.

The Sele tribe has six players who have only played once before (Adam, Ben, Danni, Denise, Michele, and Natalie). There are two players who have played twice before (Ethan and Jeremy). There is one player who has played three times before (Parvati). There is one player who has played four times before (Rob).

Ben and Denise, who are both on Sele, share a birthday (January 1st).

There has been a blue tribe in the last four seasons in a row. David vs. Goliath – Kalokalo. Edge of Extinction – Manu. Island of the Idols – Lumuwaku. Winners at War – Sele. This ties the record previously held by Palau, Guatemala, Panama, and Cook Islands, in which there were four blue tribes in a row. However, unlike the four recent seasons, Ulong, Yaxha, Bayoneta, and Rarotonga were all starting tribes. Only three seasons filmed in Fiji didn’t have a blue tribe (Fiji, Millennials vs. Gen X, and Ghost Island)



Tribes

Sandra has been on five seasons (including Island of the Idols) and none of her seasons have had the tribe names on the buffs. Pearl Islands and Heroes vs. Villains came before Nicaragua, which was the first season where the tribe names were put on the buffs. Game Changers and Winners at War buffs do not have the tribe names on them. Island of the Idols, where Sandra was a mentor during the season, also didn’t have tribe names on the buffs.

In Sandra’s most recent three seasons, there has been a red tribe vs. a blue tribe. Sandra was put on a red starting tribe in each of these three seasons. Heroes vs. Villains – Villains. Game Changers – Mana. Winners at War – Dakal. Every season Sandra was on had a blue starting tribe. The only time she was on a blue starting tribe (Drake in Pearl Islands) was when there wasn’t an opposing red tribe.

The returning players from Heroes vs. Villains are evenly split by gender between the two tribes. Parvati & Rob – Sele. Sandra & Tyson – Dakal.

Parvati is the only returning player from Heroes vs. Villains who hasn’t played another season since then. Rob was on Redemption Island. Tyson was on Blood vs. Water. Sandra was on Game Changers.

The three returning players from Game Changers (Sandra, Sarah, and Tony) are all on the same starting tribe. Sandra was on a tribe with both of them at some point in Game Changers. Sandra was also previously on the Villains tribe with Tyson and is on the same tribe as him this season.

Ethan and Rob are on the same tribe for the first time, despite this being their second time playing in the same season. In All-Stars, Ethan started on Saboga and was placed on Mogo Mogo at the tribe dissolve. He was voted out before the second swap. Rob started on Chapera, stayed on Chapera during the tribe dissolve and swapped to Mogo Mogo at the tribe swap.

Denise, Natalie, and Ben are the only winners to play multiple seasons and only be on one color starting tribe. Coincidentally, all three of them have only been on blue tribes. Ethan previously held this distinction as he was on Boran and Saboga (both yellow), but he is on a blue tribe this season.

Both times they played together, Jeremy and Natalie started together on a blue tribe. San Juan del Sur – Hunahpu. Winners at War – Sele. Every returning player from San Juan Del Sur has started on a blue tribe at least twice, except for Keith. Jeremy &andNatalie started on Hunahpu and Sele (both blue). Kelley started on Hunahpu and Manu (both blue). Keith started on Hunahpu (blue) and Bayon (pink).

This is Ethan’s first time he’s starting the season on a tribe color other than yellow. He was on Boran in Africa and Saboga in All-Stars. It’s also his first time on a blue tribe, as he was voted out pre-merge in All-Stars, which had a blue merged tribe.

Winners at War is the first all-returning player season where the same tribe didn’t lose the first two immunity challenges. All-Stars – Saboga. Heroes vs. Villains – Heroes. Cambodia – Ta Keo. Game Changers – Mana.

Sarah is the only winner in Survivor history to play more than twice and never be on the same color starting tribe. Cagayan – Aparri – orange. Game Changers – Nuku – blue. Winners at War – Dakal – red. She’s also been on a black, green, and yellow tribe, never repeating a tribe color in a subsequent season.

This is the second time the following players have been on the same starting tribe: Sandra & Tony (previously on Mana in Game Changers). Rob & Parvati (previously on Villains in Heroes vs. Villains). Sandra & Tyson (previously on Villains in Heroes vs. Villains). Jeremy & Natalie (previously on Hunahpu in San Juan del Sur). Sarah & Tony (previously on Aparri in Cagayan).



Reward/Immunity Challenge #1 – Marooning

Ben, Ethan, Denise, and Danni have never won the first immunity challenge. Ben and Denise were on a blue tribe in their previous season where this happened.

This challenge was actually first to 5 points according to Gordon Holmes, and Dakal won the two rounds that weren’t shown. Sandra and Sophie beat Danni and Michele. Nick and Yul beat Adam and Ethan.

Versions of this challenge have previously been used in Palau, Panama, Micronesia, Heroes vs. Villains, Caramoan, Millennials vs. Gen X, and Ghost Island Dakal is the first red tribe to win this challenge. This challenge has previously only been won by either a blue or purple tribe. Sele is the first blue tribe to lose this challenge.



Immunity Challenge #2 – Blue Lagoon Bustle

This was the first tribal immunity challenge that Denise won.

This challenge was previously used in Blood vs. Water and Game Changers

Tyson and Sarah have won this challenge before, while Sandra and Tony have lost this challenge twice. The only players this season who have previously played in this challenge are on Dakal, and they lost.



Edge of Extinction

Both times the Edge of Extinction has been in play, the first person sent there was a woman. Reem Daly in Edge of Extinction. Natalie Anderson in Winners at War.

Natalie and Amber are the second and third winners to inhabit the Edge of Extinction, after Chris Underwood who won Edge of Extinction.

Hidden Immunity Idol

Natalie found a hidden immunity idol on the Edge of Extinction and sold it to Sandra for 1 fire token. Both Sandra and Natalie have been in possession of a hidden immunity idol in a previous season.



Confessionals

Sandra and Natalie had the most confessionals with 7.

Denise, Kim, Nick, and Wendell had the least confessionals with 1.

Everyone got a confessional this episode.

Ratings

The first episode received 6.7 million viewers and 1.3 in the Adults 18-49 demo.

Episode Title

Ben said the episode title “Greatest of the Greats” when discussing the first cast made up of all previous winners.

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