Earn the Merge

Earn the Merge (also informally referred to as Mergatory) is an event where the competing tribes are randomly spread across two teams that will compete for a spot in the merge tribe.
==Overview==
On brand with the "new era" of Survivor, the Earn the Merge occurs at the end of the pre-merge phase of the game. The competing tribes, usually three, will abandon their tribe colors and be divided into two teams of equal numbers. These teams will compete in an Immunity Challenge where the winning team earns the right to enter the merge and enjoy the customary feast that comes with it. All members of the winning team will earn their merge Buff, signifying their membership in the merged tribe, and be granted individual immunity at the next Tribal Council where a member of the losing team will be voted out. The collective group will begin living at the merge camp. Regardless of which team the castaways are on, the whole group will attend Tribal Council to vote someone out, after which the remaining players are officially merged.
In and , the Hourglass Advantage was introduced to possibly reverse the results of the challenge, stripping the winning team of their immunity and transferring it to the losing team, including the player who broke the Hourglass. In both seasons, the non-immune players competed in an individual Immunity Challenge.
In , the Hourglass was explicitly announced to no longer be in play, guaranteeing the winning team immunity. In addition, because of the odd number of players at the final thirteen, the sit-out was given the right to bet on which team would win the challenge. If they made the correct bet, they would also receive immunity and will join the winning team on the reward; this mechanic was reused in and . In , the final twelve was divided into two teams of six, removing the need for sit-outs.
==Strategy==
==Twist History==
===Survivor 41===
===Survivor 42===
===Survivor 43===
===Survivor 44===
===Survivor 45===
===Survivor 46===
===Summary===
Season	Challenge 	Challenge 	Sit-Out(s) 	Sit-Out(s) 	Sit-Out(s) 	Voted Out
Season	Title 	Winners 	Castaway(s) 	Stipulation 	Granted Immunity? 	Voted Out
 	Keep Digging 	rowspan="2"	 	The winning team would choose one of the two sit-outs to join them, sending the other player to Exile Island, where they were presented with the Hourglass Advantage. 	Exiled, Broke Hourglass	rowspan="2"
 	Keep Digging 	 	Chosen, Reversed by Hourglass	The winning team would choose one of the two sit-outs to join them, sending the other player to Exile Island, where they were presented with the Hourglass Advantage. 	 	
 	Rolling Stones	rowspan="2"	 	The winning team would choose one of the two sit-outs to join them, sending the other player to , where they were presented with the Hourglass Advantage. The winning team was also given the option to exile one of their own members instead.	Exiled, Broke Hourglass	rowspan="2"
 	Rolling Stones	 	Chosen, Reversed by Hourglass	The winning team would choose one of the two sit-outs to join them, sending the other player to , where they were presented with the Hourglass Advantage. The winning team was also given the option to exile one of their own members instead.	 	
 	No Quarter 	 	 	If the sit-out guessed the winning team correctly, they would join the winning team. 	Chose Winning Team 	
 	No Quarter 	 	None 	None 	None 	
 	Super Ramp 	 	 	If the sit-out guessed the winning team correctly, they would join the winning team. 	Chose Winning Team 	
 	Super Ramp 	 	 	If the sit-out guessed the winning team correctly, they would join the winning team. 	Chose Winning Team 	
==Reception==
==Trivia==
*As of , every sit-out of an odd-numbered "Earn the Merge" has correctly guessed the winning team.
==References==
Category:Gameplay
Category:Twists
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Survivor 41
Category:Survivor 42
Category:Survivor 43
Category:Survivor 44
Category:Survivor 45