By Any Means Necessary

By Any Means Necessary (also known as Battle Dig, Beach Bash, Free For All, Water Slaughter, Marooning, and By Any Means) is a physical challenge that originated in , and has subsequently appeared in , , , , and . A land-based version of the challenge was also used in and .
==Rules==
In , , , , and , members of each tribe would race out in the water to retrieve a ring. The tribe members would then battle against each other to gain possession of the ring and bring it to their tribe's finishing station. The first tribe to score a given number of points wins.
In and , members for each tribe will race out to a marked location and dig up a bag. The castaways then compete to return the bag to their tribe's mat. The first person to touch the tribe mat, with a hand on the bag, scores a point for their team. The first tribe to win a given number of rounds wins the challenge.
In , the tribes start at opposite ends of the playing field with three canvas bags. The tribes have to battle their way to their end zone. The tribe that has their three bags and two of the other tribe's bags in their end zone at the same time wins.
Castaways are allowed to use any means to attempt to stop the opposing tribe from scoring a point other than punching, choking, or otherwise intentionally physically hurting each other. From the challenge's debut until Caramoan, men and women were allowed to compete against each other. Beginning with Millennials vs. Gen X, rounds are now restricted to all-male or all-female matchups.
==History==
=== United States ===
The challenge debuted in as a Reward Challenge. Castaways from each tribe would swim out to retrieve a ring and try to bring it back to their tribe's pontoon while the other tribe would try to stop them by any means other than punching or otherwise intentionally physically hurting each other. Ulong used its superior physical strength over Koror to win in a 3-0 sweep.
The challenge re-appeared in as a tribal Immunity Challenge. In teams of two or three, castaways would have to race out and dig out a bag buried underneath the sand and bring it back to their tribe's mat. In a highly contested challenge between both tribes, Casaya beat out La Mina 3-2 to win immunity, sending La Mina to their first Tribal Council.
In , the challenge was used as a Reward Challenge. Playing in an area similar to a football field, the tribes started at opposite ends of the field with three canvas bags. The tribes would have to battle their way to their end zone with all three of their three bags and two of the other tribe's bags at the same time. In a physical battle in the rain, Malakal won the challenge over Airai.
The challenge was used as the first Reward Challenge in immediately at the start of the game. Similarly to Panama, castaways raced in pairs to dig a bag out of the sand and bring it back to their tribe's mat. In a challenge marred by several injuries to the Heroes and the tactics of the Villains, the Heroes managed to win the challenge, defeating the Villains 3-2.
In , a variation of this challenge was again used as the first Reward Challenge of the season right after the marooning. Adapted to an aquatic playing field, one man and one woman from each tribe would race to retrieve a ring from one end of the course and return it to their tribe's flagpole. Bikal won the challenge 4-1 over Gota to win reward.
In , the challenge appeared as the first Reward Challenge of the season and again played on an aquatic field. The women of Vanua beat the women of Takali in both rounds they faced off, but the men of Takali defeated the men of Vanua in all three rounds they battled, ending with Takali victorious 3-2.
In , the challenge was used as a Reward Challenge. Again played in the water, two members of each tribe would race to retrieve a ring from one end of the course and return it to their tribe's flagpole. Naviti defeated Malolo 3-1 to win reward.
The challenge was used as the first Reward/Immunity Challenge in immediately after the marooning. Once again played in the water, two members of each tribe would race to retrieve a ring and bring it to their tribe's flagpole. Aided by large swells from the ocean during the challenge, Dakal defeated Sele 3-1 to win reward and immunity, sending Sele to the first Tribal Council of the season.
=== Australia ===
In , the challenge took place on land. Opponents had to crawl through a narrow tunnel and dig up a sandbag from a sandpit, which they will race to place on their tribe goal. The challenge came down to a match between Brawn member Emmett Pugh and Brains member Joey McCann. Emmett picked up the sandbag unchallenged, but chose to taunt Joey instead of going for the easy win. This allowed Joey to tackle Emmett, leading to a tussle before Emmett proceeded to secure the winning point for Brawn.
In , the challenge was played in the water. Opposing tribe members would compete to grab tribe-colored balls, which they would attempt to land inside one of five baskets. The first person or team to land three balls won that round for their tribe; the first tribe to win three rounds won the challenge. The Titans were physically outclassed by the Rebels in every round, as the latter handily crafted a clean streak and won immunity.
=== New Zealand ===
=== South Africa ===
In , the land version of the challenge appeared as a tribal Reward Challenge. The opponents had to dig up a numbered coconut and bring it across the finish line. In the final round, Bajau's Nichal Ramchander was disqualified for foul play against Grant Clark, forfeiting the win to Iban. That same episode, the water version of the challenge was used for immunity. Two members of each tribe had to release a buoy, with the first person to have one hand on the buoy and the other buoy on a pole back on shore winning that round. Bajau's more effective defensive strategy allowed them to win both rounds, sending Iban to Tribal Council.
In , the challenge was used as the first Immunity Challenge after the tribe switch. One member of each tribe had to race out into the water and retrieve a heavy red bag. Once back on shore, three defenders from each tribe would wrestle the bag from the opposing retriever and place it on their tribe mat. The physically stacked Selatan tribe easily cleared the Utaras to win all three rounds and immunity.
In , after losing the first Immunity Challenge of the cycle, Sa'ula and Ta'alo faced off in this challenge for a second shot at immunity. The physically superior Sa'ula were cocky entering the challenge, but ended up losing three rounds to Ta'alo and heading to their second consecutive Tribal Council.
In , the challenge was played for tribal reward immediately following the tribe switch. Each round, a different item would be up for grabs, with the winner of that round taking the reward for their tribe. In the first round, Nicole Wilmans defeated Carla Gubb to win Vuna a hammock. In the second round, Zamba's Paul Cupido took the opportunity to whisper a clue to the location of the Hidden Immunity Idol to his competitor Tyson Zulu, though they were caught by Dino Paulo on the Vuna tribe. Paul beat Tyson to win a set of deck chairs. In the third round, Chappies Chapman beat Renier Louwrens to win blankets for Zamba. In the fourth round, Vuna's Marisha du Plessis beat Wardah Hartley for a tarp. In the final round, Dino and Anela Majozi competed for a variety of FutureLife supplements, and a Challenge Advantage for the next Immunity Challenge, with Anela taking the win for Zamba.
The water-based version of the challenge appeared as the opening Reward Challenge of . Despite entering the game with a leg injury, Steffi Brink replicated her "walking on water" moment from Island of Secrets to evade the Yontaus and win the first round for Masu. Masu and Yontau then won each of the next two rounds. In the fourth round, Yontau's Shona Macdonald and Tania Copeland put up heavy resistance on the life ring, but Masu's Marian de Vos and Meryl Szolkeiwicz successfully dragged the ring to their post to win flint for their tribe.
==Winners==
<tabber>United States=
Episode	Challenge Type 	Winners
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Immunity 	
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Reward/Immunity	
|-|Australia=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Episode 1	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 2	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 1	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 6	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 3	Tribal Reward 	
 	Tribal Immunity	
|-|New Zealand=
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center; font-size: 8pt; line-height:18px;"
! Episode
! Challenge Type
! Winners
|-
| Episode 1
| Tribal Reward
| 
|-|Québec=
Episode 	Challenge Type	Winners
Episode 3	Tribal Reward 	
|-|South Africa=
Episode 	Challenge Type 	Winners
Episode 3	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 3	Tribal Immunity	
Episode 7	Tribal Reward 	
Episode 7	Tribal Immunity	
 	Tribal Immunity	
 	Tribal Reward 	Tribal Reward
 	Tribal Reward 	
 This Reward Challenge saw an individual of each tribe battle for a reward item. The winner of each battle kept the reward for their tribe.
</tabber>
==Gallery==
<tabber>United States=
battle dig jenn.jpg|Jenn competes in .
battle dig palau.jpg|Angie fights Gregg in Palau.
battle dig panama.png|Sally and Cirie fight for the bag ().
Danielle contact.jpg|Misty and Danielle compete in Panama.
battle dig micronesia.jpg|The challenge in .
S16e3.jpg|The tribes compete in Micronesia.
battle-dig-survivor.jpg|Coach and Russell face Colby and Tom ().
20 hvv battle dig.jpg|Candice and Sugar face Courtney and Sandra (Heroes vs. Villains).
battle dig caramoan.jpg|Dawn and Erik face Julia and Shamar ().
Battle dig round 2.jpg|Andrea and Brandon face Eddie and Hope (Caramoan).
S33 press photos ep4 0023.jpg|Bret and Ken face Jay and Zeke ().
Mvgx water slaughter.jpg|Hannah and Michaela face Jessica and Lucy (Millennials vs. Gen X).
110483 14508b.jpg|Angela and Laurel face Jenna and Kellyn ().
110483 14104b.jpg|Bradley and Sebastian face Domenick and James (Ghost Island).
S40E01 IC1.jpg|Ben and Rob face Tony and Wendell ().
S40E01 IC1-2.jpg|Danni and Michele face Sandra and Sophie (Winners at War).
|-|Australia=
Aus08e02 baden gavin battle dig.jpg|Gavin and Baden go head-to-head in .
Emmet Joey By Any Means Necessary.jpg|Emmett and Joey wrestle in Brains v Brawn.
Sandra vs. Nina (Survivor AU).png|Sandra and Nina fight in .
aus10e03 simon sam by any means necessary.jpg|Simon and Sam fight in .
aus10e03 matt by any means necessary.jpg|Matt carrying the bag in Heroes v Villains.
|-|New Zealand=
|-|South Africa=
ZAS2 Water Slaughter.jpg|The challenge in .
zas05e07 by any means necessary.jpg|The challenge in .
ZA7 ep02.jpg|Meryl and Steffi competing in .
ZAS9 By Any Means Necessary.jpg|Chappies and Danté wrestle with Felix and Seamus in .
</tabber>
==Trivia==
* is the only time this challenge featured one-on-one matchups. is the only time this challenge featured three-on-three matchups. is the only time every member of both tribes competed at the same time.
* Cirie Fields and Parvati Shallow are the only castaways to compete in this challenge three times.
**Sandra Diaz-Twine has also competed three times, with her third time being on an international series.
* Amanda Kimmel, Cirie Fields, James Clement, Stephenie LaGrossa, and Wendell Holland are the only returning players to have won the challenge every time they competed.
* This is the only challenge that Francesca Hogi has won in her two seasons.
* Panama and are the only seasons in which this challenge is used as an Immunity Challenge.
* The challenge in Winners at War required tribes to score five points, but was edited down to three points due to a lopsided 5-1 victory by Dakal.https://ew.com/recap/survivor-season-40-premiere/https://my.xfinity.com/ed/tv/2020/02/12/survivor-winners-at-war-premiere-recap-with-behind-the-scenes-tidbits/ Press photos for also indicate that there were unaired rounds in that season.
*Sele is the only blue tribe to lose this challenge. Dakal is the only tribe to win without being blue or purple.
==References==
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Australian Survivor
Category:Survivor South Africa
Category:Challenges
Category:Recurring Challenges
Category:Survivor: Palau
Category:Palau Challenges
Category:Survivor: Panama
Category:Panama Challenges
Category:Survivor: Micronesia
Category:Micronesia Challenges
Category:Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Category:Heroes vs. Villains Challenges
Category:Survivor: Caramoan
Category:Caramoan Challenges
Category:Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X
Category:Millennials vs. Gen X Challenges
Category:Survivor: Ghost Island
Category:Ghost Island Challenges
Category:Survivor: Winners at War
Category:Winners at War Challenges
Category:Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders (2019)
Category:Champions v Contenders (2019) Challenges
Category:Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn
Category:Brains v Brawn Challenges
Category:Australian Survivor: Blood v Water
Category:Blood v Water Challenges (Australia)
Category:Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains
Category:Heroes v Villains Challenges (Australia)
Category:Survivor South Africa: Malaysia
Category:Malaysia Challenges (South Africa)
Category:Survivor South Africa: Island of Secrets
Category:Island of Secrets Challenges
Category:Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island
Category:Immunity Island Challenges
Category:Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts
Category:Return of the Outcasts Challenges