Survivor: Polynesia

**Survivor: Polynesia** is the 12th season of Survivor.

19-years old Cameron Pratt defeated 25-years old Preston Kass in a blowout 13-0 vote and became the youngest Sole Survivor, playing the first Perfect Game. To date, season has produced fifteen returning players (Angie Kalvin, Cameron Pratt, Carol Camara, Jacob Koherr, Kara Willson, Katie Dawson, Maggie Slick, Marissa Newman, Matt Mallos, Maya Gregory, Nadya Shang, Parker Seller, Peter March, Preston Kass and Sally Swing) for subsequent seasons.

## Production

The season was released in DVD format on December 13, 2007.

## Twists/Changes

* **Tribe Composition**: Twenty eight castaways were divided into four tribes of seven.
* **Unexpected Start**: The contestants were made to believe that they will be shooting their cast photos, only to be informed that the game had already begun.
* **Hidden Immunity Idol**: Hidden Immunity Idols are in play this season with one idol being hidden at each camp at time. The clues would be hidden inside prize that a tribe gets after winning a Reward Challenge.
* **Double Tribal Council**: On Day 9, only the first and second place tribes would win immunity, sending both losing tribes to Tribal Council to vote out one person each. Additionally, two winning tribes would send one representative each to both tribes and the choosen ones would stay at the losers' camps until the next reward challenge and during the tribal council, they would vote to give an immunity to one of the castaways from the losing tribes.
* **Tribe Switch**: On Day 17, Paprui was disbanded, and the remaining nineteen castaways were shuffled and randomly distributed into the new Akamaru, Kamaka and Taravai tribes.
* **Summit**: On Day 26, all three tribes were tasked with selecting an ambassador to attend a summit. The ambassadors would have to choose which camp the merged tribe would live at, along with giving it a name.
* **Fake Merge**: The three tribes, having a collective roster of fourteen members, were instructed to live on one camp for the rest of the game. They took this to mean that the three tribes had merged. However, it was revealed not to be the case. Instead the Kamaka tribe was disbanded and the remaining fourteen castaways were divided into two tribes of seven.
* **Merged Tribe Composition**: The tribes merged on Day 30. The merged tribe was composed of twelve members.
* **Final Tribal Council Format**: Two finalists faced a jury comprised of thirteen members.

## Season Summary

The 28 players were initially divided into four tribes of seven. On the Akamaru tribe, Kara Willson and Katie Dawson formed a very tight alliance and they brought Madeline Hathaway and Preston Kass in to gain a majorty. Tribe stumbled out of the gate early, losing three first Challenges and lacking fire and food. Papuri tribe

On Day 17 of the competition, one of the four tribes was dissolved and the remaining members were split up and joined the three remaining tribes.

On Day 26, a twist in the game sent Akamaru and Kamaka to live together with the Taravais at their camp, making everybody believe that a merge had occurred. However, in a shocking announcement at the seventh Immunity Challenge, Jeff Probst revealed that the tribes weren't merging yet, they were just living together on one beach. Another Tribe Switch occured, dissolving the Kamaka tribe and mixing remaining 14 castaways betweet two other tribes. With new Taravi suffering two Immunity losses in a row, Marissa Newman and Matt Mallos paid the price.

On Day 30, the two tribes finally merged into the Maputeoa tribe.