Survivor Lake Fork: Castaway Cove

**Survivor Lake Fork: Castaway Cove** is the third season of the Survivor Lake Fork series, featuring 17 new players and 3 returning players from season 2. It was themed around pirates and saw players divided into tribes based on gender with returning captains on each tribe. In the end, Bryce was awarded the title of Sole Survivor over Crystal in a 10-1 vote.

## Production

It was originally planned for there to be 2 male and 2 female returning players. However, due to player availability, Madeline was the only female returnee. Additionally, the Split Merge Tribe twist was intended to occur at both the final 14 and the final 12, but Caleb quitting the game at the merge resulted in the twist only occurring at the final 12.

## Twists

* **Tribe Composition**: Players were divided into tribes based on gender.
* **Returning Players**: Garrett, Dylan, and Madeline returned from Fans vs Favorites to play alongside the new players.
* **Castaway Cove**: The first seven players to be voted out were given the option to remain in the game as part of the Ghost Ship, living together at Castaway Cove. At the merge, players on the Ghost Ship competed in an individual challenge to return to the game.
* **Hidden Immunity Idol**: A Hidden Immunity Idol was buried in a treasure chest at each tribe camp. A clue in a glass bottle was hidden at each camp with a riddle leading to the location of the treasure chest. At the merge, three clues were randomly hidden in merge buffs leading to an Idol hidden at the dock. Additionally, the returning player from Castaway Cove received a temporary Idol, and an Idol was hidden in the voting booth at the final 9.
* **Tribe Captains**: At the beginning of the game, each tribe selected a captain. At every pre-swap immunity challenge, each captain selected a player to take hostage from the other tribe.
* **Fortune vs Favor**: When players first went to their tribe camps, tribe captains were instructed to choose between Fortune and Favor. Choosing Favor gave the captain alcoholic seltzers and brownies to share with their tribe. Choosing Fortune would give the captain a Hidden Immunity Idol that would become activated at the merge, although captains did not know the exact nature of the reward when selecting. Both captains had to agree on an option.
* **Hostages**: Captains would select one player from the opposing tribe to take hostage. The player joining the losing tribe would vote at Tribal Council but be immune, and the player joining the winning tribe would be safe and not attend Tribal Council. Hostages would rejoin their tribe at the beginning of the next Immunity Challenge.
* **Tribe Swap**: On Day 2, there was a Tribe Swap. The remaining 16 players were instructed to rank the players on their tribes by level of trust, under the impression that this was part of a challenge. The average rank of each player was calculated, and players were divided into a trustworthy tribe and an untrustworthy tribe.
* **Double Elimination**: With 15 players left in the game, players on each tribe competed for Individual Immunity, and both tribes attended Tribal Council separately and voted out a player.
* **Split Merge Tribe**: With 12 players left in the game, the merge tribe drew rocks to split into two teams of 6. Players competed individually to win immunity, one person per team, and each team attended Tribal Council separately to vote out a player.
* **Extra Vote**: An extra vote was hidden in the bowl of popcorn at the auction.
* **Shower Ticket**: At the auction, the Shower Ticket was sold with its details known only to the highest bidder. This advantage allowed its owner to take a shower during a Tribal Council, becoming immune but forfeiting their vote.

## Season Summary

Players were initially divided into tribes based on gender-- Bonny, the female tribe, and Calico, the male tribe. Along with the 17 new players, Garrett and Dylan joined the Calico tribe and Madeline joined the Bonny tribe. Sam was selected as the captain for Bonny and Logan was selected as the captain for Calico, and together they made the decision to provide extra food rations for their tribes rather than earning an individual advantage in the game. Bonny proved to be the stronger tribe early on, winning 3 of the 4 pre-swap Immunity Challenges. When the hostages twist saved easy target Kyle Mrosko, the men set their sights on eliminating big threats, taking out both returning players and then their captain. However, eliminated players learned that they could stay in the game at Castaway Cove for a chance to return at the merge. Madeline took charge on the women's tribe to eliminate Sam, but her dominant gameplay made her a quick target.

With 16 players left in the game, players ranked their peers by level of trust, and were then divided into two new tribes sorted by average rank. Bonny became the trustworthy tribe and Calico became the new untrustworthy tribe. A budding showmance on Bonny ostracized Johnathan from the majority alliance when he voted against Bryce in an attempt to keep Paige in the game, but clutch immunity wins from both Johnathan and Madeline saved them from being the consensus votes in a surprise double elimination the following round. Meanwhile, Kate found the Calico Hidden Immunity Idol and Christina shared a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol with Bonny to gain favor after being left out of a vote.

At the merge, Paige won the Castaway Cove challenge to return to the game, equipped with a temporary Immunity Idol. She then found the merge Idol and rejoined with allies Madeline, Gabi, Johnathan, and Kate. However, a plan by the remaining 8 members of the tribe formed to eliminate Madeline by splitting their votes 4-4 on Madeline and Paige, leaving Johnathan torn between the majority alliance and his showmance with Paige. With Madeline's minority alliance targeting Bryce, the vote was split 4-4-4. Johnathan's vote broke the tie, sending the final returning player, Madeline, to the jury with 5 votes, and burning Paige's temporary idol.

At the final 12, players were divided into two teams of 6. After exposing Kate's Hidden Immunity Idol to Crystal, Brittany was eliminated on one team because Crystal publicly exposed Brittany's betrayal. On the other team, a majority alliance formed between Kyle Mrosko, Asia, Bryce, and Kyle Montana. Despite voting against his best interests the prior round to show loyalty, Johnathan was voted out by the group who deemed Christina to be more of an asset. The remaining five members of this team pulled in Crystal and systematically eliminated the other players until only their alliance was left. At the final 5, the remaining women, Christina, Crystal, and Asia, had a strong final 3 alliance. However, knowing that Kyle Mrosko was the biggest threat in the game, Bryce convinced Crystal and Asia to flip on Christina, leaving Kyle Mrosko in the game as a shield for him. Bryce then consecutively won the final Immunity Challenges, voting out Kyle Mrosko and then Asia, taking Crystal with him to the Final 2.

At the Final Tribal Council, Crystal failed to articulate the control she had over the game, leaving the jury with the false impression that she rode Kyle Mrosko's coattails. The jury derided her for failing to take out stronger competitors like Kyle Mrosko and Bryce earlier in the game, and for betraying the women's majority. The jury similarly questioned Bryce's decision to play in Kyle Mrosko's shadow, but favored Bryce's stealthy gameplay over Crystal's confident but unclear decisions. Ultimately, the jury awarded Bryce the title of Sole Survivor in a 10-1 vote, with the lone vote for Crystal coming from Asia, her closest ally.