Returning Players

## Survivor Twist

### **Description**

A twist in which former players are brought back to the game for another chance against new players or other returning players.

### **Appearance(s)**

*All-Stars*
*Whakaari*
*Second Chance*
*Paragons vs. Protégés*
*Valhalla*
*Havasu Canyon*
*Final Verdict*
*Luzon*
*Xibalba*
*The Black Forest*
*Heroes vs. Villains*

**Returning Players** is a concept that offers the opportunity for former contestants to return for another shot at winning the game. The twist was first introduced in *Survivor: All-Stars*.

## Returnee Season Types

### All Returning Players

There have so far been five seasons featuring a cast comprised of all returning players. These are generally dubbed "all-star" seasons, after the name given to the first season of this kind.

The eponymous season, *Survivor: All-Stars*, saw twenty returnees from the first five seasons divided into two competing tribes. There was no set theme to the season, and the returning players were selected for their notoriety in their original season.

The tenth season, *Survivor: Second Chance*, saw twenty-one returnees from eight of the first nine seasons divided into three competing tribes. The returning players, classified as "Second Chancers", were chosen to compete for a second time after failing to win their first season. In addition, any winner of previous *Suitman's Survivor* generations, *Suitman's Big Brother* or *Flop Nation* individual seasons, was not allowed to return, ensuring the season would yield a brand new champion.

The fifteen season, *Survivor: Valhalla*, saw twenty-four returnees from the previous fourteen seasons divide into three competing tribes, based on which generation they first played in *Suitman's Survivor*. The cast spans all seventy-nine seasons from *The Amazon* in 2011 to *Okinawa* in 2021. For the first time, castaways were also allowed to return for their third appearance within the third generation.

The twentieth season, *Survivor: Final Verdict*, saw twenty-two returnees divided into two competing tribes. The cast spans the first nine seasons that were hosted on *Discord* (*Deception Island* - *Isle of Skye*), and each player was only returning for their second appearance.

The twenty-fifth season, *Survivor: Xibalba*, saw twenty-four returnees from the previous twenty-four seasons divide into three competing tribes, based on their style of play - Strong, Strategic, or Social. Each player was returning for their second or third appearance.

The thirtieth season, *Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains*, saw twenty-two returnees from the previous twenty-nine seasons divide into two competing tribes, based on the morality of their games in previous seasons - Heroes or Villains. Each player was returning for their second, third, or fourth appearance.

### Returnees vs. Newbies

Two seasons have directly pitted returning players against new players on separate starting tribes.

The thirteenth season, *Survivor: Paragons vs. Protégés*, featured ten returning players, dubbed "Paragons", all of whom had only played once and failed to win. They faced off against ten new players - the "Protégés", who had yet to make an appearance in the Third Generation.

The twenty-third season, *Survivor: Luzon*, featured ten returning players, alongside alongside new players they signed up with - designated as their "blood partners" - for the Blood vs. Water theme.

### Returnees per Tribe

The returnee per tribe twist typically sees a small number of returning players competing against new castaways, with one or two returnees placed on each of the competing tribes.

The twist was first introduced in *Survivor: Whakaari*. Four castaways from the first five seasons - JB from *Bahamas*, Jimmy from *Tasmania*, Kat from *Maluku* and Lilly from *Naozhou* - return to play a second time after they did not make the final cast for *Survivor: All-Stars*.

The eighteenth season, *Survivor: Havasu Canyon*, saw two castaways from the first four Discord-era seasons - Christian from *Okinawa*, and Gus from *River Nile* - return to play a second time after they did not make the final cast for *Survivor: Valhalla*.

The twnty-eighth season, *Survivor: The Black Forest*, saw three castaways from recent seasons - Dan from *Qionghai*, Skylar from *Uzbekistan* and Ty from *Easter Island* - return to play a second time, due to their inability to achieve their fullest potential initially as a result of various circumstances.