Redemption Island

**Redemption Island** is a major twist in Survivor.

This twist provides an opportunity for an eliminated player to re-enter the game and continue their pursuit to the million-dollar prize and the title of Sole Survivor. In order to do so however, eliminated contestants will compete in head-to-head challenges (known as Duels) in order to remain on the island and avoid permanent elimination.

## Format

Immediately after being voted out, contestants will not be immediately eliminated from the game. Instead, they will be sent to Redemption Island.

When the next person is voted out, that player would be sent to Redemption Island as well, meeting up with current inhabitant at the same night. They would then live together from that point, until the next morning, where they will duel to remain on the island.

In the first appearance of Redemption Island, duels occur once two people have been voted out. In "group duels" the winner moves on.

#### Duels

In Redemption Island, duels determined whoever would stay in the island and who would be permanently be eliminated. At the day of the duel, the castaways would receive Tree Mail about their duel, instructing them to proceed to the Redemption Island Arena. The arena will be a special challenge area where all duels will take place.

Upon reaching the arena, they will be welcomed by the host. Also in the arena are selected players from the competing tribes, who are there to watch the duel. After the duel, it is up to these observers if they will spoil the goings-on at the arena.

Unlike other times when tribes convene to meet with the hosts, players on Redemption Island line up in a particular order with the most recent eliminated on the right whilst the current champion(s) are to the left.

In this special challenge, the winner of the duel will stay in Redemption Island and continue their quest to become the Sole Survivor, while the loser(s) will be permanently eliminated from the game (this is denoted by the loser tossing his/her buff in a fire wok). Theoretically, should the first person voted off make it to the reentering stage, he/she must win all proceeding duels, meaning the castaway must defeat all subsequent castaways sent in the island.

On certain cases, there are more than two people residing on Redemption Island, with them participating in multi-person "duels." In this format, only the winner will move on and the losers will leave the arena.

#### Hidden Immunity Idols

In the advent of Redemption Island, if a person is voted off with a Hidden Immunity Idol in their possession, the holder's Hidden Immunity Idol is still effective, and it is still usable if the owner reenters the game. If the owner were to lose a duel, the idol would be rehidden. Also, the winner of a duel may have a chance to give a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol to whoever they wish. If they return to the game after winning the duel, they may also decide to keep the clue for themselves.

## Trivia

* 15 out of 20 of the Jamaica cast has been to Redemption Island. The remaining to not go were Tom, Aaron, Ally, Jennifer & Nathan. Those 5 were all in the final 6.
	+ The two to return from Redemption Island were Dusk, who was sent back there two rounds later and Shea, who got runner-up that season.
* 11 out of 16 of the Vancouver Island cast has been to Redemption Island. The remaining to not go were Willow, Tarun, Sherlip, Raul & Carlo. Those 5 were all in the final 6.
	+ The two to return from Redemption island were Joel who was sent back to Redemption Island right after, and David, who got runner-up that season.
		- There is currently a trend of the second Redemption Island winner becoming the runner-up of the season.