Hidden Immunity Idol

**Appearances:** | *Comoros* - present

The **Hidden Immunity Idol** (also known as the "Hidden Idol" or simply as "the idol") is a pocket-sized talisman, and is widely believed to be the most groundbreaking twist ever to be created on *Survivor*. Its purpose is to, one way or another, prevent the user from being voted out in a Tribal Council vote. The idol has influenced many of the contestants' strategies, whether they use the object, or defuse its powers.

It is not to be confused with the tribal Immunity Idol or the individual Immunity Necklace, as the Hidden Immunity Idol is not won or usually found at challenges, and is flexible as the found idol is not forced to be applicable on only the following Tribal Council. However, clues to the whereabouts of the idol may exist at camp or may be given to the winners of a Reward Challenge.

## Overview

When the idol debuted in *Survivor: Comoros*, it may only be used once, after which the idol will either be re-hidden or discarded. With this, owners should be careful about divulging information about possessing one and/or when to use it, because a player can still be eliminated with the idol in their possession, thus going home bringing their idol with them. Another limitation is that the idol is only valid until a given deadline (usually Day 36 or 37, when 6 or 5 players are left). A player may hold more than one idol if available.

## Format

### Negating Idol

**Appeared in:** *Survivor: Comoros* onwards

**Played:** Before the reading of regular votes.

This mechanic makes it possible for the idol to be wasted, as a castaway must play the idol on someone that can be voted against, but who is not guaranteed to have the most number of votes, making timing a crucial factor in playing it. A way to counter this type of idol is to force the user to waste it (i.e. if they do not have the most number of votes), a strategy several castaways call as *flushing*. Once the idol is used, it is usually re-hidden. Typically, these idols are valid up until there are only five castaways remaining in the game (including Redemption Island).

## Trivia

* Kimberly Dean is the first person to ever successfully use the Hidden Immunity Idol.
* Darrell Castillo is the first person to ever find the Hidden Immunity Idol.
* *Survivor: Nepal* is the only season to have a player not find the idol in the first episode.
* Vicki Roy is the first player to be voted out with the Hidden Immunity Idol in their possession.
* Ryleigh Ferguson is the first player to use the Hidden Immunity Idol to negate everyone's vote at tribal council.
* Nicola Ferrari is the first player to find multiple idols in the same season.
* Jacob Caldwell is the first person to be in possession of more than one hidden immunity idol.
	+ He was later followed by Daughtry Haynes in *Thailand*.
* *Survivor: Tahiti* is the first and only season in which idols were in play, but none were played.
* Linda Terry is the first player to be in possession with an idol in two different seasons.
* *Survivor: Thailand* is the only season to have every immunity idol found to be played correctly.
	+ It was later followed by *Survivor: Gabon*
* *Survivor: Gabon* is the only season that all idols were found by females.