Survivor: Vanuatu

***Survivor: Vanuatu*** is the fifth season of *PM Survivor Series*. To date, it has produced four returning players (Aubrey Anderson, Kaycee Lopes, Naya Emerson, and Silas Moreno) for subsequent seasons.

## Production

As has been the case since the beginning of the series, this season would begin in back-to-back months.

## Twists/Changes

* **Hidden Immunity Idol:** Two idols were hidden for the contestants to find, one at each camp. There was also a hidden immunity idol hidden during the "fake merge" feast.
* **Mutiny:** On Day 8, the tribes were offered to switch tribe affiliations.
* **Message in a Bottle:** After losing the Day 14 Reward and Immunity Challenge, the Lataro tribe received a sealed bottle with a note that was read after losing the challenge. Unaware to what was contained in the bottle belonged to the losing tribe, they were surprised to learn that they would vote out two tribe members at the same Tribal Council.
* **Fake Merge:** On Day 19, Lataro and Manaro tribe were instructed to gather their belongings and meet a new beach. They arrived with a feast that could be won at a challenge, assumption of the first merge challenge. They were surprised later to find out it was a tribe reward challenge rather than individual challenge. The merge happened in the following day.
* **Late Merge and Jury:** This season shortens the merge with the usual eleven or ten to nine, and the jury is shortened from nine or eight to seven.

## Season Summary

Eighteen players were dropped off in Vanuatu, from the start of the game. The Manaro tribe proved to be the stronger tribe winning the first three challenges, sending Lataro tribal to vote out Ollie and Valentina both vote offs controlled by an alliance consisted of Aubrey Anderson, Brian Schwartz and Caleigh Russo. Lataro won their first immunity challenge sending Manaro to their first tribal council. With the majority of Manaro intending to vote out Naya Emerson or Taron Lowe, Keiara Moore caused mistrust with her alliance and turned the tribe against her, sending her home unanimously.

The two tribes were surprised to learn that they could position themselves better in the game with a mutiny. Saxton Turner switched from Lataro to Manaro, and Naya and Taron went from Manaro to Lataro. Naya's position in the game wasn't changed at the first tribal, staying on the bottom having to use her Hidden Immunity Idol to save herself and get Laura Jackson out of the game. The tribe continued to lose until there was only two members remaining, which happened to be Naya and Taron.

At the merge, eight original Manaro were in the game with one original member of Lataro. With the Manaro alliance avoiding tribal council since Day 7. They officially started to crack and turn on each other after they voted out Frank Long then Brandi Moreau. The majority of Manaro was able to come together to get rid of Saxton, the last remaining Lataro member. Following that tribal, they unanimously voted out Justin Marino. At the final five, India Jones and Kaycee Lopes were on one side of the game, and Naya and Taron on the other. Silas Moreno stood in the middle of the game, and after India and Kaycee changed their target from Naya to Taron. Naya played her second hidden immunity idol with the intention of blindsiding India, but it failed and Taron was sent home after Silas flipped in the revote. At the final four, India put the past behind her and decided to become allies with Naya. With a tie in the final four, Silas and Naya battled in a fire challenge, Naya won and sent home Silas. Naya was able to win the last immunity, and to pay back India for saving her, she voted out Kaycee.

At the final tribal council, the jury respected Naya's underdog journey throughout the game. She won the game in a 5-2 vote against India.

## Trivia

* This season featured the first Mutiny
* This season had the first player to ever be Evacuated from the game.
* After four previous seasons, this season crowns the first female winner.