Merica

**Highest Placing Member**: Byron (Sole Survivor/18)

Merica was the merged tribe from Survivor: Worlds Apart.

With one alliance having power throughout much of the game, it was down to having a strong social or physical game for the remaining players. Flippers ensured they survived one vote, but quickly became targets the second time. In the end, one castaways independent game was awarded over the strong grip that another had mainly because the jury were inclined to one side. Their tribe colour was black.

## Members

* Austin, an American body confident gay television personality.
* Byron, an intelligent and highly skilled defence attorney.
* Callum, a football jock who enjoys social media and going to the gym.
* Derrick, a young police officer who specialises in private investigating and super fan of *Survivor*.
* Erin, a visual designer and aspiring architect.
* Gail, an alopecia survivor who is now a radio presenter, sharing her story.
* Lucy, a financial planner who was a teen mother to her daughter Monica.
* Mickey, a socially awkward teen who suffers from a plethora of medical conditions.
* Miles, a vegan protestor who rescues animals with her friend Laurie.
* Rick, a high school music teacher who is also in a band with fellow teachers in the surrounding area.

## Tribe History

On Day 23, the black Merica tribe was formed after Escameca and Nagarote was disbanded. Original tribal lines were proving to be the basis of all alliances in this new tribe. The original Escameca Alliance of Byron, Erin and Callum were short in numbers but definitely were united. In a majority, Nagarote members Austin, Gail, Mickey and Miles were the most united in numbers. The original tribe with the most difficulties working together was the original Masaya members, being Derrick, Lucy and Rick. Derrick ran off with the Nagarote Alliance early after the tribe dissolve which left Lucy and Rick to fend for themselves. When Rick abandoned Lucy for the Escameca alliance before the merge, this left her in isolation. When the Escameca Alliance joined back at the merge, Rick was excluded from their conversation which left him alone. He and Lucy soon reconciled and formed their own pairing. At the first tribal council at the merge, Lucy and Rick voted for Austin, the Escameca trio voted for Derrick and the Nagarote Alliance which included Derrick voted for Callum and made him the second member of the jury.

With a disadvantage in numbers, Rick switched back to the Escameca Alliance. Derrick was becoming increasingly power hungry and wanted to take a stab at the Nagarote Alliance. He approached Rick and Byron and they planned on voting for Miles. At tribal council, Austin, Mickey and Miles aligned together to vote for Rick. On the other hand, Erin, Gail and Lucy were also interested in another alliance away from their own original pre-conceptions and wanted to get rid of Derrick, who all didn't trust him completely. This resulted in a three way tie between Derrick, Miles and Rick. At the revote, Lucy switched her vote to Miles. This was for nought however because Gail whispered to Austin and Mickey to change their vote to Derrick so that Miles was guarunteed safety and he was voted out. Rick, realising that the Escameca Alliance was a sinking ship approached Gail for a plan. The Nagarote Alliance then brought him and the five then got rid of Erin even though Byron, Erin and Lucy voted for Miles.

    With a foot in both the Escamecan and Nagarote alliances, Rick was seen as a loose cannon and wishy washy player. He approached Lucy to make amends and although she knew he lied multiple times, they wanted to get rid of Miles. Byron, as the only Escameca member left, wanted to sent Austin home but knew it was a lost cause. Lucy did however approach the Nagarote Alliance and told them about how Rick was trying to conspire against them. This resulted in them turning on Rick and making him the next member of the jury. The Nagarote Alliance had a numbers advantage. Gail however, thought it was the perfect time to get rid of one of their allies and Austin took the brunt of this. Austin could sense that he was being disconnected from his alliance. Lucy, currently at the bottom of the tribe, wanted to have Austin feel he had allies if the miracle was to happen that she made it to the end and they came up with a plan to get rid of Miles. With immunity around Gail's neck, she had no reason to not execute her plan and with the help of Byron, Mickey and Miles, Austin was voted out next.

Byron was considered the next target for the Nagarote Alliance because of his generally quiet demeanour being practically unreadable. He ended up winning individual immunity and with this, came his will to make a big move. Seeing Gail as the ideal target to be considered a player in the game, he and Lucy just needed one more member to act on it. This plan never eventuated fully and the Nagarote trio sent home Lucy. Nagarote, with only three members left, wanted to up end in the Final Three together but that relied on Byron losing the next immunity challenge. This didn't happen, and forced Gail, Mickey and Miles to turn on one another. Gail and Miles, as the only women left, decided to turn on Mickey. They girls, with the help of Byron voted Mickey out and completed the jury.

At the Final Tribal Council, it was Byron from the Escameca Alliance and Gail and Miles from Nagarote. Miles' gameplay was perceived as underwhelming because she wasn't in charge of any big moves, didn't win any immunities and was the brunt of many back up plans. This resulted in her earning the title of Co Runner-Up with zero of eight votes. Gail was appreciated by the majority of the jury for her impeccable social and strategic game. The real problem with her game was the fact that she was seated next to Byron, who was friends or aligned with much of the jury. The fact that he was so closely connected to each of them meant they were given a front row seat into his gameplay. in the end, Gail was given the title of Runner-Up after earning three of eight jury votes from Austin, Derrick and Mickey. Byron was awarded the title of Sole Survivor after Callum, Erin, Lucy, Rick and Tiarn voted for him.