Astervivor

***Astervivor*** is an ORG (Online Reality Game), based on the Swedish television series, Expedition Robinson created by Charlie Parsons in 1997, and the U.S. reality-based competition television show based off Expedition Robinson. It premiered on October 18th, 2021, with the first episode of *Astervivor: New Zealand*. The ORG's main host is Aster.

## History

Astervivor went into production sometime in July, 2021. ORG player Aster wanted to create his own online reality game for others to play and enjoy. His connections with several ORG communities, such as Mystical Matchups, Nebvivor and Mafia, allowed him to form a hosting crew and cast for the first season, which turned out to be a massive hit.

## Format

*Main article: Twists*

Similar to the original *Expedition Robinson*, sixteen to twenty-one people, referred to as "castaways", "survivors" or "astervivors", split into two or more groups, referred to as "tribes", would be taken to a remote location, most often tropical, and forced to live off the land for a set amount of days. Every so often, the tribes would meet together to compete for immunity from being voted out at Tribal Council.

Usually signalling the halfway point of the season, the competing tribes would form one final tribe in an event called the merge. At this point, the castaways would be competing in challenges individually. At least one person will win individual immunity in the form of a necklace, preventing that castaway from being voted out at the next Tribal Council. Most castaways eliminated after the merge will begin forming the jury. Once the season gets down to the Final Two or Final Three, the finalists will plead their case to the jury. The jury will then cast their vote for the castaway they considered should be the next member of Astervivor Royalty, who will win the season.

The game has introduced several twists to keep players on their toes and to make the season more exciting and fresh to the audience.

#### Number of Members per Tribe

* **Three Tribes of Seven:** First used in *Astervivor: New Zealand*, the castaways were divided into three tribes of seven. This reappeared in *Astervivor: Wadi Rum.*
* **Two Tribes of Nine:** First used in *Astervivor: Mediterranean*, the castaways were divided into two separate tribes of nine.
* **One Tribe of Nineteen:** First used in *Astervivor: Marble Cave,* the castaways were divided into a single tribe of nineteen people.
* **Three Tribes of Eight:** First used in *Astervivor: All-Stars,* the castaways were divided into three tribes of eight. In *All-Stars* specifically, one of these tribes were hidden for the start of the game and were revealed after the First Immunity Challenge.
* **Two Tribes of Ten:** First used in *Astervivor: Trolltunga,* the castaways were divided into two separate tribes of ten.

#### "Versus"/Themed Seasons

As per the consensus of the producers, a batch of contestants could be sorted into tribes with a common theme, sometimes based on the cast's personal attributes. Some seasons have contestants be joined with returning players, all of which have certain similar attributes.

* **Strength vs. Strategic vs. Social:** In *Astervivor: Wadi Rum*, the tribes were divided into 3 tribes of 7 according to the contestants' best attribute that gets them by in life: Physical strength, Intellect or Social Skills.
* **All Returning Players:** In *Astervivor: All-Stars**,* twenty-four past players return to play the game.

#### Merge

*Main article: Merge*

Usually occurring near the halfway point of the season, the merge sees the dissolution of any tribes in the game, with all remaining players forming a new tribe, and the challenges going from tribal to individual.

##### Unmerge and Remerge

The Unmerge was a twist found in *Astervivor: New Zealand*, which happened when there was ten castaways left in the game. They would go back into separate tribes for the next two tribal councils before remerging back into the game. However, castaways voted out in the unmerge would join the Jury. It reappeared in *Astervivor: All-Stars.*

##### Early Merge

An early merge is when the merge occurs with more than ten castaways remaining. The first early merge occurred in *Astervivor: Marble Cave*, merging with eleven castaways remaining. Another early merge occurred in *Astervivor: Wadi Rum*, merging with a total of fourteen castaways remaining. One season later occured with *Astervivor: All-Stars*, which merged with thirteen castaways remaining.

#### Finalist and Jury composition

* **Final Three and Jury of Seven:** First used in *Astervivor: New Zealand* and later used in *Astervivor: Mediterranean.*
* **Final Two and Jury of Nine:** First used in *Astervivor: Marble Cave.*
* **Final Three and Jury of Eleven:** First used in *Astervivor: Wadi Rum.*
* **Final Three and Jury of Eight:** First used in *Astervivor: All-Stars*, however, due to Natkat and Meg the Panda tying at Final Tribal Council, CamBam, the third finalist, was made a Jury Member to break the tie.
* **Final Two and Jury of Five:** First used in *Astervivor: Trolltunga.*

#### Tribe Swap

*Main article: Tribe Swap*

Tribe Swaps reassign castaways into new tribe compositions and can occur at any point in the game. There are a few variations of a Tribe Swap:

* A normal **Tribe Swap** occurs when the number of members switched from each tribe are even.
* A **Tribe Shuffle** is when a tribe can consist of any number of members from either tribe.
* A **Tribe Dissolve** is when one tribe is dissolved with all remaining castaways in the game being shuffled into new tribes.
* A **Tribe Expansion** is when a third tribe is introduced in a season starting with two tribes, with all remaining castaways being shuffled into new tribes.

##### Schoolyard Pick

*Main article: Schoolyard Pick*

In *Astervivor: Marble Cave*, a Schoolyard Pick was used to determine the tribes. In *Marble Cave*, the two people who were voted to become a Tribe Captain would choose the tribes, with one person being unselected in the process, eliminating them from the game.

#### Previously Eliminated Castaways

A few seasons have made it possible for eliminated castaways to reenter the game.

##### Edge of Extinction

*Main article: Edge of Extinction*

First introduced in *Astervivor: Mediterranean*, the Edge of Extinction allows castaways to wait for an opportunity to reenter the game at the merge. After each castaway is eliminated, up until the merge, they will be given the option to go to the Edge of Extinction or finish their journey, permanently eliminating them from the game. While on the Edge of Extinction, a castaway may quit by hoisting a white flag.

### Tribal Council-Related

There have been a few twists utilizing Tribal Council.

#### Double Tribal Council/Double Elimination

A Double Tribal Council is where one tribe attends Tribal Council to vote two people out consecutively. This twist was first used in *Astervivor: New Zealand*, which after the Kōwhai tribe lost the 4th Immunity Challenge, they were asked to vote out two members of their tribe instead of one. This reappeared in *Astervivor: Marble Cave* and *Astervivor: Wadi Rum,* both during the Merge portion of the game.

#### Joint Tribal Councils

A Joint Tribal Council is where two tribes attend Tribal Council to vote out one, single castaway. The two tribes are not given any time before Tribal Council to interact with one another, and this often results in a live Tribal Council. This twist was first used in *Astervivor: Marble Cave* saw both of its pre-merge tribes attend Tribal Council together.

#### Hidden Immunity Idols

*Main article: Hidden Immunity Idol*

First introduced in *Astervivor: New Zealand*, the Hidden Immunity Idol grants protection for the person who finds it. The Hidden Immunity Idol could only be played after the votes were cast, but before they are read, negating any votes cast against the user, but also making it possible for an idol to be wasted.

#### Fantails

Found in *Astervivor: New Zealand*, Fantails would negate a single vote at a tribal council from a person of their choice. It has never reappeared since.

### Advantages and Disadvantages

#### Challenge Advantage

*Main article: Challenge Advantage*

A Challenge Advantage is a one-time advantage that gives the user an advantage in an upcoming challenge. The advantage first appeared in a Astervivor Auction in *Astervivor: New Zealand*. Challenge Advantages returned in *Astervivor: All-Stars* for the first Immunity Challenge.

#### Tribe Captain

*Main article: Tribe Captain*
The Tribe Leader twist sees the tribe vote for someone to be its leader and make decisions. First introduced in *Astervivor: Marble Cave*, the tribe leaders were used to make decisions like sit-outs, stowaways, etc. If a leader is eliminated, the tribe must elect a new one.