After 50 seasons, what’s next on Survivor? We’re about to find out!
Survivor 51 marks the start of the Open Era. According to longtime host Jeff Probst, all advantages from the past 25 years are up for grabs. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for what could be in store going forward. With 21 new faces hitting the beaches of Fiji, it’s time to kick off another season of the greatest reality competition series. Below, we’ll recap all the twists and turns from Wednesday’s episode, titled ‘Permanent Uncertainty’, along with revealing who was voted out.
Survivor 51 Episode 1 Recap
The Marooning
A quick talk from Jeff got us pumped up for the new season. “Own your game,” he tells this cast of first-time players. He also reveals that this season is all about “permanent uncertainty.”
Then, with the ring of a bell, our players were given two minutes to grab what they can off of a ship. The marooning is a classic Survivor intro, immediately pitting castaways against one other. Nobody knew who was on which tribe just yet, creating an added layer of chaos. Then, they were forced to swim ashore with whatever supplies they could carry.
Devin put it best in his first confessional: “Are we marooning? Is this classic Survivor?”
Hitting the Beach
It might be early, but players were already starting out hot. Kristin found a connection with several other players as they floated aboard a makeshift raft. It’s a different story for Kilby, who only recently learned how to swim. New Englanders Eric and Rob shared a brief moment on the beach due to their home state of Rhode Island.
The greetings were brought to an abrupt halt with a message on the beach. One player will not start the game with the rest of the cast, chosen by the rest of the cast. Instead, they’d immediately be shipped off to the other side of the island. However, Lewis was willing to make a sacrifice for the good of his new tribe mates. At such an early point of the game, it’s never easy to separate yourself from everyone else.
Without much else to do, our remaining players decided to start building a camp. However, certain player shave already started sectioning off. Jelly and Ori have formed a strong, and potentially flirtatious (?) connection.
I Declare Thumb War
In true Survivor fashion, a piece of mail was dropped into the beach via helicopter. It’s a bundle filled with buffs, separating everyone into two (not three) tribes.
However, that wasn’t our last piece of news. Once the tribes were aligned, a single representative was chosen by each. Then, they’d negotiate and divvy up the remaining supplies. Kilby nominated himself for Toka, while lawyer Kristin took over for Savu.
Supplies were bundled, and had to be taken together. Kilby and Kristin reached an impasse, unable to budge on most items. Then, the two decided to settle it via a random game of chance: thumb war. Kristin ended up victorious in a matter of seconds, taking home the pot, machete, flint and fishing gear. Kilby had to settle for building and shelter supplies.
First Impressions
Toka begins hanging out in the water, sharing their names and occupations. Jenna is feeling a bit overwhelmed, and doesn’t share much during this initial pow-wow. That draws the suspicion of Devin, who thinks something suspicious is up with the wedding survivor. He’s latched on quickly with Aaliyah and Jelly, potentially creating a strong three-person Helicopter Alliance.
Back on Savu, Ori and Sharonda have solidified their portion of the Helicopter Alliance. However, Eric is playing too hard and too fast. He’s trying to make an effort to connect with just about everyone, drawing the ire of players such as Carter and Rob.
Checking back in on Lewis, his trek culminates in two of Survivor’s most dreaded words: Exile Island. An already difficult day gets that much worse, trapped in a place with limited resources and no other human contact. However, that wasn’t the end of the Irishman’s journey. None other than Jeff Probst comes over the next day to give him a greeting…and some new information. Lewis won’t be taking part in the first immunity challenge or tribal council. By default, he won’t be the first person voted out of the game.
That wasn’t the end of Jeff’s visit. He presented Lewis with an opportunity to get an idol. However, it wouldn’t be easy. At the top of a mast on the beach, there was an idol. However, you weren’t able to climb or throw anything on the mast; it needed to be cut down with a mallet. To make things even more dramatic, it was a timed chopping. It’s one of the more brutal opening challenges in recent Survivor history, a true test of physical strength and perserverence. Unfortunately, Lewis came up just short in his quest to take down the mast. To make matters worse, his hands were completely battered with blisters. Talk about a rough first week in Fiji.
Go Big or Go Home…
Devin is already making a big impression at Toka, for better or worse. He’s forming an early alliance with, in his words, “big, dumb boy” Brady. Devin even slips Jenna’s name as a potential first vote out to several other members of the tribe. However, not everyone is that into his style of gameplay. Thien An describes him as over-eager in his quest to take on a leadership role. She later compares his energetic nature to that of an anime character.
Back on Savu, Eric is goin on a solo fishing trip. However, Rob is eager to paint an even bigger target on his back. He tells the rest of this tribe that his fellow Rhode Islander is missing and organizes a search party. He then makes another strong move, forming strong bonds with Ana and Carter. The bones of an alliance are being made. Eventually Eric pops back up out of the water, going crazy over catching a teensy tiny fish. Despite an emotional moment talking about his wife, he’s currently the top pick to go home.
On a solo walk in the woods, Rob’s busy early game takes another unexpected twist. It’s an old-fashioned hidden immunity idol, uncovered inside of a tree. Even better, there aren’t any added frills; it’s good to use until the Final Five.
Flipping Out
At the first immunity challenge of the season, Jeff re-emphasizes the stakes of the Open Era. It’s a brand new game, where anything that has ever happened on any prior season is in play. In short, expect the unexpected. Then, Jeff throws another curveball. He petitions the cast to make their second vote of the season: will fire making at the Final Four be mandatory? However, only five members of the cast vote to get rid of it.
Then, an even bigger shocker: the Mr. Beast coin flip is back. As a refresher, the player that correctly guesses a coin flip at tribal council adds a million dollars to the prize pot and receives an immunity idol. However, if they fail to correctly guess, the player is immediately sent home. In addition, the million dollars that isn’t added to that season’s pot is added to the very next season’s pot. For example, if a coin isn’t correctly called for three seasons in a row, there could be a potential three million dollar flip in a future season. With all that being said, that’s a dilemma (or opportunity) to consider down the line.
Walk the Plank
In our first challenge of the season, both tribes had to untie planks inside of a tight wooden maze. Then, players worked together to untie balls and put them through a chute. Once ten balls are pushed through, a bucket would then get tipped over. After that, players would untie wooden crates and shove them through netting. The tribes would have to stack those boxes into a staircase, ultimately solving a puzzle at the end.
Both tribes had a slip-up during the ball placement portion of the challenge. Once that was settled, the crate pushing section proved to be a difference maker. Brady was a standout, despite hitting his Achilles. The wrestler single-handedly shoved through several crates with brute strength, giving Toka an early advantage. However, Savu was better organized when it came to creating a staircase. That gave them a literal step up over the competition.
During the puzzle portion, Christian and Ana led Savu to a quick lead. However, the two slowed down a bit after placing their pieces too high. Toka made a mini-comeback, but it wasn’t enough. Savu took home the first immunity idol of the season, sending their tribal foes to Tribal Council.
Shifting Targets
Jenna’s is flying around camp, sparked in part by Devin’s stirring of the pot. Aaliyah and Jelly are feeling confident, with the former mentioning that she thinks her alliance will determine who goes home. Some of the girls in the water begin mentioning Brady, due in part to his aggression during the challenge. Aaliyah even accused him of over-promising and under-delivering. Still, the women agree that it’s a bit too early to take home such a massive player.
Patt reveals to Jenna that she’s been brought up by several players, especially the guys. She’s recently coming off of a divorce, which is the root of her shyness during the first week. It’s now survival mode for Jenna, who is ready to do whatever it takes to stay in the game. She mentions to Brady that Aaliyah threw his name around earlier. That infuriates the challenge beast, who becomes determined to send his biggest adversary home. Devin gets word, and immediately does his best to shift the vote back to Jenna. Neither player is willing to budge, creating a massive rift within Toka mere hours before the vote.
A Live Tribal
Despite big grins heading into Tribal Council, someone’s game is about to end in unceremonious fashion. Jenna speaks up, mentioning that she’s aware of her poor first impression. Even Kilby says that he’s had trouble fully trusting her. Then, Devin speaks up. He says that Jenna is someone he feels will make it to the end of this game if she survives tonight’s vote. He then states he’s 100% writing down Jenna’s name, sending the drama up a notch.
Patt then says there are two amazing people up for a vote, a slip-up that leads to her revealing that Aaliyah is also at risk. This becomes a live tribal, with almost everyone whispering in a group. As everyone is swirling in a panic, Devin remains seated. His vote remains the same: Jenna.
Before the votes are read, Aaliyah and Jenna both opt to use their shot in the dark. The former goes first, coming up empty in her last-minute gambit to avoid elimination. It’s the same story for the latter, who is also not safe.
The first two votes go towards Jenna, and it’s looking like the wedding photographer is headed for an early boot. However, five straight votes head towards Aaliyah, making her the first person sent home on Survivor 51.
Who Was Voted Off Survivor Tonight in Episode 1: Permanent Uncertainty?
Aaliyah was voted out on Survivor 51 Episode 1: Permanent Uncertainty.
Survivor 51 Episode 1 FAQ
Who was voted out in Survivor 51 Episode 1?
Aaliyah was voted out on Survivor tonight in Episode 1: Permanent Uncertainty.
When does Survivor 51 Episode 2 come out?
Episode 2 of Survivor 51 will air Wednesday, September 30th at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Where to stream Survivor 51?
Survivor 51 episodes can be streamed on Paramount+ the day after they air on CBS.
