Recent seasons of Survivor have looked a lot different when it came to deciding who would make it to the final three. Gone is that final Tribal Council vote and in its place is a fire challenge that helps decide who moves forward to the jury vote.
As it worked on Survivor 40 when there were just four castaways left in the game, a very important Individual Immunity Challenge took place. The winner of that Individual Immunity then got to decide one person to go with them to the final three.
Under the new rules, once the first two spots of the final three have been decided, the remaining castaways participate in a fire challenge that takes place instead of the typical Tribal Council vote. Done in front of the jury, this decides the final slot in the final three. The loser becomes the last member of the jury.
Fans have been really split on whether or not the final-four fire challenge is a good thing for the show. It definitely leads to some exciting moments while the challenge is taking place, but it also gives a lot of power to the person who wins the final Individual Immunity.
Survivor spoilers: Why is there a fire challenge now?
“This idea came about to solve a problem that has bothered me for years. If someone plays a great game and gets to the final four, it has always bothered me that the other three can simply say, ‘We can’t beat him, so let’s all just vote him out,'” Survivor host Jeff Probst explained during an interview.
Jeff went on to add that, “If you get to final four, you are guaranteed a shot to earn your way to the end. And if you are the one to win the final four challenge, you are in charge of who you take and who you force to fight for it in a fire-making showdown.”
First introduced as a twist, the fire-making challenge has now become a known challenge awaiting the final four castaways. Fans continue to be split on whether or not it is a good idea and how it can really give a four-person alliance a huge advantage earlier in the game.
Survivor 41 needs new twists
It has been a long time since the Survivor 40 winner was revealed, so Survivor 41 needs to come back with a bang. Introducing some new twists could certainly spice things up.
Along with that, CBS also announced that the Survivor 41 cast will be constructed in a different fashion than in the past. The new efforts are to increase diversity.
Could one of the new changes be in regard to that final-four fire-making challenge? It’s possible. But since it seemed that Jeff Probst really loved the idea and how it has worked out for the show, it might be something that is around for many more seasons.
Either way, Survivor is ready to begin filming again. The extended delays that were due to the coronavirus pandemic may soon become a thing of the past, even though the show could look a tad different. There will need to be new safety precautions as well, so it will be interesting to see how Survivor adjusts to it all.
Survivor is currently on hiatus at CBS.