The Redemption Island twist provides an opportunity for an eliminated player to re-enter the game and continue their pursuit to the million-dollar prize and the title of Sole Survivor. In order to do so however, eliminated contestants will compete in head-to-head challenges (known as Duels) in order to remain on the island and avoid permanent elimination or in later seasons compete on their partners behalf but risk elimination.
Seasons With Redemption Island
- Tumblr Survivor: Redemption Island
- Tumblr Survivor: Newfoundland
- Tumblr Survivor: Riau Islands
- Tumblr Survivor: Easter Island
- Tumblr Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains II
- Tumblr Survivor: Great Lakes
- Tumblr Survivor: Italy
Format
Immediately after being voted out, the castaway would take their snuffed torch with them as they walk out from the Tribal Council set. Then they would be instructed to go to Redemption Island.
When the next person is voted out, that player would be sent to Redemption Island as well, meeting up with current inhabitant at the same night. They would then live together from that point, until the next morning, where they will duel to remain on the island.
In the first appearance of Redemption Island, the pre-merge cycle was always a one-on-one showdown. But when Redemption Island was restarted after the merge, "group duels" were used, where more than one person may win.
Duels
In Redemption Island, duels determined whoever would stay in the island and who would be permanently be eliminated. At the day of the duel, the castaways would receive Tree Mail about their duel, instructing them to proceed to the Redemption Island Arena. The arena will be a special challenge area where all duels will take place.
Upon reaching the arena, they will be welcomed by the host. Also in the arena are selected players from the competing tribes, who are there to watch the duel. After the duel, it is up to these observers if they will spoil the goings-on at the arena, or stretch the truth.
In this special challenge, the winner of the duel will stay in Redemption Island and continue their quest to become the Sole Survivor, while the loser will be permanently eliminated from the game (this is denoted by the loser tossing his/her buff in a fire wok). Theoretically, should the first person voted off make it to the reentering stage, he/she must win all proceeding duels, meaning the castaway must defeat all subsequent castaways sent in the island.
On certain cases, there are more than two people residing on Redemption Island, with them participating in multi-person "duels." In this format, the number of eliminated castaways vary. A three-person Duel is unofficially known as a "truel."
Re-Entry Points
There are normally two standard re-entry points that take place whilst Redemption Island is in play. The first is at the Merge, whereupon the winner becomes part of the merged tribe, bringing the tribe to 12 or 11 members. The second re-entry point is at the Final 4, where they'll become the Final 5. Heroes Vs. Villains II & Great Lakes introduced a re-entry point in the pre-merge that lined up with a tribe swap or shuffle.
Challenge Wins
Trivia
- The first contestant voted into Redemption Island was Laura.
- Justin and Jake were the first players to come back into the game from Redemption Island.
- Justin, Andreas & Daniel Kennedy are the only players to be sent to Redemption Island more than once in a season.
- Andreas is the only player to be sent to Redemption Island three times.
- Owen, Bridget McGovern, & Andreas are the only players to compete on Redemption Island in more than one season.
- Of the 3, Andreas is the only to win a Redemption Island Duel on both seasons