They're Back!

They're Back! is the first episode of.

Day 1
Escorted by the heavily armed Panamanian military, three boats, each containing six returning castaways, speed across the Pacific Ocean to compete one more time. Only armed with water canteens for each person, the castaways have no idea who are they competing against, or the existence of three tribes. "chapera"

- My tribe is a very collectic group and it's gonna be very interesting to watch how this shakes out, I can't wait to start.

"chapera"

- This isn't a little boys game, this game is for the big boys.

"chapera"

- All-Stars Survivor is gonna be so cutthroat it won't be fun. Nobody trusts anybody.

"saboga"

- My first impression of the group, I'm happy with the group, we've got the mom, the nice guy, the military guy, the hot chick. We are all gonna play this game, we are all gonna battle for this prize.

"saboga"

- I am the new guy on the block, y'know. All these people know each other.

"saboga"

- I do feel very vulnerable, I got put on a tribe with a woman that doesn't like me.

"mogomogo"

- I think I would be lying if I said there wasn't a day that went by since Africa when I wasn't thinking about Survivor.

"mogomogo"

- It has never been done before, no one has come back to play this game twice, it changes the game completely.

"mogomogo"

- I can't believe we're here, like we are such morons. You left everything you loved to starve, have no water, have no fire, but seriously, we have got issues.

Jeff then introduces the cast. The Mogo Mogo tribe, which will always wear green, consists of Jenna Morasca, Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien, Richard Hatch, Colby Donaldson, Lex van den Berghe, and Shii Ann Huang. The Saboga tribe, which will always wear yellow, consists of Rudy Boesch, Tina Wesson, Jenna Lewis, Ethan Zohn, Jerri Manthey, and Rupert Boneham. The Chapera tribe, which will always wear red, consists of Rob Cesternino, Rob Mariano, Alicia Calaway, Susan Hawk, Amber Brkich, and Tom Buchanan.

Chapera has a rough start, as (to Tom's concern) they could not work as a group. The two Robs show excitement about competing in an All-Stars season. Susan, as usual, outspoke herself and she thinks she will be the first person voted out of Chapera.

Saboga reaches their shore, and to Jerri's annoyance, she was placed on a team with Tina, who didn't like her in Australia. They soon find their water source, just like Chapera. Rudy was just about to drink the water with brain parasites, until he was stopped. Strategy was already kicking in, Jerri had a revolution to keep her mouth shut, and Rupert, knowing he was the new guy (because there were two from the first season, two from the second season, one from the third, and he was from season seven), decided to go along with everything. Jenna L. decides to target the two winners, Tina and Ethan.

Mogo Mogo is the last tribe to reach their beach, and Lex is very happy to compete again. They stumble upon an area to build the shelter at. Jenna M. planned to form an all-girls alliance with Kathy and Shii Ann. Curious, Richard eavesdropped on their conversation and inform Lex and Colby. Thanks to Lex, everyone was able to settle down and work on the shelter.

Meanwhile at Chapera, the tribe is unable to construct a fire to boil the water from the well. Susan gives a negative attitude towards it, irking her tribe. Soon after, she drinks the water right out of the well, even without boiling it, giving her stomach pains, but it is nothing serious.

Going back to Saboga, the tribe is also not able to get fire. Soon after, Rudy and Rupert form an alliance and give each other their word.

Day 2
Chapera doesn't sleep well during the first night, causing them to be tired and cranky. Tension stirs up between Rob M. and Alicia, and Rob calls Alicia a drama queen. Later on, Rob M. forms an alliance with Amber. "chapera"

- She's beautiful. Any idiot can see that.

Alicia gets suspicious.

At Mogo Mogo, the tribe members are still unable to get fire. Richard has no interest in trying, annoying his team. His tribe knows that he is "the King of Survivor", though Lex points out that he was when the show was new, but not now. Shii Ann personally thinks that Richard shouldn't leave the first day, as it wouldn't be any fun to her.

At the challenge, everyone finally learns who else is in the game. Chapera and Mogo Mogo are neck and neck, while Saboga falls behind and can't get anything working. Chapera finishes first, then Mogo Mogo, with Saboga losing.

Chapera celebrates their victory and come back with a good attitude, but are still unable to get fire.

Day 3
At Saboga, Jenna L. continues her quest for eliminating Tina and Ethan by aligning with Jerri, saying that the winners should go because they don't know what it's like. Jenna L. tells Ethan exactly what she thinks, which causes Tina and him to know they are in trouble, so they ally. The two winners agree to vote Jenna L., and try to persuade Rupert, but it seemed he wouldn't budge. Jenna L. and Jerri agree to eliminate Tina first, because Ethan is stronger, and Jerri was still cautious of Tina. It was only a matter of time before the Rudy-Rupert alliance would be the swing votes.

At tribal, Jerri and Jenna L. vote for Tina, and her and Ethan vote for Jenna L. Rudy and Rupert side with the non-winners against Tina, and she is thus the first All-Star voted out. In addition, the tribe members do not get to take their torches back to camp until they are able to start a fire.

Immunity
Challenge: Quest for Fire

On floating platforms, the tribes will have to dive down and release their raft from a mooring on the bottom of the ocean floor. They would then have to transport fire torches on their raft to the beach, lighting torches along the way. The first two tribes to light the torches, bring their rafts to the beach and climb under a bamboo crawl would win immunity.

Winners (according to finish): Chapera and Mogo Mogo

Voting Confessionals
"saboga"

- Jenna, Jenna, Jenna. Your mouth just keeps going and going and going. You better be careful, 'cause it might bite ya in that big ol' butt of yours.

Final Words
"saboga"

- This experience has been different for me because I went in on an equal playing ground the first time. I kinda expected it... but it doesn't make it any easier.

Trivia

 * This episode marked the first time that the number of competing contestants exceeded the standard 16. Also, this is the first time that the cast was divided into three tribes in the beginning of the competition.
 * This week's first challenge was a throwback of the first challenge ever to be held in Survivor, back in . This season's revision of the challenge was refitted with a bamboo crawl-through at the middle of the course.
 * This debut episode marked the least amount of supplies given to any group of Survivors.
 * This episode marks the first time that Tina received votes against her.
 * This episode marks the first episode to feature a full cast of returning players.
 * This episode aired at 10:52 pm EST on a Sunday, following CBS's coverage of the Super Bowl.
 * This is the latest timeslot in which Survivor has been aired on the East Coast.