The Beauty in a Merge

The Beauty in a Merge is the seventh episode of.

Day 17
After being told they were merged, all twelve remaining survivors returned to the One World camp, where they found finger foods and champagne bottles. As Michael opened up the champagne bottles, the new tribe feasted and celebrated a new beginning. On the other hand, Alicia felt betrayed by Colton, who was evacuated from the game, because he chose to keep his Hidden Immunity Idol; forcing her to return to the five-person women alliance she created on Day 1. "tikiano"

- This really feels like Survivor to me now. "tikiano"

- The backstabbing is going to begin.

Day 18
The next morning, Troyzan proposed a new tribe name: "Tikiano", with "Tiki" meaning "god" and "Ano" meaning "year," thus forming "Year of God." Everybody agreed over breakfast, especially Tarzan, who was longing for coffee, but Jay told him the people who won the coffee could consume it. Jay decided to stick with the new Salani tribe and systematically vote off the new Manono tribe. Meanwhile, Tarzan believed that the original all-male Manono tribe are solid going up against the females, and approached Michael if the pact was still intact, where the latter halfheartedly agreed. "tikiano"

- It’s like, "Ahh, here we are again, one big "happy” family all together." "tikiano"

- I don’t trust any of those guys and I don’t like any of those guys. So I told Tarzan I’m in, but I’m not in with Tarzan.

The new Tikiano tribe met Jeff Probst for their next Reward Challenge, where the host informed them that the groups would be divided into two groups of six.

 Blue Team:  Leif, Kat, Michael, Kim, Tarzan, and Jonas'''   Orange Team: ''' Jay, Alicia, Sabrina, Chelsea, Troyzan, and Christina

Jay and Leif were the first two out for their tribes. They each dug a hole in the sand to get under a fence. Jay got past Leif, who was stuck below the fence and returned with the first bag for the orange team. Leif finally released himself when Chelsea headed out for the orange team, where she returned with the blue team's second bag, just as Leif returned with the first bag for his team. The blue team eventually caught up with orange after faring better at the puzzle-building stage, but Troyzan and Christina finished their turtle puzzle first, winning reward for the orange team. Kat became emotional after the loss.

Jay, Alicia, Sabrina, Chelsea, Troyzan, and Christina went to an uninhabited beach, where their pizza reward was waiting. While eating, Alicia read the note that came along with the reward, which informed them about a third Hidden Immunity Idol concealed somewhere at camp. The six agreed to keep the valuable information for themselves.

"tikiano"

- My biggest concern if for someone on the Manono tribe to find the idol, going into the next vote and messing up our numbers, because we can’t have a Salani go home.

Back at the Tikiano camp, Jonas and Tarzan were discussing about the males bringing Alicia to their fold, but Jonas fumed because Tarzan spilled the whole plan to Michael, whom Jonas distrusted. Not wanting to be told what to do, Tarzan erupted at Jonas, ensuing an argument between the two. The conflict culminated with Tarzan opting to leave the alliance.

"tikiano"

- He’s a loose cannon and he just does whatever the hell he wants. We can’t have that. "tikiano"

- I do not like that guy anymore. When I say something, I mean it from my heart and I don’t go back on it.

Reward
Challenge: Sea Turtles

The tribe will be divided into two groups of six. From each team, four members must retrieve four puzzle bags, afterwhich the two remaining players will solve it. First team to solve the turtle-shaped puzzle wins reward.

Reward: Pizza and beer

Winner: Alicia Rosa, Chelsea Meissner, Christina Cha, Jay Byars, Sabrina Thompson and Troyzan Robertson

Immunity
Challenge: Rollerballs

On a large wooden disk, tribe members must maintain their balance while three balls are placed on the disk. If any ball rolls down to the ground, or they fell off the perch, the player is out of the challenge. Last person standing wins.

Winner: Troyzan Robertson

Final Words
"tikiano"

- So I came here to go big or go home, and I went big and now I'm going home, but you know, I gave it all I got, and the fact I got voted out, it kinda sucks, but at least they said I was a good fisherman and a good cook.

Behind The Scenes

 * In a Day 18 secret scene, Alicia pulls Christina aside and apologized for her mistreatment of her.

Life at Ponderosa

 * After leaving Tribal Council, Jonas was sent to Dr. Ramona Salins to have his medical checkup. During Jonas' weigh-in, it was revealed that he started the game with 168 lbs, and lost 12 lbs after twenty days, dropping to 156 lbs. Jonas hoped to maintain his trimmed-down body. After the medical, Jonas was transported to Ponderosa, where he ate to his heart's content. While holding his hygiene kit in his sleeping tent, Jonas revealed he was using a paring knife to cut his fingernails while he was a camp.
 * Jonas claimed that from all the crabs he had cooked and ate, he considered the coconut crab as the most delicious. He later teamed up with Ponderosa's resident cook, Chef Simon, in cooking one.
 * The next morning, Jonas munched on a heavy breakfast before heading to the beach. For dinner, Jonas ate a plateful of fried chicken, saying that if he could eat one specific food for the rest of his life, it would be fried chicken.

Other

 * The episode's Immunity Challenge, Rollerballs first appeared in , where it was won by Natalie Tenerelli.
 * This episode marked the first Reward Challenge to be held immediately after the Merge (with all members of the merged tribe still in the game) since Desperate Measures.
 * Jonas Otsuji's departure from the game marks the first time this season there were more women remaining than men.
 * The contestants who voted against Jonas this Tribal Council were once members of Salani (original and post-swap) except for Tarzan Smith, while those who voted against Michael Jefferson had never been members of Salani.
 * This is the third time on Survivor a contestant has been voted off with a vote of 10-2, after Erik Cardona and Alina Wilson . This ties Jonas with those two for most votes received at one Tribal Council (not including votes received in revotes).