Hidden Immunity Idol

The Hidden Immunity Idol (also known as the "Hidden Idol" or simply as "the idol") is a pocket-sized talisman, and is widely believed to be the most groundbreaking twist ever to be created on Survivor. Its purpose is to, one way or another, prevent the user from being voted out in a Tribal Council vote. The idol has influenced many of the contestants' strategies, whether they use the object, or defuse its powers. The Hidden Immunity Idol made its debut in, and in seasons containing the twist, the idol is often hidden there.

It is not to be confused with the tribal Immunity Idol or the individual Immunity Necklace, as the Hidden Immunity Idol is not won at challenges, and is flexible as the found idol is not forced to be applicable on only the following Tribal Council. However, clues to the whereabouts of the idol may exist at camp or may be given to the winners of a Reward Challenge.

Overview
When the idol debuted in, its purpose was to give its owner Individual Immunity without the winning of an individual Immunity Challenge. But in following seasons, it was reformatted to negate votes that the holder would receive at Tribal Council. Despite its potential to protect its owner in the game, it may only be used once, after which the idol will either be re-hidden or discarded. With this, owners should be careful about divulging information about possessing one and/or when to use it, because from seasons beyond, a player can still be eliminated with the idol in their possession, thus going home bringing their idol with them. Another limitation is that the idol is only valid until a given deadline (usually Day 36 or 37, when 6 or 5 players are left). A player may hold more than one idol if available.

Appearance
Similar to the Immunity Idol and the Immunity Necklace, the Hidden Immunity Idol is usually a small, ornate talisman that is designed to match the season's theme and/or location. For example, the Hidden Immunity Idol in was a plaque-like wooden square with a Chinese symbol engraved on it. Other idols are designed like small necklaces or bracelets. Usually, the idol is an item based on the history or landscape of the area.

Format
The format of how the Hidden Immunity Idol is used every season differs, and as of now there are three different formats of how it is used based on the time it can be used in Tribal Council.

Preventive Idol
Appeared in:

Played: Before the regular votes are cast.

This type of Hidden Immunity Idol only appeared during the twist's debut in, where it its existence was revealed via Tree Mail. The owner came to be Gary Hogeboom, who used it in the same episode, making him ineligible to be chosen as a vote target, similar to how the Immunity Necklace works. After its usage, the idol was discarded.

Super Idol
Appeared in:, , (finder only),  (combining two negating idols)

Played: After the regular votes are read.

The super idol is a type of Hidden Immunity Idol that can be used after the votes have been read. In this mechanic, all the votes the user received will be negated, and the person with the next highest number of votes will be eliminated instead. This creates a scenario where the group which originally had the fewer votes gathered during Tribal Council gain control of that vote.

The downside however is that it is almost impossible to counter without a split vote plan: with the knowledge of the castaway being voted out is known, the voting side who has the super idol has full control of who is going to be voted out, as they know where the majority votes will go, negating their power with the idol.

This format was panned by fans, calling the item "too powerful," by using them akin to the "" used in. These idols are good up until the Tribal Council where there are only four contestants remaining. In Cagayan and Kaôh Rōng, this was changed so that, like regular idols, they can only be played up until the final five. In, while the current format still applies, there is also the option to combine two idols to create a "super idol" that can be played after the votes are read to save any player still in the game.

Negating Idol
Appeared in: onwards

Played: Between the casting and reading of regular votes.

From onwards (with the exception of,  and ), there has been one idol hidden in each of the tribe camps. Additionally, the format was once again changed. Instead of using it after the host revealed enough votes to eliminate a castaway, the idol must be used after the votes have been cast, but before the host reveals them.

This mechanic makes it possible for the idol to be wasted, as a castaway must play the it to someone that can be voted against, but is not guaranteed to have the most number of votes, making timing a crucial factor in playing it. A way to counter this type of idol is to force the user to waste it (i.e. if they do not have the most number of votes), a strategy several castaways call as flushing. Once the idol is used, it is usually re-hidden. Typically, these idols are valid up until there are only five castaways remaining in the game (including Redemption Island).

In, while there is only one camp, there are still two idols; one for each tribe. Both idols are exclusive for a tribe. For instance, if a member of one tribe finds the idol of the rival tribe, they have to give it to one of its members before the next Tribal Council.

Clues
To find Hidden Immunity Idols more easily, clues are provided to castaways. Several clues either are progressive (meaning the first clue will not be as helpful as the next ones because it will only lead to another clue, but the succeeding clues would lead the looker closer the actual place of the idol), or still lead to the same hiding place, albeit restructured for added confusion.

As the season progresses, more clues will be provided, regardless if the idol has already been found or not. These clues can be shared with others by the finder(s)' choosing; however, in several incidents in, Russell Hantz was notorious for finding the idols without any clues.

These clues may be a cryptic message similar to Tree Mail messages or rebus puzzles in. Sometimes, the exact location of the idol is stated outright.

In, Monica Culpepper began a trend of refusing the clue as to prevent a target from forming on one's back. Only four of the ten clues were accepted during the season.

Over the years, there have been varying ways for how the clues have been given to the contestants:
 * In Guatemala, Heroes vs. Villains, Nicaragua, and Redemption Island, aside from the prize that a tribe gets after winning a Reward Challenge, a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol was either given to the winner/s outright, or hidden inside their prize.
 * In Panama, Cook Islands, and Gabon, the idol was hidden at . The banished castaway will be handed clues of its whereabouts. Additionally, in Gabon, a second idol was revealed, hidden somewhere near the feast table during the fake merge feast.
 * Starting in Fiji, two Immunity Idols became available, with one hidden at each camp. The exiled castaways will receive clues. This was the first time a flushed idol was replaced with a new one.
 * In Micronesia, several mechanisms have been used:
 * The two people (one from each tribe) banished will be provided multiple clues that are scattered around Exile Island, where they have to compete for ownership of the idol. This was during the tribal phase of the game.
 * At the merge phase, several idols have been available. Ozzy Lusth possessed an idol, but wasn't able to use it during the Tribal Council where he was eliminated. With Ozzy's idol gone, a new one was placed on Exile Island, though its finder, Jason Siska, made the same mistake. The next idol was found by Amanda Kimmel, who possessed a clue while at Exile Island, but realized that the idol was at camp, under their tribe flag. Amanda's idol was re-hidden in the next episode. Parvati Shallow was sent to Exile Island in the next episode, and although it looked like she did not look for the idol, it was revealed in a post show interview that she found the idol while snorkeling and left it on the island to prevent trouble.
 * In Tocantins, two people will receive clues about the idol, only to realize that the idols were hidden at their tribe camp.
 * In China and Samoa, one player of the opposing tribe will visit the camp and they will provide the clue for the idol. In China, however, the member of the opposing tribe was forced to give the unopened clue to a member of the tribe they were visiting.
 * In South Pacific, the clue was also hidden at camp, providing more difficulty in finding the idol. The tribe that wins the Immunity Challenge will have a clue planted somewhere around their camp. The more Immunity Challenges a tribe wins, the more clues they get.
 * In One World and Caramoan, Hidden Immunity Idols would still be available, but for the first time, clues will not be provided, as Jeff Probst said that the contestants "do not need them" anymore.
 * In Philippines, the clues were hidden in the tribes' bags of rice, and the idol was actually on top of the bag of rice, disguised as the handle of the lid of the rice basket.
 * In Caramoan, several mechanisms have been used:
 * Malcolm Freberg bought "information" at the Survivor Auction on Day 29, which was a clue to an idol that he was allowed to read for 60 seconds.
 * As part of the Individual Immunity Challenge on Day 31, the winner would be rewarded with "information", which was the clue to an idol. Andrea Boehlke won the Individual Immunity and the clue.
 * In Blood vs. Water, the person who finished first in the duel will give a clue to someone left in the game. At the return point, the returning contestant is allowed to give the clue to themselves.
 * At the beginning of Cagayan, the weakest castaway of each tribe (selected by the Tribe Leaders) were sent to their respective camps first. When they arrived, they were given an option to either take an extra sack of rice for their tribe, or to receive a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol. However, clues were also known to be found on certain rewards the tribes won in Reward/Immunity Challenges.
 * In Worlds Apart, before the castaways were sent to their camps, each tribe chose a representative to make a decision when they reached their respective camps. The representative would then have to choose another representative from the tribe, who would join them in making the decision. The representatives would then have to choose either "Honesty" or "Deception"; choosing the former would give the tribe a big bag of beans for the entire tribe, while choosing the latter would give the representatives a clue to their tribe's idol, but with only a small amount of beans for the tribe.
 * In San Juan del Sur, on, there were two urns. Each castaway who arrived must choose one of them to open and get a note from inside. One urn contains nothing, while the other contains the clue to their tribe's idol (the clue is the same for both tribes' idol). During the merge, when only one player gets exiled, only one urn would be available but would be guaranteed to have the idol clue.
 * In Cambodia, instead of being hidden in the tribe camps, the Hidden Immunity Idols are hidden in challenge venues instead, making it potentially harder for an idol to be hidden from others. However, clues are hidden at camp, indicating exactly where the idol is going to be, which means each clue is only applicable for the immediate challenge. If no clue is found for a specific challenge, the idol is not hidden.
 * In Kaôh Rōng, a first clue was hidden in a tree, pointing to the location of a locked box. Along with the locked box, the player would find tools to build a pole to retrieve a key that was attached to the top of a tree. After retrieving the key, the player could unlock the box to get the idol.
 * In Millennials vs. Gen X, the Hidden Immunity Idols were once again hidden in plain sight. This time, they were hidden inside a coconut or shell, with their container being marked with a tribe insignia.

Rules
Hidden Immunity Idols are considered "personal items," and thus cannot be stolen from its owner, as stated in the Survivor Rulebook. If the owner hides his or her idol for safekeeping and someone else finds it, whoever finds the already-found idol may not take it.

If all countable votes are negated by idols, a vote restart would happen (see tiebreaker for details). Idols can only be played at the initial vote, not at any revotes.

Strategy
Several strategies regarding the idol were developed by contestants. Here is a non-exhaustive list of how the idol was used over the series:

There have been several instances where a person that is caught looking for the idol has become an immediate target, so it is crucial that searchers must be undetected when looking for it.

Fake idols
Created by the contestants, these idols have been used as a foil for players to use them under the assumption that they have been helped out by one of their tribemates. They have no value at Tribal Council, and when a fake idol is presented, Jeff Probst throws it into the fire pit stating that it is not a Hidden Immunity Idol.

Contestants Making Fake idols

 * In, Austin Carty made the first fake idol when he was marooned on with Danielle DiLorenzo. He intended to use it as a bluff to avoid his ouster in that same episode, but had a change of heart. The secret scene was revealed in his interview with  on the .
 * In, Yau-Man Chan made a fake idol after finding his own Hidden Immunity Idol. He took half of a coconut shell and drew a face on it with paint, and to make sure that whoever found it was sure that it was indeed a Hidden Immunity Idol, he wrote "II" ("Immunity Idol") on it.
 * In, Ozzy Lusth made a fake idol on Exile Island after finding his own Hidden Immunity Idol. He took a decent-sized stick and carved a face on it. It was later found by Jason Siska and played by Eliza Orlins.
 * In, Bob Crowley made two fake idols. He gave one to Randy Bailey, who eventually played it. Bob's fake idols were noted as being very ornately-crafted and very convincing.
 * In, Taj Johnson-George also made a fake idol after finding the Jalapao Hidden Immunity Idol. Joe Dowdle found the idol, but since he was evacuated, he never played it.
 * Russell Hantz made a fake idol and gave it to Jerri Manthey, but she did not use it.
 * Also in Heroes vs. Villains, Rupert Boneham feigned a rock in his pocket as a fake idol, with Russell believing Rupert really had one.
 * Abi-Maria Gomes never made a fake idol either, but feigned the scroll container that contained the advantage she bought during the Survivor Auction as an idol.
 * In a secret scene for, Val Collins made a fake idol after bluffing about finding two Hidden Immunity Idols to keep her safe in the game, and try to divert votes away from her.
 * Also in San Juan del Sur, Dale Wentworth found what he thought could possibly be the idol on the well on Day 3. He eventually learned that John Rocker had possessed the real Coyopa idol, but used his fake idol as leverage in the game anyway.
 * In, Joe Anglim, using his expertise as a jewelry designer, made a fake idol using wood from a crate and pieces from his torch. Joe made a deal to give Mike Holloway the idol if Mike could swing the votes in his favor to stay in the game and send Jenn Brown home. Mike played the idol on Will Sims II at Tribal Council and learned that it was indeed a fake.
 * In, Kelley Wentworth created a fake idol and gave it to Keith Nale as one final attempt to scare the alliance of Jeremy Collins, Tasha Fox, and Spencer Bledsoe in order to protect Keith as she had individual immunity. Although Keith feigned having an actual idol around camp, he didn't pull out the fake idol at Tribal Council and was voted out in a 3-2 vote.

Trivia

 * and are tied for the season with the most idols found, with six.
 * currently holds the record for the highest number of effective idol plays, with four.
 * Mookie Lee is the first castaway to transfer his possession of the idol to someone else. The recipient, Alex Angarita is the first castaway to use a Hidden Immunity Idol for nothing as he did not receive votes.
 * James Clement is the first male to be voted out with a Hidden Immunity Idol in his possession. In the same instance he is also the first castaway to be voted out with two idols in his possession.
 * Andrea Boehlke is the first female to be voted out with a Hidden Immunity Idol in her possession.
 * Colton Cumbie is the first person to be medically evacuated while in posession of a Hidden Immunity Idol. He would be followed by Neal Gottlieb.
 * Parvati Shallow is the first castaway to find a Hidden Immunity Idol but choose to leave it hidden.
 * is the first season to deliberately discard the idol as nobody wanted to claim ownership of it.
 * Matty Whitmore (Gabon) is the first castaway to use an idol and only receive minority votes.
 * Galang and Angkor are the only tribes whose idols were never found.
 * Technically, the Angkor idol was never hidden, as the clue leading to its location at a challenge site was not found.
 * The earliest use of a Hidden Immunity Idol was on Day 5, when Kristina Kell played it on herself.
 * Mike Holloway (Worlds Apart) is the first eventual Sole Survivor to use a Hidden Immunity Idol to negate a majority of votes against them in the season they won. He was followed by Jeremy Collins (Cambodia).
 * Worlds Apart is currently the only season with two back-to-back effective uses of a Hidden Immunity Idol. Mike Holloway played his idol to eliminate Tyler Fredrickson at the Day 32 Tribal Council, and Carolyn Rivera played her idol to eliminate Dan Foley at the following Tribal Council on Day 35.
 * Carolyn Rivera has the record for the longest time to have possession of one specific idol without giving it away, having the Masaya idol from Day 2 up to Day 35.
 * Kelley Wentworth () holds the record for most votes negated in one Tribal Council using an idol, with 9, beating out Russell Hantz and Jenn Brown, the previous record holders, with 7.
 * Kelley Wentworth () is the first, and so far only castaway to negate a majority of votes against them with an idol twice in a season.