Can You Reverse the Curse?

Can You Reverse the Curse?
Episode Information
Version	United States
Season	Ghost Island
Episode Number	1/14 (529)
Original Release	February 28, 2018
Viewership (in Millions)	8.19
Ratings/Share (18-49)	1.7/7
Episode Chronology
Previous	"Reunion" (previous season)
Next	"Only Time Will Tell"
Subpages

Can You Reverse the Curse? is the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.

Story

“	A group of new Survivors attempt to 'reverse the curse' of bad past game decisions. Also, one castaway will be the first to visit Ghost Island, and panic sets in at the first tribal council of the season.	”
—Episode Synopsis

Challenges

• Reward
• Immunity
• Reward/Immunity

Challenge: Open
The Tribe Leader will select one member of their tribe to be a runner, and another to be their puzzle solver. The runner will race through a set of obstacles to dig up three sets of keys. Then, the puzzle solver will use the keys to unlock a sliding puzzle. The first person to finish the puzzle wins reward for the tribe.
Reward: A massive shelter building kit.
Additional Stipulation: The losing tribe will be forced to forfeit their fishing kit. However, the Tribe Leader has a limited time to decide whether they want to forfeit the challenge during the puzzle-solving portion; if so, their tribe will get to keep their fishing kit, but the opposing tribe will then get 20 eggs and flint in addition to the shelter building kit.
Winner: Malolo (by forfeit)

Challenge: Sled Zeppelin
Each tribe will have to race across a net bridge to where two bags are hanging. Working together, they will then need to untie the bags to get a pair of ropes. Using the ropes, the tribe will need to slide a sled full of giant puzzle pieces through a course. At the end of the course, they will need to solve a cube puzzle to win immunity.
Additional Stipulation: Naviti will receive flint should they win the challenge.
Winner: Naviti (sent Jacob Derwin to Ghost Island)

Challenge: Coming Up for Air
Two pairs from each tribe will race through a series of obstacles in the water. They will then have to dive to release two sets of buoys. Another member will then need to gather up all of the marked buoys to the finish, where the last four members will need to get all eight in a basket to win.
Reward: Chairs, pillows, blankets, and a washboard.
Winner: Naviti (sent Donathan Hurley to Ghost Island)

Tribal Council

Day 3

Tribal Council 1: Malolo
Voted Against	Voter
Gonzalez (8 votes)	Brendan, Donathan, James, Jenna, Laurel, Libby, Michael, Stephanie
Donathan (1 vote)	Gonzalez
VOTED OUT: Stephanie Gonzalez

Voting Confessionals

No voting confessionals were aired.

Final Words

Gonzalez's final words were not aired in the version of the episode that aired in American markets, but were aired in international markets and are available online on the Survivor YouTube channel.

	Gonzalez	“	Being the first one voted off is devastating. I'm embarrassed. I was so prepared and maybe that worked to my disadvantage, because I genuinely think I'm a threat, but I hope that their decision greatly haunts them. It's Ghost Island and it has just begun.	”

Day 6

Tribal Council 2: Malolo
Voted Against	Voter
Jacob (5 votes)	Brendan, James, Jenna, Laurel, Stephanie
James (2 votes)	Libby, Michael
Michael (1 vote)	Jacob
VOTED OUT: Jacob Derwin

Voting Confessionals

	Jacob	“	(voting against Michael) We have one mouth and two ears for a reason, listen more.	”

Final Words

	Jacob	“	I put so much work to get here and the first Tribal I attended, I was voted out. I'm embarrassed. I don't know if I even have a game to be proud of. Don't get me wrong, it was all there, but frankly it was just kind of like alliances that I made up in my head that didn't actually exist. It sounds pathetic, but it hurts on a deep level.	”

Still in the Running

Gonzalez 20th	Jacob 19th	Angela Naviti	Bradley Naviti	Brendan Malolo	Chelsea Naviti	Chris Naviti	Desiree Naviti	Domenick Naviti	Donathan Malolo
James Malolo	Jenna Malolo	Kellyn Naviti	Laurel Malolo	Libby Malolo	Michael Malolo	Morgan Naviti	Sebastian Naviti	Stephanie Malolo	Wendell Naviti

Trivia

Secret Scenes

• Domenick Doesn't Blend In
• Lobster for Dinner

Other

• The name of the Day 3 Immunity Challenge, Sled Zeppelin, references the English rock band, Led Zeppelin.
• The name of the Day 6 Reward/Immunity Challenge, Coming Up for Air, references the 1939 George Orwell novel of the same name.
• The episode title was part of the note that came with the Hidden Immunity Idol found by Domenick.
  • It would later be repeated on the notes accompanying several other items found in the season, each of them having been fatally misused by a previous Survivor contestant.