The Double Elimination is a game-changing twist that forces a tribe to vote out multiple contestants at one Tribal Council. A Double Elimination is different from a Double Tribal Council in several ways: it is not always revealed beforehand, individual immunity is not always offered, and only one tribe is involved in a Double Elimination. In this way, two members of one tribe go home consecutively.
History
This twist first appeared in Survivor: Cook Islands, when host Jeff Probst announced that the tribe that lost the Day 24 Immunity Challenge would receive a message in a bottle, to be opened after Tribal Council. After Rarotonga eliminated one member, they opened the bottle, expecting the merge. Instead, they were instructed to vote out an additional tribe member.
The twist was later modified and appeared in both Survivor: Redemption Island and Survivor: South Pacific. In both seasons, the twist was used after the merged tribe had already voted someone out. An impromptu Immunity Challenge was held in between the votes before another member of the merged tribe was voted out.
Another variant of the twist was introduced in Survivor: Ghost Island. Jeff Probst announced during the Immunity Challenge that the merged tribe would temporarily be divided into two teams, with one person from each team winning immunity. The two teams then attended separate Tribal Councils, with the team of the person who lasted the longest in the Immunity Challenge going second, thereby having the an advantage of the knowledge of who had been voted out in the first Tribal Council.
Appearances
In Cook Islands, Rarotonga was forced to vote out two members consecutively, after receiving a message in a bottle, for losing the Day 24 Immunity Challenge. After Rarotonga eliminated Rebecca Borman, they opened the bottle, expecting the merge. Instead, they were instructed to vote out an additional tribe member, and Jenny Guzon-Bae was eliminated.
In Redemption Island, the merged Murlonio tribe received a mysterious package that they were to only open after voting out one member. After voting out Ralph Kiser, they then competed in another Immunity Challenge, won by Rob Mariano, and voted out Steve Wright, eliminating the remaining former members of Zapatera.
In South Pacific, the merged Te Tuna tribe was surprised when an impromptu Immunity Challenge was held at Tribal Council, immediately after voting out Dawn Meehan. Sophie Clarke won her second consecutive Immunity Challenge, and the tribe unanimously voted out Whitney Duncan, eliminating the remaining loyal members of Savaii.
In Ghost Island, the merged Lavita tribe was informed that they would temporarily be divided into two teams of five during the Immunity Challenge, with one person from each team winning immunity and the two teams attending separate Tribal Councils, with the team of the person who lasted the longest in the challenge earning the right to vote second. Chelsea Townsend won immunity on the purple team, while Domenick Abbate won immunity on the orange team. Domenick lasted the longest in the challenge, thereby ensuring that the orange team would vote second. The purple team voted out Jenna Bowman in the first Tribal Council, and the orange team voted out Michael Yerger in the second Tribal Council.
In Island of the Idols. the merged Lumuwaku tribe was informed that they would temporarily be divided into two teams, one of five, and the other of six, during the Immunity Challenge, in a similar manner to Ghost Island. In addition, the person who lasted the longest in the challenge would also win a reward of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for their team. Noura Salman won immunity on the purple team, while Elaine Stott won immunity on the orange team. Elaine lasted the longest in the challenge, winning reward for the orange team and ensuring that they would vote second. The purple team voted out Aaron Meredith in the first Tribal Council, followed by the orange team voting out Missy Byrd in the second Tribal Council.
Summary
| Season | Episode | First Immunity Challenge | First Voted Out | Second Immunity Challenge | Second Voted Out | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook Islands | 10 | Aitutaki |  Rebecca Borman |
None |  Jenny Guzon-Bae |
After Rebecca was voted out, a message in a bottle revealed that Rarotonga was to vote out another member of the tribe. |
| Redemption Island | 11 |  Grant Mattos |
 Ralph Kiser |
 Rob Mariano |
 Steve Wright |
Immunity Challenge held between votes. The people voted out were sent to Redemption Island. |
| South Pacific | 10 |  Sophie Clarke |
 Dawn Meehan |
Sophie Clarke |
 Whitney Duncan |
Immunity Challenge held between votes. The people voted out were sent to Redemption Island. |
| Ghost Island | 10 |  Chelsea Townsend |
 Jenna Bowman |
 Domenick Abbate |
 Michael Yerger |
The tribe was split into two temporary teams of five, each competing for immunity. As the overall winner of the challenge, Domenick earned the right for his team to vote second. |
| Island of the Idols | 9 |  Noura Salman |
 Aaron Meredith |
 Elaine Stott |
 Missy Byrd |
The tribe was split into two temporary teams, one of five and one of six, each competing for immunity. As the overall winner of the challenge, Elaine earned the right for her team to vote second. |
Trivia
- All four times that this twist has appeared post-merge, two people won individual immunity that day – in Redemption Island and South Pacific, there was an individual Immunity Challenge between votes, whereas in Ghost Island and Island of the Idols, each of the two temporary teams had one person win immunity.
- Both times a challenge was used between votes, the last two remaining members of the minority alliance were the two contestants voted out.
- Both times a challenge was used between votes, it was won by the eventual Sole Survivor.
- Every victim of this twist has finished between 9th and 11th place in their season.
- Dawn Meehan is the only contestant to be voted out during this twist and return for another season.
- This twist allowed Sophie Clarke to become the first and currently only contestant to win individual immunity twice in one day.
- Four of the five Double Eliminations appeared after the merge, while the other one occurred one episode before the merge.