Draggin' the Dragon (also known as Forty Two) is a recurring challenge in Survivor. First appearing in Survivor: Cagayan, it later reappeared in Cambodia, Winners at War, Survivor 42, and Survivor 45.
Rules[]
Tribes must push a cart through an obstacle course. Throughout the course, there are three towers from which tribes must retrieve a key to unlock a chest. Once they have collected all three chests, they must then take the cart apart, slide it through a barricade, put it back together, and make their way to the end. Two tribe members would then use the pieces inside the chest to assemble a giant dragon puzzle. The first tribe to solve their puzzle wins.
In Cambodia only, the puzzle solvers were allowed to switch out with other members of their tribe.
In Survivor 42, the challenge was modified as a water challenge. Each tribe had to row a boat to three stations, collecting a heavy crate containing puzzle pieces at each one before rowing to shore. Then, they would have to transport the boat and crates over a track and under a net. Then, one person had to dig up a bag of coconuts containing one key attached to a buoy before unlocking the crates and starting on their puzzle.
History[]
United States[]
In Cagayan, the challenge appeared as the first Reward/Immunity Challenge of the season. Aparri led early on, but Solana was able to overtake them at the puzzle and finish first, with Aparri a close second. Luzon, meanwhile, struggled communicating with each other throughout the challenge and were never able to catch up, sending them to the first Tribal Council.
The challenge later reappeared in Cambodia as the first Immunity Challenge after the Tribe Switch. Ta Keo took the lead and never relinquished it, easily finishing first. Angkor and Bayon were neck and neck throughout, with Bayon finishing just ahead of Angkor to also win immunity, sending Angkor to Tribal Council. During the challenge, Jeremy Collins found Bayon's Hidden Immunity Idol.
The challenge appeared again in Winners at War as a Reward/Immunity Challenge. Dakal managed to pull ahead to secure a head start at the puzzle portion of the challenge, leaving Sele to attempt an unorthodox strategy of laying out all their pieces first to try to catch up. However, this ended up backfiring as it allowed Dakal to win in a blowout victory, sending Sele to Tribal Council.
The challenge reappeared as the inaugural Immunity Challenge of Survivor 42. Taku took a considerable early lead over rival tribes Ika and Vati, but after getting caught up in the net later on, the other tribes had a chance to catch up. Ultimately, Taku still ended up placing first and Vati took second, sending Ika to Tribal Council.
The challenge appeared as the third Immunity Challenge of Survivor 45, where the circular puzzle was replaced with the giant cube puzzle from Cube Crisis. Despite their best efforts, the Lulu tribe was once again defeated at the puzzle stage and faced with their third Tribal Council.
Quebec[]
Winners[]
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Cagayan "Hot Girl with a Grudge" |
Tribal Reward/Immunity |       Solana |
      Aparri | ||
| Cambodia "We Got a Rat" |
Tribal Immunity |       Ta Keo |
      Bayon | ||
| Winners at War "It's Like a Survivor Economy" |
Tribal Reward/Immunity |          Dakal |
| Survivor 42 "Feels Like a Rollercoaster" |
Tribal Immunity |      Taku |
      Vati | ||
| Survivor 45 "No Man Left Behind" |
Tribal Immunity |       Reba |
      Belo |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor Québec (2024) Episode 1 |
Tribal Immunity |           Bayani |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Jeremy Collins, Kass McQuillen, Sarah Lacina, Spencer Bledsoe, Tasha Fox, Tony Vlachos, and Woo Hwang have all competed in this challenge twice.
- Sarah and Tony won both times they competed; Jeremy, Kass, Spencer, and Woo each won once; and Tasha has never won this challenge.
- The dragon puzzle was used in the final stage of the Super Ramp challenge in "Cancel Christmas".
References[]