The Final Immunity Challenge is a key individual Immunity Challenge in Australian Survivor.
Held on the penultimate day of the game, it is the last Immunity Challenge of the season and guarantees the winner a seat at the Final Tribal Council. It also gives the winner an advantage in selecting their opponent/s for the Final Tribal Council. This is particularly true of seasons featuring a Final Two, as the challenge winner is the only person to cast a vote at Tribal Council.
The challenge is usually an endurance challenge, requiring the contestants to literally outlast the competition. Typically, the castaways' loved ones will be invited to spectate and motivate them through the challenge.
History[]
In Australian Survivor (2002), the Final Immunity Challenge was Your Time Is Up, in which the contestants had to build a fire to light a lantern and hang the lantern up as close to 38 minutes since the challenge began as possible. Joel Betts, honouring a deal made at the Final 6, threw the challenge. He was then voted out by Rob Dickson, who defeated Sciona Browne to win his second straight individual Immunity Challenge.
In Celebrity Survivor Australia, the Final Immunity Challenge was Raft Squats, in which the contestants had to balance with all four limbs on a raft, lifting a limb from the raft at regular intervals. Guy Leech would drop out of the challenge early, leaving Imogen Bailey and Justin Melvey to compete for the win. After having to lift both an arm and a leg, Imogen would eventually fall, Justin earning his only individual Immunity Challenge win of the season. He would then vote out Imogen at the following Tribal Council.
In Australian Survivor (2016), the Final Immunity Challenge was Hand on an Idol. It required contestants to hold on to the tribal Immunity Idol while standing on a small log. El Rowland dropped out of the challenge first, following which Kristie Bennett made a plea to Lee Carseldine, promising to take him to the Final Two in exchange for letting her live her biggest dream as a Survivor superfan. Lee eventually collapsed, giving Kristie her only individual win of the season. She then voted out El at Tribal Council.
In Australian Survivor (2017), the Final Immunity Challenge was Hand on an Idol. Tara Pitt was the first person to drop out. After five hours, as day turned to dusk, Jericho Malabonga outlasted Peter Conte to win the challenge. He voted out Peter at the following Tribal Council.
In Champions v Contenders (2018), the Final Immunity Challenge was Bob-Bob Buoy. Sharn Coombes outlasted Shane Gould and Brian Lake to win the challenge. At Tribal Council, she voted out Brian.
In Champions v Contenders (2019), the Final Immunity Challenge was Holy Hell. Baden Gilbert won the challenge over Pia Miranda and Harry Hills. He voted out Harry at Tribal Council.
In All Stars, the Final Immunity Challenge was Hand on an Idol. Instead of holding on to a single tribal Immunity Idol, each castaway would compete at their own station. Standing on a perch, the final three would hold an idol with one hand and maintain tension on a handle sticking out of the sand with the other. David Genat beat Sharn Coombes and Moana Hope to win the challenge. He then voted Moana out at Tribal Council.
In Brains v Brawn (2021), the final three had to stand on wooden pegs while holding on to spikes protruding from a ceiling. At regular intervals, the ceiling will lower, making it harder for the contestants to hold their position. If they step off the pegs, they are out. After 4 hours 30 minutes, George Mladenov was the first person to drop out of the challenge. After 5 hours and 17 minutes with only a meter of space between the contestants and the ceiling, Flick Palmateer succumbed to the pain, allowing Hayley Leake to win her fifth individual Immunity Challenge. That night, she voted Flick out at Tribal Council.
In Blood v Water, the Final Immunity Challenge was Planks a Lot. Shay Lajoie defeated Chrissy Zaremba, Josh Millgate, and Mark Wales to win immunity. Josh was unanimously voted out, leaving Chrissy, Mark, and Shay as the series' first Final Three.
In Heroes v Villains, the Final Immunity Challenge was Uncomfortably Numb. With their backs against the heavy swells from the Pacific Ocean, the final four will stand on a perch with their hands maintaining contact with a handle behind their back at all times. At regular intervals, Jonathan will turn a winch, pushing a set of spikes into the contestants' backs. The last person left standing wins immunity. After 65 minutes and with 16 cm of spikes pushing into him, Gerry Geltch accidentally took his hand off the handle and became the first person to drop out. After 3 hours and 50 minutes at the 28 cm mark, George Mladenov could not endure the pain any longer and became the second person to drop out. The challenge came down to a showdown between Liz Parnov and Matt Sharp, both of whom, at the 4-hour mark, challenged Jonathan to give the winch one final crank, leaving both of them to brave the full 32 cm of spikes. After 4 hours and 10 minutes, Matt let go of the handle, giving Liz the win. That night, George was unanimously voted out at Tribal Council.
In Titans v Rebels, the Final Immunity Challenge was Cling Ons. The final three each stood on footholds along a rotating wheel. At regular intervals, the wheel would turn, forcing them to step on narrower footholds and continue in a more uncomfortable position. Shortly after the 2-hour mark, Mark Warnock became the first person to drop out. With one final rotation of the wheels, Caroline Courtis and Feras Basal were left balancing on a single foothold. Finally, after two and a half hours, Caroline could no longer hold on, dropping out to give Feras his first immunity win. Feras would vote out Mark at Tribal Council.
In Brains v Brawn II the Final Immunity Challenge was Holy Hell. The challenge was modified to involve four stages and using bamboo sticks instead of rope to hold themselves up. After 2 hours and 25 minutes, Myles Kuah dropped out of the challenge during the third stage. Both remaining players stayed strong through to the final stage, however, after over 3 hours, AJ Antonios slipped off the pegs, giving Kaelan Lockhart his seventh Individual Immunity win and his spot in the final two.
Winners[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Hand on an Idol is the most frequently used Final Immunity Challenge, having been used three times.
- Seven winners of the Final Immunity Challenge (58.33%) have gone on to become the Sole Survivor (random chance would dictate a 38.1% win rate for Final Immunity Challenge winners).
- In the Final Two format, the Final Immunity Challenge winner has become the Sole Survivor six times and the runner-up three times.
- In the Final Three format, the Final Immunity Challenge winner has become the Sole Survivor once and finished joint-second with another finalist once.
References[]