The First Exile

Template:StarRatings

The First Exile
Episode Information
Version	United States
Season	Panama
Episode Number	1/16 (169)
Original Release	February 2, 2006
Viewership (in Millions)	19.20
Ratings/Share (18-49)	7.0/18
Episode Chronology
Previous	"Reunion" (previous season)
Next	"Breakdown"
Subpages

The First Exile is the season premiere of Survivor: Panama.

Story

Day 1

Sixteen castaways, divided into four tribes of four, arrived on Exile Island in Panama from small boats. The tribes were divided by age and gender. The Bayoneta tribe consisted of younger women: Courtney Marit, Danielle DiLorenzo, Misty Giles, and Sally Schumann. The Casaya tribe consisted of older women: Cirie Fields, Melinda Hyder, Ruth Marie Milliman, and Tina Scheer. The La Mina tribe consisted of older men: Bruce Kanegai, Dan Barry, Shane Powers, and Terry Deitz. And the Viveros tribe consisted of younger men: Aras Baskauskas, Austin Carty, Bobby Mason, and Nick Stanbury. After arriving on Exile Island and meeting Jeff Probst, their host, the contestants learned that they are divided by age and gender. Cirie was surprised to find herself on the older tribe. Jeff explained the twist of Exile Island, followed by announcing the first Reward Challenge.

One representative from each tribe would do the challenge. Ruth Marie, Terry, Danielle, and Austin represented their tribes in the first challenge. Terry was the first to finish, followed by Austin, leaving it between the two women. Ruth Marie managed to return first, meaning that a Bayoneta member would be exiled.

The Bayoneta tribe played Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who would be exiled. Misty lost, meaning that she would stay on Exile Island. Jeff then announced that there would be a Hidden Immunity Idol hidden on Exile Island. After everyone else left, Jeff gave Misty her first clue to the idol's location.

Misty began to look for the idol, while Casaya arrived at their beach. They immediately went to work, with Tina trying to make the fire. The tribe was successful in making a fire, which excited Tina. Tina shortly afterward stepped into the leader position. While working, Cirie revealed that she was afraid of leaves, disappointing her tribe.

Meanwhile, the Viveros tribe were playing baseball with a rock and stick. Aras brought the tribe together to create a plan for survival. Austin and Nick attempted to make fire, to no avail. Austin openly mocked the tribe for their poor shelter and inability to make fire.

The Bayoneta tribe arrived at their beach, as Courtney and Sally discussed the island. Later that day, Courtney found a dead turtle on the beach. She assumed that it was a symbol.

At La Mina, the older men were working hard. During this, Dan and Terry formed a bond, and agreed to never lie to one another. Dan then revealed to Terry that he once worked for NASA and flew in a shuttle. Meanwhile, Shane felt terrible, due to not having a cigarette in thirty-one hours.

Day 2

On Exile Island, Misty was depressed after a horrible night. She continued to look for the idol, but couldn't find it. Later that day, the tribes met for the Immunity Challenge. Misty rejoined Bayoneta for the challenge.

In the challenge, Bayoneta finished first, followed by La Mina. Ultimately, Viveros won, sending Casaya to Tribal Council.

Day 3

On the Casaya tribe, Cirie and Melinda noticed Tina, who was sitting away from everyone else. Tina was mourning her son, Charlie, who died four and a half months before she went on the show. Meanwhile, Cirie tried to convince Ruth Marie to vote out Tina. During this, Tina found a fish, to her tribe's delight.

At Tribal Council, Tina and Cirie were the targets for elimination. However, Melinda and Ruth Marie decided that it would be better to keep Cirie over Tina, and Tina was the first voted out in a 3-1 vote.

Challenges

• Reward
• Immunity

Challenge: Skull Crush
One person from each tribe will race to the other side of the island, where they will find a pile of skulls. They will break one skull open at a time, looking for an amulet inside. The first three tribes back with the amulet win flint and the losing tribe nominates one member to stay on Exile Island.
Reward: Flint
Winners (in order of finish): La Mina, Viveros, and Casaya (Bayoneta exiled Misty Giles)

Challenge: 4x4
All four tribe members from each team start on a dock and race over a barrier and swim out to their raft, which is attached to a clip underwater, and have to unclip it. Once the raft is unclipped, they would race back to shore to solve a brain teaser. Their goal at the brain teaser is to release a metal ring from a rope. buried under the sand is a diagram that will help. Once the metal ring is released, tribes would use it to retrieve a grappling hook, and once it is pulled, it will drop their tribe flag. The first three tribes to raise their flag win immunity.
Winners (in order of finish): Bayoneta, La Mina, and Viveros

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 1: Casaya
Voted Against	Voter
Tina (3 votes)	Cirie, Melinda, Ruth Marie
Cirie (1 vote)	Tina
VOTED OUT: Tina Scheer

Voting Confessionals

Edited versions of Cirie and Tina's confessionals were shown in the episode.

	Melinda	“	(voting against Tina) Tina, my vote is for you, but the only reason - it's nothing personal - is because I was merely approached by the other girls and I just felt the need to be sure that it wasn't me, but it's nothing personal, I think you are fabulous.	”

	Ruth Marie	“	(voting against Tina) Tina, you are a remarkable woman with a wonderful work ethic, but Survivor has a lot more elements to it. I wish you well.	”

	Tina	“	(voting against Cirie) Somebody has to go and I think it was the inability to swim today that was my biggest factor in potential future challenges. Your fear of leaves kind of got me. I mean, 'cause we have to go in the leaves, too.	”

	Cirie	“	(voting against Tina) Uh, I learned a lot from you in three days. I wish I could have learned more about you. We just didn't click.	”

Final Words

	Tina	“	I think the girls made a huge mistake in voting me out. I hope they do terribly. Working hard is what I do and I think that worked against me. On this one but I would not have been able to change a thing because that's just who I am. That was really a great experience. I have no regrets. I was just with the wrong girls.	”

Still in the Running

Tina 16th	Aras Viveros	Austin Viveros	Bobby Viveros	Bruce La Mina	Cirie Casaya	Courtney Bayoneta	Dan La Mina
Danielle Bayoneta	Melinda Casaya	Misty Bayoneta	Nick Viveros	Ruth Marie Casaya	Sally Bayoneta	Shane La Mina	Terry La Mina

Trivia

• This is the first time that the castaways were split into four tribes, defined by age and gender.
• Misty Giles became the second person to be banished to Exile Island, following Janu Tornell from Survivor: Palau.
• The episode also marked the first challenge ever to be held on Exile Island.