10 Best ‘Survivor’ Hidden Immunity Idol Plays, Ranked
When Survivor first aired, it was a social experiment to see how far ordinary people would go for a large sum of money. While there was some strategy in the first 10 seasons, most contestants maintained a relatively simple game plan: team up with the majority of your tribemates to pick off your adversaries one by one. Occasionally, players would flip on their alliances to improve their positioning, or there would be a miraculous immunity challenge victory, but for the most part, if you were an underdog or in the minority, you could count on your torched being snuffed by Jeff Probst sooner rather than later.
However, a twist in Season 11, Survivor: Guatemala introduced a new mechanism that would give the down-and-out castaways more of a fighting chance: the hidden immunity idol. Though its design and power have evolved over time, the basic rules have largely remained the same. If you suspect you or an ally might be in trouble, simply play the idol before the votes are read, and you’ll be granted immunity for the round.
Not all idol plays are made equal, but it’s undoubtedly become a staple of the show and a wrinkle that keeps fans coming back. Here are the greatest idol plays in the show’s history, ranked by their strategic impact, entertainment value, and overall iconic status.
Survivor, Season 48 Finale, Wednesday, May 21, 8/7c, CBS
10. Rachel LaMont, Survivor 47
As the most recent Survivor winner at the time of writing, Rachel LaMont hasn’t had the same opportunity as others on this list to continue building her legacy as one of the greats. However, her idol play at the final six of Survivor 47 is undeniable.
After following up on a clue she received at the auction, a fan-favorite moment where castaways bid on food and luxury items, Rachel found the idol sewn into a tarp. The time to use it came in the wake of “Operation: Italy,” an impressive maneuver that positioned Andy Rueda, Genevieve Mushaluk, and Sam Phalen as the favorites. With the walls closing in, Rachel was largely believed to be a dead woman walking, until the idol reared its head and she was able to send the overconfident Andy packing.
In the “New Era” of Survivor, where it’s harder than ever to keep advantages and secrets hidden, Rachel’s idol play remains a standout. With time, and an appearance on Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, she could clinch her spot on the Survivor Mount Rushmore.
9. Jeremy Collins and Kelley Wentworth, Survivor: Cambodia (Season 31)
At the final six of Survivor Cambodia, the two presumed frontrunners, Kelley Wentworth and Jeremy Collins went heard-to-head in an historic showdown, both playing their idols. The problem? They were the only people to receive votes. As juror Stephen Fishbach noted in disbelief, for the first time in Survivor history, there had technically been no votes cast at Tribal Council.
What followed was a series of revotes and a dramatic deliberation that ultimately sent Kimmi Kappenberg out of the game.
What knocks this historic moment down a few spots is the somewhat convoluted revote process — so confusing that Probst had to pull out a whiteboard to explain the rules to the audience. Plus, there’s another Kelley idol play that remains a little more memorable.
8. Malcolm Freberg, Survivor: Caramoan (Season 26)
Malcolm Freberg won over Survivor fans during a two-season stretch, starting with his strong alliance with eventual winner Denise Stapley in Survivor: Philippines. His return the following season, Survivor: Caramoan, brought a much less successful alliance but an equally memorably run.
Along with his “Three Amigos,” Eddie Fox and Reynold Toepfer, Malcolm was in the hot seat, especially after he found a Hidden Immunity Idol in broad daylight and Reynold won the Immunity Challenge. With the rest of the cast planning to split the vote between Malcolm and Eddie, the former would have to find a creative way to utilize the advantage.
Malcolm did just that when he revealed that he would be playing that idol, in addition to a second, secret one, at the final 10 tribal council, ensuring they were covered on all fronts. As the tribe was sent into disarray, the “Three Amigos” stuck to their initial idea and voted out the “fun sponge,” Phillip Sheppard.
7. Ben Driebergen, Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers (Season 35)
In Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, Ben Driebergen coined a term that perfectly encapsulated his explosive gameplay: “Ben Bombs.” Throughout the final stretch of the season, Ben miraculously managed to find a series of idols and advantages, leading him to come from behind and win the title of Sole Survivor.
But no “Ben Bomb” left more destruction than his first idol play at the final seven, during one of the series’ most chaotic tribal councils. With alliances crumbling and idols being thrown into the fire, the other tribemates settled on what seemed like the obvious vote: Ben. But he caught a whiff of the plans, playing his idol, and casting the sole vote to eliminate his former alliance member, Lauren Rimmer.
Had Ben not diluted the impact of this move by playing another one soon after, it might have ranked higher. But with a million dollars in his bank account, he probably doesn’t mind.
6. Amanda Kimmel, Survivor: Micronesia (Season 16)
Amanda Kimmel is one of the most successful Survivor players to never win the game. With two trips to Final Tribal Council under her belt, she never quite made it over the hump. But even without the championship belt, she still has a number of worthy contributions to the CBS juggernaut.
Her magnum opus undoubtedly came at the final six of Survivor: Micronesia. After the ragtag remnants of the Fans tribe managed to sway Cirie Fields to their side, Amanda was a goner. That is, until she shocked everyone — including the viewers at home — by finding the Hidden Immunity Idol at the last possible second, saving herself and likely turning the victim of her scheme, Alexis Jones, into a less of a fan and more of a hater.
5. Russell Hantz, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (Season 20)
The hidden immunity idol had been around for several seasons before Russell Hantz stormed onto the scene in Survivor: Samoa, but he completely redefined its utility. With an uncanny ability to find idols without clues, he encouraged a level of aggressive early gameplay that had previously been a big “no-no.”
Russell had his share of showstopping idol plays in his maiden season, but his greatest feat came in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. With Rob Mariano controlling a faction of the Villains tribe, it seemed like Russell’s cutthroat style was about to backfire — for either him or his allies. Expecting that Russell might have an idol Boston Rob and company devised a split vote, placing the majority of votes on Russell’s accomplice, Parvati Shallow.
In a gutsy and deceptive move, Russell retaliated by convincing Rob’s right-hand man, Tyson Apostol, to switch his vote from him to Parvati at the last second. To Tyson’s shock, Russell played his idol — not for himself, but for Parvati. As a result, the second-highest vote-getter was sent packing: Tyson.
Had Tyson stuck to the original plan — and avoided making one of the biggest blunders in Survivor history — he likely would have made a deep run. Instead, we got more of Parvati, who made an awe-inspiring move of her own later this season, so no complaints here.
4. Davie Rickenbacker, Survivor: David vs. Goliath (Season 37)
Of course, a season built around the original unlikely hero toppling a dominant force, David triumphing over Goliath, was bound to deliver one of the greatest idol plays in Survivor history.
With the David tribe down in numbers, the Goliath tribe, featuring a pre-The White Lotus Mike White, was in pole position to run the game. With David figurehead Christian Hubicki in the crosshairs, his allies, Nick Wilson and Davie Rickenbacker, devised a plan using their own metaphorical slingshot: a Hidden Immunity Idol.
At tribal, the “Goliaths” piled their votes onto Christian — only for Davie to play his idol on him. Chaos erupted, especially from the season’s most volatile player, Angelina Keeley, who frantically pleaded with Dan Rengering to save her with his own idol. Dan relented, only for the true beauty of the David’s plan to reveal itself: they had split the vote between Angelina and Dan’s closest ally and fellow “brochacho,” John Morrison.
In a vote-off that seemed almost too good to be true, the Davids outmaneuvered the Goliaths, eliminating their strongest physical player, John. It was the kind of moment Survivor fans dream of — only topped by strategic moves in more widely watched seasons.
3. Natalie Anderson, Survivor: San Juan Del Sur - Blood vs. Water (Season 29)
Survivor: San Juan Del Sur was the second entry in the franchise to feature castaways competing with (or technically against) their families and loved ones. However, Natalie Anderson didn’t get much of a chance to do that — her twin sister, Nadiya, was voted out first.
From there, Natalie played a stealthy game, keeping her strategy under the radar until the final five. With a pair of loved ones still in the game, mother and daughter Missy Payne and Baylor Wilson, the numbers were stacked against her. Behind the scenes, Natalie worked to regain the trust of Jaclyn Schultz, whose boyfriend she had voted out in the previous round.
Though she could’ve taken the “safe” route and followed Missy and Baylor to the end, that wasn’t Natalie’s style, if not already evident by her audacious approach to The Amazing Race. Instead of playing the idol on herself to guarantee a spot in the final four, she played it on Jaclyn, but only after Jaclyn explicitly agreed to do what Natalie asked in front of the entire tribe. Dramatically, Natalie played the idol and shafted Baylor out of the game.
While Natalie had been a contender throughout the season, this move was something she could point to at the Final Tribal council, securing her win and solidifying her place as one of the greatest winners in Survivor history.
2. Kelley Wentworth, Survivor: Cambodia (Season 31)
Several Probst catchphrases have become an indelible aspect of the Survivor lexicon. There’s the crushing final blow to any players’s dream: “The tribe has spoken.” Then there’s the endlessly motivating, “You got to dig deep.” But for Survivor: Cambodia truthers, one three-word declaration stands out: “Wentworth will not count.”
Before she was contending for the season’s crown, Kelley found herself at the bottom of the pecking order coming into the final 12. Luckily, she had found an idol at a challenge earlier in the season, and impressively managed to keep it under wraps. Sensing danger, she played it, nullifying the most votes with a single advantage, at the time.
While the move is momentous in its own right, what cements its placement are the surrounding theatrics. There was fist bumping, jaws agape, and middle fingers, the latter of which belonged to Kelley’s victim, Andrew Savage, who flipped the bird at her heckling ally on his way out.
1. Parvati Shallow, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (Season 20)
Before Parvati was vying for riches on Deal or No Deal Island, she was battling on another island in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, aiming to defend her Survivor: Micronesia title. With a major target already on her back, her allegiance to Russell and the idol play covered earlier on this list made her a sitting duck.
With a string of men getting booted off the Villains tribe, the Heroes tribe assumed there was an all-consuming all-women’s alliance brewing. This wasn’t entirely true, but the misconception prompted J.T. Thomas to make another one of the worst moves in Survivor history, gifting an idol to Russell, along with a corresponding letter detailing his view of the Villains’ standings.
This move quickly backfired when the two tribes merged and Russell then handed the idol to Parvati. The tribes were at a stalemate, each collectively with five members, but Parvati correctly predicted that the Heroes wouldn’t vote for her since she was the obvious target. She played that idol, along with another one she had found, to protect her fellow Villains, Sandra Diaz-Twine and Jerri Manthey. In a swift act of karma for his subpar gameplay, J.T. was sent home that night.
This brilliant move sealed Parvati’s spot in the final three once again, along with her legacy as one of the most beloved players in the program’s history — if she wasn’t already.
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