The 40 Most Iconic Survivor Moments of All-Time

forty. Adam Klein Tries to Engage in Probst’s Tribal Council Stand As an Idol

Recency bias? Probably, but you won’t be able to deny it was a single of the funniest moments in Survivor heritage looking at the Millennial vs. Gen-X winner test and fall short to pry a image off the podium throughout Winners at War. (No, it was not an idol.)

39. Boston Rob’s Explosive Toss

The legend’s dominance in Redemption Island was so uncontested that he virtually threw a concealed immunity idol into an lively volcano for s—ts and giggles.

38. three Castaways Collapse

Not a single, but two but 3 contestants passed out throughout a challenge on the ninth day of Survivor: Kaoh Rong: Debbie, Cydney and Caleb Reynolds, with the latter remaining removed from the competitiveness after he was medically evacuated.

37. Spyin’ Aint Effortless

From a spy shack (Cagayan) to a spy bunker (Game Changers) to a spy nest (Winners at War), Tony Vlachos always knew how to be stealth while eavesdropping on his competition and also making us chuckle.

36. Caught With Your Pants Down

In no way neglect when JP Hilsabeck pulled his pants down and bared all to Alan Ball to demonstrate he didn’t have an idol…on the initial night time of season 35.

35. How Prolonged Can You Go?

The show’s longest challenge ever went a whopping 12 hours, with Ian Rosenberger and Tom Westman, the eventual winner, struggling with off for that long throughout the remaining immunity challenge in Palau. We barely can go an whole act of the display devoid of touching our phones.

34. Wendell Holland’s Epic Deliver-Off to Chris Noble

“We received a ton alongside one another. Regard for that. But socially, you do not know what you happen to be accomplishing. I hope you quit declaring ‘I’ so significantly. I hope you get started listening to men and women. Oh, yeah. And finally…somebody had to say it. I’ll say it. Prevent rapping. You happen to be trash…at rapping. You happen to be garbage at rapping. You won’t be able to rap. You have no bars. Put the mic down, bro. Put the pen down, bro. Use an eraser.”

Noble need to be toast ’cause he was BURNT. 

33. Null and Void

In David vs. Goliath, the initial-ever Idol Nullifier was released, with Carl Boudreaux employing it to his edge to ship Dan Rengering packing.

thirty. Dom Abbate and Wendell are Survivor‘s initial-ever tie

It was fitting for a single of the show’s strongest set of allies ever to make it to the conclusion alongside one another only to obtain the same variety of votes. As well terrible the long-awaited reveal of how a tie-breaker is decided (the 3rd position finisher gets to cast the choosing vote) was rather underwhelming.

29. Alliances Are Born

It can be difficult to picture the video game and the display by itself devoid of Richard Hatch making “alliance” an vital component of season a single, with the villain teaming up with lover-favorite Rudy Boesch to make it to the remaining 3.

32. Jessica Lewis’ Rocking Departure

Allow this be a lesson in why you In no way want to go to rocks on Survivor. Because you are leaving your fate in the video game up to A ROCK.

31. Residing on the Edge

Though the Edge of Extinction has received combined inner thoughts from followers, you won’t be able to deny that it type of worked, with Chris Underwood, voted out on Day eight, of season 38 earning his way again in and finally remaining crowned Sole Survivor.

28. Rob’s Large Betrayal

In purchase to protected Amber Brkich‘s spot in the finals throughout All-Stars, Boston Rob reneged his assure to shield Lex van der Berghe, describing, “The phrase I gave you was that if I could just take care of you I will. I am sorry, I can’t.” The transfer probable shed him the title of Sole Survivor that season, but he ended up with a spouse and gorgeous spouse and children, so…

27. Two-Time Winner

Just before Tony Vlachos joined her elite club in Winners at War, Sandra Diaz-Twine held bragging legal rights as the only two-time winner of Survivor. Don’t occur for the queen!

26. Gentle My Fireplace

Just when Ben Driebergen eventually seemed to be out of possibilities after his spectacular operate at the conclusion of Heroes. vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, the producers released a new hearth-making challenge to make it to the remaining 3, resulting in his acquire. (Be aware to prospective contestants: Study. How. To. Make. Fireplace.)

25. Ethan’s Climb

Soon after beating cancer twice, Survivor: Africa winner Ethan Zohn returned for Winners at War, only to be sent to the Edge rather early. But he ended up delivering the most inspiring minute of the season when he finished a challenge in spite of pretty much passing out and needing medical interest. Ethan finished the grueling bodily task, with his fellow competition accomplishing it with him in the gorgeous minute. 

24. Two Idols, No Excuses

James Clement turned the initial player to go property with the dishonor of acquiring two immunity idols in his pockets, proving you are never absolutely protected on Survivor.

23. Begging for Heat

“Natalie, can I have your jacket? Natalie…Natalie?” And that is how Angelina Keeley begun Jacket-gate throughout David vs. Goliath, remaining disregarded by a just-voted-out Natalie Napalm as she begged for her jacket to no avail.

22. Lie, Cheat and Steal

He’s not the initial or past to tell epic lies in the identify of $one million, but Russell Hantz, a single of the series’ most infamous villains, has explained to some of the most egregious ones, such as the declare he was a firefighter who survived Hurricane Katrina in purchase to garner sympathy in Samoa.

21. We Are Loved ones

Possibly we are getting soft in our old Survivor age but looking at all of the Winners at War contestants’ (such as all those on the Edge) loved ones be allowed to occur visit them in Fiji—spouses, youngsters and spouse and children members—and just invested the day alongside one another was heartwarming and plainly a reward the producers desired to give to the winners who had supplied so significantly to the display.

twenty. Hats Off

Did Sandra truly need to toss Russell’s signature hat in the hearth? No. Are we incredibly joyful she did? Duh.

19. Don’t Mess With the Rice

Pursuing in his uncle’s footsteps, Russell Hantz’s nephew Brandon Hantz turned the initial particular person ever voted out in a impromptu tribal council when his group intentionally forfeiting an immunity challenge after he wrecked the entirety of their foodstuff reserves at camp.

eighteen. Sarah’s Speech

Though she didn’t finally make it to the remaining 3 of Winners at War, the cop delivered a single of the series’ ideal speeches, highlighting Survivor’s gender bias and the stigma in opposition to solid woman players. Kudos, Lacina, you legend.

seventeen. The Liveliest of Are living Tribals Ever

Appear on, Probst didn’t even speak for a whole 4-minutes throughout this legendary David. vs. Goliath tribal.

sixteen. Person vs. Shark

Insert biting a shark after it little bit him to the record of causes why Richard Hatch is a Survivor legend of polarizing proportions.

15. An Epic Blunder

Back again in 2002, CBS ended up spending out $200,000 to castaways Lex van den Berghe and Tom Buchanan after Survivor: Africa when it was exposed that anyone essentially acquired a trivia response wrong throughout a challenge, with the slip-up probable altering the program of the season.

14. Parvati’s Two Idol Engage in
When the winner busted out two Hidden Immunity Idols at tribal council, Parvati Shallow quickly cemented her spot as a single of the series’ most infamous players. And when she went on to participate in them for two distinctive players rather than use a single on herself, which is the things of legends.

thirteen. Dan Spiro Is Kicked Off
For the initial time in the show’s heritage, season 39 castaway Dan Spilo was removed from the video game off-digital camera, with a information just stating, “Dan was removed from the video game after a report of a different incident, which happened off-digital camera and did not entail a player.”

This arrived after an episode in which Dan was accused of inappropriate touching by fellow competitor Kellie Kim and direct to a more substantial discussion about the #MeToo movement in enjoyment. 

12. The Dumbest Motion picture In Survivor Heritage?

Returning winner J.T. Thomas produced a rookie slip-up throughout Heroes vs. Villains when he gave his tribe’s immunity idol to Russell Hantz, only for it to be performed in opposition to him after the merge. The transfer was so epically terrible that he was supplied a trophy for dumbest motion picture in the heritage of the display at the stay reunion.

11. Rob Proposes to Amber

Guaranteed, not technically video game-linked, but Boston Rob’s on-stage proposal to Amber just ahead of she conquer him to grow to be the winner of All-Stars cemented their standing as Survivor’s sole pair and a single of actuality TV’s biggest enjoy tales.

ten. Creamy or Crunchy?

Who can neglect when in season seven future winner Jenna Morasca and Heidi Strobel not only agreed to give up immunity for chocolate and peanut butter but also to strip naked? A historic minute for two causes: one. it landed the duo the include of Playboy and two. It resulted in peanut butter remaining a temptation foodstuff each and every season relocating forward. Hey, gotta get that protein someway.

nine. Sorry, Mother!

In the show’s most infamous and brutal votes, Ciera Eastin voted out her possess mother Laura Morett on Blood vs. Water. Vacations need to be pleasurable in that family!

eight. Jason Siska Is fooled by Ozzy’s Really Bad Pretend Idol

In the legendary text of Eliza Orlins: “It can be a f—king stick!” He tried out to participate in it anyway.

7. Denise Stapley slays the Queen

If you occur for the queen you far better not pass up. And Denise did just that throughout Winners at War‘s initial epic blindside, with the below-the-radar season 25 winner having out the two-time winner by heading again on a assure to not say her identify in trade for an idol. (Oh yeah, she acquired an idol out of it!) And with that, the legend of the Queenslayer was born. 

6. Jeff Varner’s Disgusting and Desperate Engage in
In a single of the show’s most controversial episodes ever, Jeff Varner  to save himself throughout Game Changers.

“There is deception right here. Deceptions on degrees Jeff that these fellas do not even understand,” Jeff explained ahead of wanting at Zeke. “Why have not you explained to anybody that you happen to be transgender?”

The rest of the contestants have been disgusted and defended Zeke, with Probst not even bothering to ask anybody to vote ahead of rightfully snuffing Jeff’s torch.

5. Cirie Fields’s Cruel Vote-Out

If any Survivor contestant in heritage deserved far better than remaining the victim of 3 idols remaining performed at tribal, resulting in a shocking ouster devoid of a single vote remaining vast in opposition to her, it was 4-time castaway Cirie.

4. Scariest Moment Ever

Who can ever neglect the guttural appears after Michael Skupin passed out and fell into the hearth throughout season two, finally remaining medically evacuated for critical burns on his hands and leaving the video game due to the severity of his accidents. Just about two a long time later on and it really is continue to a single of the most chilling moments on actuality Television set heritage.

three. The Worst Decision in Survivor Heritage

We Even now won’t be able to believe ice product scooper Erik Reichenbach essentially gave up his immunity necklace in the remaining 5, only to have the 4 ladies blindside him and vote him out.

two. Johnny Fairplay Kills His Grandma

And a single of the biggest actuality Television set villains of all-time is officially cemented in this legendary minute, when the Pearl Islands‘ contestant concocted a strategy to have his buddy Dan display up throughout the loved ones visit and lie about his grandmother’s loss of life in purchase to protected sympathy.

one. The Rat and the Snake Speech

Allow it be as mother character meant, with Sue Hawk‘s legendary remaining tribal council speech in season a single heading down as Survivor‘s most infamous minute. It set the tone for the rest of the sequence and cemented the CBS actuality hit’s standing as need to-see Television set. An epic mix of poetry and savagery, Sue’s downright Shakespearean speech was an instant traditional.