Template:Gameplay The Hidden Immunity Idol (also known as the "Hidden Idol" or simply "The Idol") is perhaps the biggest twist to ever occur in Survivor Fan Characters history. Its purpose is to, one way or another, give the holder immunity when they choose to play it. The idol has influenced many of the contestants' strategies, whether they utilize the object, or defuse its powers. The Hidden Immunity Idol made its debut in Survivor: Guatemala.
It is not to be confused with the Tribal Immunity Idol or Individual Immunity Necklace, as the Hidden Immunity Idol is not available at challenges.
Overview
Despite its potential to make its owner survive longer in the game, it can only be used once (where the idol will be either re-hidden or discarded after its use). With this, owners should be careful about divulging information about possessing one and/or when to use it, because a player can still be eliminated with the idol, thus going home bringing his/her idol with him (dubbed as "flushing"). Another limitation is that, the idol is only valid until a given deadline (usually Until the final 6). A player may hold more than one idol (if available).
Appearance
Development/Format
Players must use the idol after the votes have been cast, but before the host reveals them. This gesture will force castaways to become more cautious on possessing it and/or divulging information about possessing one. With this format, it is crucial for players to use his/her idol at the right time. Contestants must draw the idol at a Tribal Council where they are sure to receive votes, or else, they will either waste the idol (if they had either no votes against them or if they have votes, there may not be enough to eliminate them) or getting eliminated without even using the idol. This was dubbed by several contestants as flushing. Once the idol is used, it is usually rehidden. From this point forward, the idols are valid up until the Tribal Council where there are only five or six contestants remain.
When the castaway is voted out as a direct result of the use of the Hidden Immunity Idol, that person is said to have been "Idoled out".
Strategy
Several strategies were developed by contestants that has something to do with the Hidden Immunity Idol. Here is a non-exhaustive list of how the idol was used over the series:
- Making the holder believe that they will not be voted out, but then blindsiding them
- Splitting votes to defuse any power gained by playing the idol
- Passing idols to another player to save them
- Potentially removing the possibility of a tie vote
- Feigning possession of an idol
- A player not possessing an idol taunting another player who has one to surrender or use the object, inducing indecision at the side of the owner
- Handing out multiple idols to shield more potential targets
There have been several instances that a person that is caught looking for the idol has become an immediate target, so it is crucial that searchers must be undetected when looking for it.
If a Hidden Immunity Idol is played, the user would be immune for the Purple Rock tiebreaker. If all players who received votes use idols, and all votes are voided, a revote would happen, but the users would be immune for that round of voting.
List of people who have owned a Hidden Immunity Idol
Template:S
- Skylar Cooper (played it to save himself at the final 4)
Template:S
- Bitsy Mitzi (upon being voted out without playing her idol, she gave it to Ellise d'Torneau)
- Ellise d'Torneau (given to her by Bitsy, played it for strategy purposes at the final 7)
- Vinnie (played it to save himself at the final 7)
Template:S
- Issac (played it to save himself at the final 11)
- Baxter (played it at the final 6, but was not needed)
Template:S
- Chaona (played it to save at the final 14, but was not needed)
- Lilly Pendragon (played it to save herself at the final 10, then refound it and played it to save Barney Callahan at the final 6)
- Knuckles the Echidna (left without playing it, was rehidden)
- Minerva Mink (played it to save herself at the final 7)
Template:S
- Gatemaster (gave to Marius, although he thought that it was not the real idol)
- Marius (played it to save himself at the final 6)
Template:S
- Norman (played it to save Mary at the final 18)
- Kala (played it at the final 11, but was not needed)
Template:S
- Russell Hantz (played it at the final 17, but was not needed, then refound it and played it to save himself at the final 14, then refound it again, but left without playing it at the final 12)
- Chrii Yukizuma (played it to save herself at the final 10)
- Krauss (found Russell's rehidden idol, but it was burned by Wrecker)
- Wrecker (played it to save himself at the final 5)
Template:S
- Xero (played it to save himself at the final 12, although his plan backfired)
- Matt Thorndark (played it at the final 9, but was not needed)
Template:S
- Frank (gave one to Adrian Zabaleta at the final 16, then accidentally gave the other one to Starr Bright at the final 11)
- Adrian Zabaleta (gave idol to Bonnie Quinn)
- Bonnie Quinn (gave idol to Brenton Bubbles)
- Madison (played it to save herself at the final 13)
- Brenton Bubbles (played it to save himself at the final 7)
Template:S
- Xero (found the Corsona idol, gave it to Chrii Yukizuma)
- Baxter (played the Retro idol to save Chloe at the final 19)
- Chrii Yukizuma (played the Corsona idol to save Ventious Zephyr at the final 19)
- Minerva Mink (found the Yrsa'Ka idol, gave it to Jackie)
- Bonnie Quinn (played the Carbo idol to save herself at the final 12, then played the Merged idol to save herself at the final 7)
- Jackie (played it to save himself at the final 10)
Template:S
- Sexygirlxo (played the Hantz idol at the final 17, but was not needed)
- Sunflower (played the Mariano idol to save Eli Vickrum at the final 11)
- Eli Vickrum (played the Merged idol to save himself at the final 7)
Template:S
- SpongeBob Squarepants (played it at the final 18, but was not needed)
- Enter (played the Canredons idol to save Brittnay Matthews at the final 17, then gave the Canredons idol to Brittnay Matthews at the final 16, then played the Canredons idol on Bowser Koopa at the final 15, but was not needed, then played the Canredons idol on himself and the special idol from the Survivor Auction on Bowser at the final 13, then played the Canredons idol to save Bowser at the final 12, then played the Merged idol to save Yvonne at the final 11)
- Yvonne (played it to save herself at the final 16)
- Brittnay Matthews (played it to save herself at the final 16)
- Kim Possible (kept the Fabluens idol)
Template:S
- Arnold J. Cook (left the Nonamye idol at camp before tribe swap, then brokered deal with Sasha to obtain it)
- Survivor Critic (kept the Wakah idol)
- Alleio (played the Purada idol to save himself at the final 12, then found the Super idol but left without playing it and gave it to Luna)
- Sasha (played the Nonamye idol at the final 8, but was not needed)
- Luna (Super idol was invalid since Alleio's elimination since he opened it to view the rules regarding it)
Template:S
- Prussia Bleu (played it to save herself at the final 11)
- Desmond (played it to save himself at the final 7)
Template:S
- Leah (played it at the final 11, but was not needed)
- Brandi (played it to save Dustin at the final 8)
Template:S
- Vinnie Reid (played it to save himself at the final 13)
- Sgt. Bradley Stagg (played it at the final 11, but was not needed)
- Bowser Koopa Jr. (played it to save Vinnie Reid at the final 8)
Other Idols
In some seasons idols other than the Hidden Immunity Idol have been present. In Template:S2 several idols found at Camp, Tribal Council, or the challenge area were in play.
Types of different Idols/Artifacts
- Idol Of Power - Gives the team who uses it an advantage in challenge. Bradlyn found the Hantz idol and Flaithri found the Mariano idol.
- Sitting People Out Idol - Sits two people out from each tribe in a challenge. Whitney found the idol in a compartment in the stand holding the Tribal Immunity Idol.
- Bring Rob & Russell Back Idol - When played, Boston Rob and Russell Hantz would return to their respective tribes and play the game until they were voted out. Paine found the idol in the Tribal Immunity Idol and burned it.
- Double Or Nothing Idol - When played, the tribe that loses the immunity challenge would have to vote out two people instead of one at Tribal Council. Flaithri found the idol in the Voting Urn in Tribal Council.
- Raid The Other Team Idol - When played, one member from one tribe can invade another tribe and steal two items for their tribe. Crisco found the idol as part of a reward challenge
- Mutiny Idol - When played, a mutiny is opened up for both tribes, allowing anyone from either team to switch over to the opposite during a ten-second span. Angel found the idol as part of an immunity challenge.
Fake Idols
So far only eleven fake idols have been made, but only three have been given to a contestant. The first is Skylar Cooper of Template:S bought a necklace at a shop while on reward, then later gave it to Hugo in order to stop him from looking for the real idol so he could be eliminated.
In Template:S, Lilly Pendragon played a fake idol to psyche everyone out at the final 10, then she played the real one.
In Template:S, Greg made a fake idol while on Exile Island waiting to be assigned a tribe after the first Tribal Council. At the second Tribal Council, Greg burned it without playing it or revealing that it was fake in the first place. His plan worked when Victor was voted out over him.
In Template:S, Minerva Mink played a fake idol of her own construction to make a flashy exit, knowing that she was being voted out.
In Template:S, Bonnie Quinn created two fake idols during the season. The first one she made was to make Ieaeka look untrustworthy, so Bonnie placed it in Ieaeka's dress. However, Ieaeka did not know about the fake idol, as Kathy Miura located it before hand while gathering Ieaeka's dress for her. The other fake idol Bonnie made was used so she could swap the real idol that Starr Bright gave her with it so she could keep it for when it was really needed.
In Template:S, Enter conjured up a fake idol and gave it to Brittnay Matthews in order to trick the main Canredons alliance into splitting the vote in order to get rid of Foxxy Love without Brittnay being aware of the plan. Later in the season, Enter played a derezzed Merged idol. After Maggie Greene burned it 37 times, the digital copy became corrupted, thus Enter was eliminated unanimously.
In Template:S, Jim and Roth created two fake idols to draw out Alleio's superidol. However, Alleio saw right through it, and Roth was eliminated.
In Template:S, Gekkota created a fake idol to trick Xeradonus into stop looking for the real idol, then burned it after everyone voted at Tribal Council, leading to Xeradonus' unanimous elimination.
Contestants Voted Out Due to an Idol Being Played
Gallery
Trivia
References
[1] Template:GameplayNav