Past players could apply with a new player to form a pair. These nine pairs were divided into three tribes of six, with three pairs on each tribe.
It was revealed at the premiere that the swapped tribes would feature returning players on one tribe and new players on the other.
1️⃣8️⃣ Kelly/Kelly0412 - Eori - Day 1 (4-2)
With all three tribes forced to vote someone out before the first challenge, Kelly & Eoin had the biggest target on their backs. Brittany & Jordon and Kyle & Lilly joined forces to vote Kelly out of the game.
1️⃣7️⃣ João/joaovictor - Tavarua - Day 2 (4-2)
After the first tribal council, Brady and Julian accepted an offer to mutiny to Liku Liku and Tavarua respectively after it was revealed they would have been voted out had their tribe lost the immunity challenge. As the new kid on the block, Julian wanted to ensure his name would not come out at his new tribe's first tribal council. He did so by targeting João, the least well-known player on the tribe.
1️⃣6️⃣ Tris/TMAN54445 - Tavarua - Day 3 (3-2)
After the João vote, Nick was on the outs of his tribe, but it turned into a swing vote position when Corey and Tris approached him to vote out Will at the next tribal council. Eventually, he sided with Julian and Will to vote Tris out of the game.
1️⃣5️⃣ Brady/CoachWade - Tavarua/Liku Liku - Day 3 (3-3/4-0)
With Liku Liku going to its first tribal council, the alliance of James & Vlad and Ashton & Chili worked to split the vote on its other two members, Brady and Setsu. On the revote, the majority alliance came together to unanimously vote out last season's winner in Brady.
1️⃣4️⃣ Ashton/MoooHades - Liku Liku/Tavarua - Day 4 (3-2-2)
After the newbies lost the first post-swap challenge, Ashton & Vlad, the tighest pair on the tribe, targeted Lilly to go home. However, Setsu was able to get that message across the tribe. To combat a potential idol play, the rest of the tribe split the votes 3-2 on the dynamic duo. Three of those votes landed on Ashton and he was the first post-swap casualty.
1️⃣3️⃣ James/J2999 - Liku Liku/Eori - Day 5 (1-1-1-3(0)-1(0)/3-1)
This was one of the most intricate tribal councils I have ever witnessed. There were so many layers, so many lies, so many betrayals, and it ended in James's premature departure. At this point in the game, James was universally liked, which also in turn means he was disliked by other gamers noticing his strategy. Had James made it to the merge, he would have been the one to beat, which is why the Eori tribe taking the shot at him when they did was so smart. Eoin playing both sides and Brittany's shocking betrayal created a new majority that decided to split the votes on four different people. Two idols were played and saved the top two vote getters, Brittany and Chili. It ended in James, who gave Brittany the idol she used to save herself, going home in a revote.
1️⃣2️⃣ Setsu/manalord - Liku Liku/Tavarua - Day 6 (5-2)
The chaos from the James vote permeated into the Tavarua tribe with several bloodlines affected and the merge fast approaching. So despite Vlad being in the minority the previous vote, the target shifted to pairs left in the game. Jordon and Setsu became targets for the vote, but her association with Julian, a dangerous player to come, enticed voters to send Setsu home before the merge.
1️⃣1️⃣ Corey/coreyants - Tavarua/Tavarua/Yadra - Day 7 (7-2-2)
With the tribes merged, the two remaining duos, Brittany & Jordon and Kyle & Lilly, had the biggest targets. However, the tribe was equally threatened by Corey, who was rumored to possibly holding the idol for Tavarua. Despite some votes going Jordon and Eoin's directions, it was Corey who received the majority of the votes and became the first member of the jury.
1️⃣0️⃣ Kyle/RedsKanto - Eori/Eori/Yadra - Day 8 (5-4-1)
With Corey gone, the focus soon returned to taking a shot at one of the two pairs. However, with Will inching closer their side, they held numbers for half the tribe. Luckily for the veteran singles alliance of Chili, Eoin, Julian and Nick, they held a Vote Steal, which they used to steal Will's vote and push the majority of votes on Kyle, sending him to the jury.
0️⃣9️⃣ Nick/BluJay112 - Tavarua/Eori/Yadra - Day 9 (4-0(5))
With the alliance of Chili, Eoin, Julian, Nick and Vlad riding the majority, they looked to take the game to the end. However, the only thing stopping them was Lilly's idol. Despite voting for a unsuspecting idol recipient in Will, Lilly played her idol for Will, negating all five of his votes and sending Nick home with four votes.
0️⃣8️⃣ Lilly/ZLilly831 - Eori/Tavarua/Yadra - Day 9 (4-4/3-3/ROCKS)
In the Fast Forward, the two alliances of four battled it out in an intense rock draw. With Chili safe from immunity and Vlad and Will receiving votes, five players willing drew for rocks at the Final 8. Luckily for the veterans alliance, Lilly pulled the unlucky rock and was voted out one tribal after playing an idol for someone else.
0️⃣7️⃣ Brittany/LaFierceBrittany2 - Eori/Eori/Yadra - Day 10 (4-3)
With Chili, Eoin, Julian and Vlad in control of the votes, they took out Brittany, the veteran half of the final pair left in the game.
0️⃣6️⃣ Will/hellomynameis347 - Tavarua/Tavarua/Yadra - Day 11 (4-2)
With Chili immune, the veteran alliance had to choose between Jordon and Will. Unfortunately for Will, he was voted out 4-2.
0️⃣5️⃣ Eoin/Eoin - Eori/Eori/Yadra - Day 12 (3-2)
At the finale, Chili and Eoin saw each other as their biggest threat left in the game. And with Chili not safe after losing the immunity challenge, Eoin looked to take the shot with the rookies Vlad and Jordon. Jordon was on board, but Vlad stayed loyal to Chili and Julian to vote Eoin out.
0️⃣4️⃣ Julian/TheSexiestDude990 - Liku Liku/Tavarua/Eori/Yadra - Day 12 (2-2/Lost FMC)
After Chili won his fourth immunity challenge, Jordon appeared to be the next to go. However, Vlad was looking to take out a big jury threat in Julian right before the Final 3, so he sided with Jordon to tie the vote and force a fire-making challenge. To people's surprise, Jordon prevailed and Julian became the final member of the jury.
--- Final Three ---
0️⃣3️⃣ Vlad/Vlad21 - Liku Liku/Tavarua/Yadra (0 votes to win)
0️⃣2️⃣ Jordon/Jordonk - Eori/Tavarua/Yadra (3 votes to win)
0️⃣1️⃣ Chili/Lalisa - Liku Liku/Eori/Yadra (5 votes to win)
The jury determined Vlad to be the goat and the vote to come down to Chili and Jordon, two of the more polarizing figures in the game. Jordon received most of his votes from those simply wishing not to reward Chili, and Chili's five votes were enough to give him the well-deserved win.
I don't think I've had more fun hosting a single season before. This season was competitive, exciting, entertaining, complex and everything you could ask for in a season.
One of the best casts ever. I think the Blood vs. Water facet of the game definitely contributed to it. Those dynamics added a different layer to the game that went well.
I still remember the chaos behind the James vote over a year and a half later. It's without a doubt one of the craziest Cutthroat votes in nearly two years of the franchise.
The Fast Forward Night also produced some of the best content Cutthroat has seen, with the shocking idol play for Will and the rock draw to send Lilly home.
The Chili-Eoin standstill at the Final 5 was also thrilling to watch. It was clear one of them was going to win the game and it would've been whichever player crossed the other first. Chili got to Eoin first and it was a big part as to why he won the game.
Chili's Hall of Fame Cutthroat career has its shining moment here in Melanesia. He won with one of the most difficult casts and seasons in Cutthroat history and has been commended ever since.
Rating: 9.5/10
Ranking: 1/20
Returnees: Chili (Valley of Victors), Vlad (Skeleton Coast), Julian (Valley of Victors), Eoin (Flops vs. Tops), Brittany (G2: Lake Natron), Lilly (Edge of Glory), Kyle (G2: Dueling Desert), Corey (Skeleton Coast), Setsu (Overstepping Champions, Valley of Victors), James (Henan, Valley of Victors, G2: Sierra Madre, G2: Papua New Guinea), Brady (Overstepping Champions - Coach), Tris (Edge of Glory, G2: Kamome Island), Kelly (Flops vs. Tops, G2: Papua New Guinea)
