Survivor 46: These Players Have Been Voted Out With Idols In Their Pockets (It's Changing The Game)

Summary Survivor 46 made history flushing more idols than any season, changing the game forever.

Contestants being eliminated with idols increases fear of leaving them unused.

Failure to play immunity idols leads to blindsides and unexpected eliminations.

Survivor 46 is down to its final five players, and this season has made history due to the number of players who have gone home with unused immunity idols in their pockets. The show used to travel the globe, but this season, Survivor returned to its permanent location on Mamanuca Island in Fiji. At the start of the game, 18 contestants were dropped on a deserted island to outwit, outplay, and outlast each other. They have braved starvation, sleep deprivation, and each other for a shot at winning a million dollars and the title of Sole Survivor.

The cast of Survivor season 46 has made history by flushing more idols during tribal council than during any previous season. All in all, five players have been eliminated from Survivor 46 after failing to play their life-saving immunity idol, with four going home four weeks in a row. This historic turn of events is sure to change the game forever.

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Jemila "Jem" Hussain-Adams

Eliminated Episode 5

The first Survivor 46 player to fail to play their immunity idol and get sent home was Jemila "Jem" Hussain Adams, the 32-year-old international brand mentor from Guyana, who now lives in Chicago. Jem hadn't had the immunity idol for long before she was faced with the option of using it. When the time came, Jem was confident she was not on the chopping block during Survivor 46 episode 5's tribal council, so she kept her immunity idol in her pocket. When Charlie Davis and Maria Shrime Gonzales decided to unite with the men's alliance, Jem went home.

Hunter McKnight

Eliminated Episode 9

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Hunter McKnight was widely considered the game's biggest physical threat, so it's no surprise he found himself the target of the rest of his tribe. What is surprising is the 28-year-old science teacher from French Camp, Mississippi, didn't know he needed to use his immunity idol during Survivor 46, episode 9's tribal council. Especially considering that, right before tribal council, he told other contestants that he had the idol and planned to use it that night.

It's possible Hunter really had intended to use his idol but changed his mind after figuring out the rest of the tribe. Or he was bluffing so that his fellow players would think twice before voting for him, and they called his bluff. Regardless of his intention, Hunter didn't play his idol, and after a tie vote had to be broken, he was eliminated.

Tiffany Nicole Ervin

Eliminated Episode 10

Though 33-year-old New Jersey artist Tiffany Nicole Ervin had been in alliance with Kenzie Petty throughout the season, Kenzie decided to blindside her. Early during Survivor 46, episode 10, Kenzie went to Charlie and Maria to put a plan in motion. The three knew that Tiffany had an immunity idol, and though they all wanted Q Burdette out of the game, they decided that Tiffany was a bigger threat.

Kenzie's tune changed later in the episode. After the reward challenge, Maria and Charlie found some time to discuss what they thought was the best option for the vote that was to take place later that night. They talked about the possibility of voting for Q, but both decided that Tiffany was the better option. Though going after Tiffany was Kenzie's idea, she suddenly wasn't so sure anymore. She told Charlie and Maria that she felt it might not be the best time to go with another blindside, but Charlie and Maria disagreed.

For her part, Tiffany was confident that she was safe, so she decided not to use her immunity idol and ended up on the jury.

Venus Vafa

Eliminated Episode 11

Custom Image by César Garcia

After the blindside vote at the previous tribal council left 24-year-old Canadian data analyst Venus Vafa out of Tiffany's elimination, she was feeling somewhat uneasy about her position within the tribe. She focused her energy on finding the immunity idol she knew had been hidden again after Tiffany's elimination. Venus' determination paid off. She found the idol and hid it from the tribe. Everyone other than Maria openly wanted Q gone. Venus was sure Q would be voted out that night, so she didn't play her immunity idol and was blindsided during Survivor 46, season 11.

Q Burdette

Eliminated Episode 12

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While some players were off enjoying a reward meal, Q Burdette, a 29-year-old real estate agent from Memphis, Tennessee, desperately sought out an idol.

Having distinguished himself as one of the most entertaining, interesting, and baffling contestants to play the game, Q had been on the chopping block for several tribal councils.

Knowing his neck was on the line, Q managed to find the idol and showed it to his closest ally, Maria. When Maria won the immunity challenge later during Survivor 46, episode 12, their partnership was guaranteed a spot in the final five.

As close allies Charlie and Maria considered blindsiding each other, Q got cocky. Like the previous four players who failed to play their immunity idol, he felt confident that he was safe. Maria confirmed his confidence, telling him she was sure he'd be in the game tomorrow. In the end, it turned out that both Q and Maria misjudged the situation. When Jeff asked if anyone wanted to play an idol, Q stayed quiet.

The vote was counted, and Q was eliminated from Survivor 46.

How This Will Change Survivor

The Game Will Never Be The Same

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Eliminating five players with idols in their pockets will change the game going forward. Future players will be so afraid of being eliminated with idols in their pockets that they will be far more likely to play their advantage soon after acquiring it. Though Survivor season 46 players were mistaken for holding on to their idols too long, there is also the danger that they won't hold on to them long enough.

Jemila "Jem" Hussain-Adams Episode 5 Hunter McKnight Episode 9 Tiffany Nicole Ervin Episode 10 Venus Vafa Episode 11 Q Burdette Eliminated Episode 12

Survivor season 46 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EDT on CBS, then streaming the following day on Paramount+.