Episode 4 of Survivor 49, titled “Go Kick Rocks, Bro,” opened with a major tribe swap that reshaped the game and set the stage for new alliances and strategies.
Midway through the episode, discussions around advantages and safety measures emerged, including Jason Treul’s consideration of the “Shot in the Dark” twist.
However, despite expressing his plan to use it for protection, he ultimately chose not to play it at Tribal Council.
The episode, which aired on October 15, 2025, concluded with the elimination of Matt Williams following a split vote, marking another significant shift before the upcoming merge.
Jason decides against using his "Shot in the Dark" at the Survivor 49 Tribal Council
The Tribe Swap and new tribe compositions
At the start of the episode, host Jeff Probst announced the phrase “drop your buffs,” signaling a tribe swap.
The switch occurred earlier than planned due to Jake Latimer’s earlier medical evacuation, which left 14 players in the game.
They were divided into two new tribes of seven: Kele and Hina.
The new Kele tribe included Alex Moore, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, Shannon Fairweather, MC Chukwujekwu, Kristina Mills, Sophie Segreti, and Steven Ramm.
The new Hina tribe consisted of Sophi Balerdi, Jason Treul, Matt Williams, Jawan Pitts, Nate Moore, Rizo Velovic, and Savannah Louie.
Hina returned to a camp stocked with prior reward supplies, while Kele continued to lack basic items after repeated losses.
Sophi viewed the swap as an opportunity to reposition herself strategically and began connecting with members from the original Uli.
Meanwhile, Alex worked to stabilize his new tribe, while Sage and Shannon were aware that they were in the minority as original Uli members among mostly Hina players.
New alliances and strategic moves
At the new Hina camp, Sophi approached Savannah and Nate from the original Uli, presenting herself as an additional vote to maintain their group’s majority going into the merge.
Savannah and Nate accepted this potential alliance, creating a working relationship centered on shared interests.
Jason, aware of his weak standing, communicated with Savannah about collaborating in future votes.
At Kele, Shannon established quick social bonds, particularly with Kristina, through personal conversations that led to a mutual sense of trust.
Steven, observing Shannon’s growing influence, began advocating for her as a potential target. Sage, recognizing Shannon’s expanding connections, grew concerned about her own limited relationships within the tribe.
Meanwhile, Rizo’s previously inactive Beware Advantage was triggered after Hina lost the Immunity Challenge.
To regain his vote, he had to locate a hidden idol, which he accomplished with help from his original Uli allies.
This gave Uli’s members a majority and prompted discussions about eliminating either Jason or Matt.
Immunity challenge and Tribal Council
The Immunity Challenge required castaways to retrieve floating cubes from the water, carry them through obstacles, and stack them into a tall tower.
Kele won the challenge after MC Chukwujekwu played a key role in completing the final stacking sequence, earning her tribe immunity and a fruit reward.
Hina faced the Tribal Council following their loss. With Sophi joining the original Uli alliance, the vote focused on Matt and Jason.
Matt tried to shift the target toward Nate, but Jawan shared this plan with others, reinforcing Matt as the primary target. Jason stated that he would use his Shot in the Dark as a precaution, though he ultimately decided against playing it.
At Tribal Council, votes were cast without any advantages in play. The final count resulted in four votes for Matt, two for Jason, and one for Nate, sending Matt home.
In his exit remarks, Matt reflected on his gameplay, noting that his efforts to build trust did not align with how others navigated the game.
Stay tuned for more updates.