Who went home on Survivor Season 49 Week 9? Details Explored

Survivor Season 49 Week 9 ended with the elimination of Alex, whose attempt to play between alliances finally collapsed under the pressure of a double-immunity round.

With two necklaces up for grabs and shifting loyalties at camp, the vote closed in on the one player both sides felt they could cut without risking their own numbers.

Survivor Season 49: Week 9 Elimination 

The Week 9 elimination followed the highly anticipated episode titled “If You’re Loyal to All, You’re Loyal to None,” a phrase that accurately described Alex’s position in Survivor 49 at this stage of the game.

While Survivor 49 had already seen its share of blindsides and unpredictable swings, this vote centered around one player’s attempts to play the middle—and how quickly a middle-game collapses when neither side is willing to keep you.

Following MC’s elimination in the previous episode, tension immediately spread through the camp.

The expectation from the safe group had been that Sophie or Rizo would return from Tribal Council.

When the group saw MC walk out instead, Christina reacted bluntly, saying it was "the worst-case scenario."

Sophie expressed frustration that everyone seemed surprised she returned, adding that she felt like she couldn’t trust anyone and was now a "free agent on Survivor Season 49."

The instability at camp set the tone for what came next.

With Savannah holding an extra vote, Rizo holding the Immunity Idol, and Soph secretly holding the Knowledge is Power advantage, the trio of Rizo, Savannah, and Soph had a structural advantage—even though the others didn’t know the full extent of the tools in play.

But the elimination did not come from idols or advantages. It came from trust—specifically, from the lack of trust in Alex.

Why Alex became the target

Alex openly told the cameras and players he was "in the middle and trying to figure out which way to go," a position that can be powerful early in the merge but becomes dangerous when alliances finally stabilize.

Alex attempted to strengthen ties with Rizo and Savannah.

However, Rizo didn’t fully believe him, openly questioning whether Alex was "playing both sides."

Meanwhile, Jawan and Sage also began to express doubts about Alex’s loyalty.

Before the Immunity Challenge, the tentative plan had been to split the votes between Savannah and Rizo to flush Rizo’s idol.

But with Savannah winning immunity—and Steven winning the second necklace—the entire plan fell apart.

That left the group scrambling to find a new target.

Their revised decision: cut someone adjacent while still trying to force Rizo to play his idol.

Soph, who had been working closely with Savannah and Rizo, was briefly the backup option.

But the larger camp consensus quickly shifted.

Sage was convinced Alex was dangerous because she saw him talking to both sides.

Jawan told Alex directly that Rizo had been throwing out his name—prompting Alex to turn on Rizo.

Meanwhile, Rizo continued to campaign against Alex by spreading concerns that he was unreliable.

By the time the tribe headed to Tribal Council, the potential targets had narrowed to two: Rizo or Alex. And the numbers were now leaning decisively toward Alex.

What happened at the Tribal Council

At Tribal Council, Rizo acknowledged the chaos at camp, stating that "there is a lot of fluidity going on, as people who haven’t worked together before are now seeming to work together."

He also openly discussed the threat of his idol, reminding the tribe that many might want to flush it.

When Jeff read the votes, Rizo held on to his idol once again.

The votes revealed a clear result: Alex received the majority and was voted out of Survivor Season 49 Week 9.

As he left, Alex joked, "I knew it," before adding that it was what he got "for playing both sides."

He also laughed and asked the tribe, "Do you all just talk to each other?" signaling that, despite his efforts, the alliances had been more coordinated than he assumed.

What Alex’s elimination means for Survivor Season 49

Alex’s exit is a turning point heading into the final stretch of Survivor Season 49.

The middle-game buffer he provided is gone.

Rizo still holds his idol, Savannah continues to gain power with back-to-back immunity wins, and the lines between factions are clearer than ever.

As the remaining players prepare for the next vote, the elimination of a middle player suggests a more aggressive and decisive endgame is coming.

Stay tuned for more updates.