Blood vs. Water (twist)

Blood vs. Water (twist)
Brothers Vytas Baskauskas and Aras Baskauskas are pitted against each other in Blood vs. Water.
Survivor Gameplay
Description:	Each contestant competes against a loved one.
Appearances:	Blood vs. Water San Juan del Sur

Blood vs. Water is a twist introduced in the titular season, Survivor: Blood vs. Water. It featured returning castaways competing against loved ones, such as husbands, wives, children, parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, and siblings. In Survivor: San Juan del Sur, instead of returning castaways competing against their loved ones there were new players competing against their loved ones.

History

In 2011, before the conception of the "Blood vs. Water" moniker, the Philippine version of the series had pairs of celebrities (similar to its previous season), each with a pre-existing relationship. Unlike the US adaptation of the format, the Philippine version had pairs of local celebrities, and the tribes had five pairs each.

In Survivor: Blood vs. Water, the twist split up the tribes with the loved ones being on the red Tadhana tribe while the returning players were on the yellow Galang tribe. The twist majorly affected the season, affecting Tribal Councils and Redemption Island duels. The twist allowed a contestant on Redemption Island to switch places with their loved one if they were still in the game, meaning the contestant on Redemption Island would join their loved one's tribe, while the contestant still in the game would take their loved one's spot on Redemption Island.

The twist was used again for Survivor: San Juan del Sur, this time with all-new players.

Pairs

Survivor: Blood vs. Water Loved One Pairs
Vytas & Aras Brothers	Candice & John Married	Colton & Caleb Engaged	Gervase & Marissa Uncle-Niece	Kat & Hayden Dating
Laura M. & Ciera Mother-Daughter	Monica & Brad Married	Laura B. & Rupert Married	Katie & Tina Mother-Daughter	Tyson & Rachel Dating

Survivor: San Juan del Sur Loved One Pairs
Baylor & Missy Mother-Daughter	Dale & Kelley Father-Daughter	Drew & Alec Brothers
Jaclyn & Jon Dating	John & Julie Dating	Josh & Reed Dating
Nadiya & Natalie Twin Sisters	Val & Jeremy Married	Wes & Keith Father-Son

Longevity Together

The following pairs have played on the same tribe/Redemption Island with each other. This list excludes Day Zero.

Longevity Together
		27 Days
		25 Days
		12 Days
		11 Days
		11 Days
		8 Days
		7 Days
		3 Days
		3 days

Trivia

Survivor: Blood vs. Water

• According to R.C. Saint-Amour and Colton Cumbie, the twist was originally going to pit blood relatives (blood) against couples of significant others (water), but the last minute substitution of Candice and John Cody for R.C. and her father threw off the balance, forcing the loved ones to compete against each other on opposing tribes. However, this has not been confirmed by production.
• Rupert Boneham is the only castaway to accept the offer to switch with their Loved One.
• Of the ten pairs, only three had both castaways reach the merge: Aras/Vytas, Tina/Katie, and Laura M./Ciera.
  • Five of the ten pairs had only one castaway reach the merge: Tyson, Gervase, Monica, Hayden, and Caleb. All of them reached the merge without Rachel, Marissa, Brad, Kat, and Colton respectively.
  • Two of the ten pairs were both eliminated before the merge: Rupert/Laura B. and Candice/John.
• Coincidentally, both the first person and the last person eliminated pre-merge was a Boneham.
• Laura Morett and Ciera Eastin have the most combined votes received out of any pair, with 33.
  • Colton Cumbie and Caleb Bankston have the fewest combined votes received out of any pair, with 4.
• Ciera Eastin is the only person who cast a vote against her loved one, in this case, her mother Laura Morett. She cast her vote against her mother at the last Tribal Council where at least one full pair were present and in the game.
• Tina and Katie have spent the most days together in the game, playing on the same tribe from Day 14 - Day 24 when Tina is voted out, and playing together on Day 32, when Katie is eliminated.
• Tyson and Rachel were the first pair to come in 1st and 18th, followed by Natalie and Nadiya Anderson.

Survivor: San Juan del Sur

• Jeremy and Val Collins are the only pair in the season to have a unique relationship.
  • Interestingly, they were both the second person to be voted off a tribe. In this case, Huyopa for Jeremy (not counting Julie's quit) and Coyopa for Val.
• Of the nine pairs, only four had both castaways reach the merge: Reed & Josh, Missy & Baylor, Jon & Jaclyn, and Keith & Wes.
  • Jon & Jaclyn are the first, and so far only, male/female pair to make the merge in a Blood vs. Water season.
  • Jon & Jaclyn and Reed & Josh would be the first "water" pairs to play together.
• Only one pair was eliminated pre-merge, which was Dale & Kelley.
  • Dale & Kelley are the only parent-child pair to not make the merge in a Blood vs. Water season.
• In both Blood vs. Water seasons, there was a quitter.
• Twin sisters Nadiya & Natalie ironically came last and first in terms of placing, respectively.
  • They were the second pair to come in 18th and 1st, preceded by Rachel & Tyson.
• Baylor and Jon were the first jury members in a Blood vs. Water season to cast a vote for their loved ones at the Final Tribal Council.

References