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By Any Means Necessary (also known as Battle Dig, Beach Bash, Free For All, Water Slaughter, Marooning, and By Any Means) is a physical challenge that originated in Survivor: Palau, and has subsequently appeared in Micronesia, Caramoan, Millennials vs. Gen X, Ghost Island, and Winners at War. A land-based version of the challenge was also used in Panama and Heroes vs. Villains.

Rules[]

In Palau, Caramoan, Millennials vs. Gen X, Ghost Island, and Winners at War, members of each tribe would race out in the water to retrieve a ring. The tribe members would then battle against each other to gain possession of the ring and bring it to their tribe's finishing station. The first tribe to score a given number of points wins.

In Panama and Heroes vs. Villains, members for each tribe will race out to a marked location and dig up a bag. The castaways then compete to return the bag to their tribe's mat. The first person to touch the tribe mat, with a hand on the bag, scores a point for their team. The first tribe to win a given number of rounds wins the challenge.

In Micronesia, the tribes start at opposite ends of the playing field with three canvas bags. The tribes have to battle their way to their end zone. The tribe that has their three bags and two of the other tribe's bags in their end zone at the same time wins.

Castaways are allowed to use any means to attempt to stop the opposing tribe from scoring a point other than punching, choking, or otherwise intentionally physically hurting each other. From the challenge's debut until Caramoan, men and women were allowed to compete against each other. Beginning with Millennials vs. Gen X, rounds are now restricted to all-male or all-female matchups.

History[]

United States[]

The challenge debuted in Palau as a Reward Challenge. Castaways from each tribe would swim out to retrieve a ring and try to bring it back to their tribe's pontoon while the other tribe would try to stop them by any means other than punching or otherwise intentionally physically hurting each other. Ulong used its superior physical strength over Koror to win in a 3-0 sweep.

The challenge re-appeared in Panama as a tribal Immunity Challenge. In teams of two or three, castaways would have to race out and dig out a bag buried underneath the sand and bring it back to their tribe's mat. In a highly contested challenge between both tribes, Casaya beat out La Mina 3-2 to win immunity, sending La Mina to their first Tribal Council.

In Micronesia, the challenge was used as a Reward Challenge. Playing in an area similar to a football field, the tribes started at opposite ends of the field with three canvas bags. The tribes would have to battle their way to their end zone with all three of their three bags and two of the other tribe's bags at the same time. In a physical battle in the rain, Malakal won the challenge over Airai.

The challenge was used as the first Reward Challenge in Heroes vs. Villains immediately at the start of the game. Similarly to Panama, castaways raced in pairs to dig a bag out of the sand and bring it back to their tribe's mat. In a challenge marred by several injuries to the Heroes and the tactics of the Villains, the Heroes managed to win the challenge, defeating the Villains 3-2.

In Caramoan, a variation of this challenge was again used as the first Reward Challenge of the season right after the marooning. Adapted to an aquatic playing field, one man and one woman from each tribe would race to retrieve a ring from one end of the course and return it to their tribe's flagpole. Bikal won the challenge 4-1 over Gota to win reward.

In Millennials vs. Gen X, the challenge appeared as the first Reward Challenge of the season and again played on an aquatic field. The women of Vanua beat the women of Takali in both rounds they faced off, but the men of Takali defeated the men of Vanua in all three rounds they battled, ending with Takali victorious 3-2.

In Ghost Island, the challenge was used as a Reward Challenge. Again played in the water, two members of each tribe would race to retrieve a ring from one end of the course and return it to their tribe's flagpole. Naviti defeated Malolo 3-1 to win reward.

The challenge was used as the first Reward/Immunity Challenge in Winners at War immediately after the marooning. Once again played in the water, two members of each tribe would race to retrieve a ring and bring it to their tribe's flagpole. Aided by large swells from the ocean during the challenge, Dakal defeated Sele 3-1 to win reward and immunity, sending Sele to the first Tribal Council of the season.

Australia[]

In Brains v Brawn, the challenge took place on land. Opponents had to crawl through a narrow tunnel and dig up a sandbag from a sandpit, which they will race to place on their tribe goal. The challenge came down to a match between Brawn member Emmett Pugh and Brains member Joey McCann. Emmett picked up the sandbag unchallenged, but chose to taunt Joey instead of going for the easy win. This allowed Joey to tackle Emmett, leading to a tussle before Emmett proceeded to secure the winning point for Brawn.

In Titans v Rebels, the challenge was played in the water. Opposing tribe members would compete to grab tribe-colored balls, which they would attempt to land inside one of five baskets. The first person or team to land three balls won that round for their tribe; the first tribe to win three rounds won the challenge. The Titans were physically outclassed by the Rebels in every round, as the latter handily crafted a clean streak and won immunity.

New Zealand[]

South Africa[]

In Malaysia, the land version of the challenge appeared as a tribal Reward Challenge. The opponents had to dig up a numbered coconut and bring it across the finish line. In the final round, Bajau's Nichal Ramchander was disqualified for foul play against Grant Clark, forfeiting the win to Iban. That same episode, the water version of the challenge was used for immunity. Two members of each tribe had to release a buoy, with the first person to have one hand on the buoy and the other buoy on a pole back on shore winning that round. Bajau's more effective defensive strategy allowed them to win both rounds, sending Iban to Tribal Council.

In Champions, the challenge was used as the first Immunity Challenge after the tribe switch. One member of each tribe had to race out into the water and retrieve a heavy red bag. Once back on shore, three defenders from each tribe would wrestle the bag from the opposing retriever and place it on their tribe mat. The physically stacked Selatan tribe easily cleared the Utaras to win all three rounds and immunity.

In Island of Secrets, after losing the first Immunity Challenge of the cycle, Sa'ula and Ta'alo faced off in this challenge for a second shot at immunity. The physically superior Sa'ula were cocky entering the challenge, but ended up losing three rounds to Ta'alo and heading to their second consecutive Tribal Council.

In Immunity Island, the challenge was played for tribal reward immediately following the tribe switch. Each round, a different item would be up for grabs, with the winner of that round taking the reward for their tribe. In the first round, Nicole Wilmans defeated Carla Gubb to win Vuna a hammock. In the second round, Zamba's Paul Cupido took the opportunity to whisper a clue to the location of the Hidden Immunity Idol to his competitor Tyson Zulu, though they were caught by Dino Paulo on the Vuna tribe. Paul beat Tyson to win a set of deck chairs. In the third round, Chappies Chapman beat Renier Louwrens to win blankets for Zamba. In the fourth round, Vuna's Marisha du Plessis beat Wardah Hartley for a tarp. In the final round, Dino and Anela Majozi competed for a variety of FutureLife supplements, and a Challenge Advantage for the next Immunity Challenge, with Anela taking the win for Zamba.

The water-based version of the challenge appeared as the opening Reward Challenge of Return of the Outcasts. Despite entering the game with a leg injury, Steffi Brink replicated her "walking on water" moment from Island of Secrets to evade the Yontaus and win the first round for Masu. Masu and Yontau then won each of the next two rounds. In the fourth round, Yontau's Shona Macdonald and Tania Copeland put up heavy resistance on the life ring, but Masu's Marian de Vos and Meryl Szolkeiwicz successfully dragged the ring to their post to win flint for their tribe.

Winners[]

Episode Challenge Type Winners
Thailand
Episode 1
Tribal Reward NZS2 adam tNZS2 brad tNZS2 dylan t
NZS2 josh tNZS2 kaysha tNZS2 lisa t
NZS2 matt tNZS2 tara tNZS2 tess t
Khangkhaw

Episode Challenge Type Winners
Malaysia
Episode 3
Tribal Reward ZAS2 angie tZAS2 grant tZAS2 irshaad t
ZAS2 lisa tZAS2 lorette tZAS2 mandla tZAS2 viwe t
Iban
Tribal Immunity ZAS2 amanda tZAS2 angela tZAS2 dyke t
ZAS2 elsie tZAS2 hein tZAS2 nichal tZAS2 rijesh t
Bajau
Maldives
Episode 7
Tribal Reward ZAS4 bonnie tZAS4 harry tZAS4 hykie t
ZAS4 letshego tZAS4 malusi tZAS4 tejan t
Raituhn
Champions
Episode 7
Tribal Immunity ZAS5 altaaf tZAS5 buhle tZAS5 corne tZAS5 graham t
ZAS5 moyra tZAS5 solly tZAS5 vel tZAS5 zavion t
Selatan
Island of Secrets
"One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"
Tribal Immunity ZAS7 cobus tZAS7 dante tZAS7 felix t
ZAS7 jacques tZAS7 meryl tZAS7 tania tZAS7 tingting t
Ta'alo
Immunity Island
"Always Be Closing"
Tribal Reward1
Return of the Outcasts
"Twice the Game"
Tribal Reward ZAS9 chappies tZAS9 dante tZAS9 marian t
ZAS9 meryl tZAS9 palesa tZAS9 pk tZAS9 shane t
ZAS9 steffi tZAS9 tejan tZAS9 toni t
Masu
^1 This Reward Challenge saw an individual of each tribe battle for a reward item. The winner of each battle kept the reward for their tribe.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

References[]

Recurring Challenges
A Bit Dinghy · A Bit Tipsy · A Crate Idea · A Leg Up · A Numbers Game · Air Raid · Angry Chair · Around the Bend · Back in Slack · Balancing Point · Ballin' A Jack · Barrel Bridge · Barrel of Monkeys · Basket Brawl · Better Homes and Island Living · Beyond the Wheel · Blind Leading the Blind · Blue Lagoon Bustle · Blue Plate Special · Boats, Brains & Brawn · Bone to Pick · Boulder Smash · Bow Diddley · Box Your Mind · Braille Maze · Broken China · Buggin' Out · Build It Up, Break It Down · Butch Cassidy · By Any Means Necessary · By the Numbers · Cage Against the Machine · Can't Buoy Me Love · Cannonball Run · Caught in the Web · Cell Block Sea · Challenge Pitch · Chief's Choice · Chimney Sweep · Chinese Zodiac Symbols · Cling Ons · Choose Your Weapon · Coconut Juice · Crate Escape · Crocodile Rock · Crosswalk · Cube Crisis · Dear Liza · Dive Masters · Dizzy Gillespie · Dizzy Miss Lizzy · Domino Effect · Draggin' the Dragon · Dragging the River · Drop A Log · Drum Roll · Dulcimer Stomp · End of the Line · EOC · Eve 6 · Fallen Comrades · Fast Fire · Faulty Towers · Fauxconut Bowling · Fire and Water · Fire Fighter · Fire Starter · Flips, Flops, & Flags · Float Your Boat · Floating Puzzle · Game of Bridge · Gatecrasher · Get a Grip · Get Barreled · Get Hooked · Get Your Goat · Gimme Three Steps · Great Escape Run · Hands on a Hard Idol · Hear About It Ladder · Hot Pursuit · House of Cards · House of the Holey · Idol Hands · Jail Break · Jump Shot · Jungle Relay · Kamikaze · Keel Hauling · Keep It Up · Keep on Your Toes · Kenny Log-Ins · Kicking and Screaming · Kitty Litter · Know Your Loved One · Ladder Tree Golf · Last Gasp · Letter Hunt · Lock, Load and Light · Lock Step · Log Jam · Losing Face · Mask Match · Matchmaker · Matt Finish · Mayan Pizza · Memory · Mud Pack · Mud Slide · Muddy Waters · New School · New Tribe Member · Nut Bucket · O-Black Water · Odd Shaped Bottoms · Operation Balance Build · Out on a Limb · Over-Extended · Paddle Battle · Paddle Out · Perch · Pilfering Pirates · Piranha Feast · Pole Dancing · Pot Head · Push Me, Pull You · Puzzle Dig · Q and A · Quest for Fire · Race to Shore · Ram-Ball On · Rescue Mission · Rice Race · Rise and Shrine · Rock Bottom · Rock n' Roll · Rock the Boat · Rod Screw-It · Roll With It · Roller Ball · Rung O Star · Running Down a Dream · Sacrificial Lamb · Schmergen Brawl · Sea Crates · Sea Legs · Sea Salvage · Shipwrecked · Shoot 'n' Shuffle · Shooting Gallery · Shoulder the Load · Simmotion · Slip, Slide & Score · Slither Me Timbers · Smash and Grab · Snag, Drag and Bag · Snake in the Grass · Snake Island Relay · SOS Signal · Spear-it Hunt · Spit It Out · Splash Back · Sprung a Leak · Squared Off · Squatty Probst · Stacked Up · Stairway to Heaven · Stairway to the Stars · Star Man · Station By Station · Step on Up · Stomp-ede · Strung Out · Sumo at Sea · Survivor Auction · Survivor History · Survivor Pentathlon · Survivor Quiz Show · Swahili Scramble · Swing Break · Tangled Up · Temple Transfer · The Ball Drop · The Cruel Sea · The Game is Afoot · The Gauntlet · The Home Stretch · The Maze · The Obstacle Course · This Much · Thrash, Splash & Bash · TLP O-Course · Tomb Raider · Total Recall · Troubled Water · Uncomfortably Numb · United We Stand · Vampire Bats · Vertically Challenged · Vertigo · Wall to Wall · Well Stacked · What-er Drag · When It Rains, It Pours · Wicker Flicker · Will It Go Round · Witch Hunt · Wrist Assured · Yank Your Hank · You Shook Me
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