The highly-anticipated premiere of “Survivor”s milestone 50th season is just over a week away!
Set to debut to CBS viewers nationwide on Wednesday, February 25 at 8:00pm ET, the golden anniversary installment will make history with its unprecedented three-hour premiere episode, during which the record-breaking cast – composed of 24 returning players from throughout the entirety of “Survivor”s 26-year history – will be separated into their starting tribes.
Per “New Era” tradition, this season’s cast will start the race towards the $1 million grand prize competing, not as individual castaways, but as three distinct tribes known as Vatu, Kalo and Cila, respectively.
Thanks to pre-season press from publications like Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter and PEOPLE, who were on-location in Fiji during the first few days of filming, we now have enough information to make some informed predictions about how this season’s tribal dynamics could affect the early days of the competition.
Without further ado, here’s a closer look at the castaways, pre-season connections, and potential conflicts that could befall the Vatu Tribe on “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.”
Meet the Castaways on ‘Survivor 50’s Vatu Tribe
CBSAge: 51
Hometown: Christoval, Texas
Current Residence: Austin, Texas
Current Occupation: Rancher / Welder
Previous “Survivor” Seasons: “Survivor: The Australian Outback” (2nd), “Survivor: All-Stars” (12th), “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” (5th)
CBSAge: 34
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Current Residence: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Current Occupation: Lawyer
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 47” (5th)
CBSAge: 26
Hometown: Yonkers, New York
Current Residence: Yonkers, New York
Current Occupation: Tech Sales
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 49” (4th)
CBSAge: 35
Hometown: Sparks, Nevada
Current Residence: San Diego, California
Current Occupation: Entrepreneur
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (3rd)
CBSAge: 31
Hometown: Senatobia, Mississippi
Current Residence: Germantown, Tennessee
Current Occupation: Real estate broker
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 46” (6th)
CBSAge: 45
Hometown: Delco, Glenolden, Pennsylvania
Current Residence: Dunedin, Florida
Previous “Survivor” Seasons: “Survivor: Palau” (7th), “Survivor: Guatemala” (2nd), “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” (19th)
CanvaAge: 31
Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia
Current Residence: Brooklyn, New York
Current Occupation: Defense Attorney
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor 48” (Winner)
CBSAge: 39
Hometown: Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Current Residence: Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Current Occupation: Marketing Manager
Previous “Survivor” Season: “Survivor: Kaoh Rong” (2nd), “Survivor: Game Changers” (5th), “Survivor: Edge of Extinction” (16th)
Pre-Existing Connections & Alliances on the Vatu Tribe
CBSThe only members of the Vatu Tribe who have played “Survivor” together before are Colby Donaldson and Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, both of whom appeared on the “Heroes” Tribe of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.” The connection, however, was brief, given that Stephenie was the second player voted out of the all-star season.
Beyond that, potential alliances could form between the tribe’s New Era representatives – Genevieve Mushaluk, Rizo Velovic, Q Burdette and Kyle Fraser – while “Middle Era” players like Angelina Keeley and Aubry Bracco could join forces with Colby and Stephenie’s “Old School” alliance.
While there aren’t many other positive connections to explore on the Vatu Tribe, the group’s internal rivalries are sure to make them one of the most chaotic, albeit entertaining, tribes on “Survivor 50.”
Potential Conflicts & Rivalries on the Vatu Tribe
CBSThanks to a pre-season interview with Parade’s Mike Bloom, wherein the “Survivor 50” cast categorized each of their 23 competitors as either a “Friend” or a “Foe” heading into the milestone season, we know that the vast majority of the Vatu Tribe already have their sights set on taking out “Survivor 49” finalist Rizo Velovic if given the chance.
Rizo’s status as an unknown player in the game – given that the rest of the cast were unable to watch his original season before flying to Fiji to film “Survivor 50” – has led Vatu Tribe members like Colby, Stephenie, Q and Kyle to categorize Velovic as an immediate “Foe.” While Genevieve and Angelina were willing to give Rizo the benefit of the doubt, they still regarded their competitor with suspicion.
That being said, Rizo may be able to fade into the background long enough to make it to a tribe swap, or even the Merge, as the Vatu Tribe focus on more pressing threats like Colby and Q, both of whom face established adversaries on the tribe.
Both Aubry and Stephenie expressed in pre-season interviews with Entertainment Weekly that, if given the opportunity, they’d eliminate Q as quickly as possible. While Aubry justified her decision based on Q’s previous comments about her gameplay, Stephenie revealed she wanted to vote out Q after receiving strange social media messages from the competitor prior to being cast on Season 50.
Colby’s main adversary, on the other hand, comes in the form of Angelina Keeley, who struck up a grudge with the fourth-time player after hearing that Colby described her as “chaotic” during pre-season press interviews.
Which Vatu Tribe Castaways are Most Likely to Make the Merge?
Of the entire Vatu Tribe, only “Survivor 48” winner Kyle Fraser was categorized across the board as a “Friend” before filming began, followed closely by Aubry Bracco, who was only seen as a “Foe” by Q Burdette.
While a game like “Survivor” can change on a dime, the response bodes well for Kyle and Aubry, especially considering the potential alliances that could open up to them should they reach the Merge. Kyle, for example, stands the chance to reunite with his “Survivor 48” co-stars Kamilla Karthigesu and Joe Hunter should he survive the early stages of the game. Alternatively, he could also strike up a winners alliance with Dee Valladares and Savannah Louie, who were sorted on the opposing Kalo and Cila tribes, respectively.
Aubry, on the other hand, could find an ally in her “Survivor: Game Changers” co-star Cirie Fields, or begin working with her “Survivor: Edge of Extinction” co-star Rick Devens, if she makes it to the Merge.
Based on the entirety of pre-season press for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans,” we’d speculate that Q Burdette, Colby Donaldson or Rizo Velovic are the most likely Kalo Tribe members to be put up for elimination first, while Kyle Fraser and Aubry Bracco are best situated to make to the Merge, barring any unforeseeable twists or blindsides.
Be sure to catch the historic three-hour premiere episode of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” when it hits CBS screen nationwide on Wednesday, February 25 at 8:00pm ET.
