Survivor 49 Week 9 Recap: Pressure mounts with two immunities on the line

With two individual immunity necklaces up for grabs, the pressure was high in Week 9 of Survivor 49 as alliances shifted and strategic votes loomed large.

Host Jeff Probst set the stage early for major game-altering moves in the episode "If You’re Loyal to All, You’re Loyal to None."

Survivor 49 Week 9: Episode recap and key moments

The episode began with the removal of one castaway from the previous week, leaving the remaining players on high alert.

MC’s elimination stunned many, given expectations that either Sophie or Rizo might go home.

At camp, the safe side surveyed the return of the losing team from Tribal Council and voiced disbelief. Christina said it was “the worst-case scenario.”

In the ensuing Reward Challenge, the nine remaining castaways divided into two teams of four plus one unpicked player.

The challenge involved moving a metal cube through obstacles, acquiring three rings, and then tossing them onto a pole.

The winner would earn fried chicken, fries, soda, cheesecake and berries.

The Blue Team (Christina, Sophie, Alex, Savannah) and Yellow Team (Rizo, Sage, Steven, Jawan) faced off, with Sophie in a unique position: unpicked, so she got to choose which team would win.

She picked the Yellow Team, but the Blue Team ended up winning.

Before heading to the reward, Christina offered her spot to Jawan because he had not eaten anything all season; Jawan initially declined, saying he "wanted to earn it," but later agreed.

At the reward camp, Jawan reflected on his provider role back home and allowed himself a moment of relief.

Back at camp, the strategic conversation took off.

Christina and Sage discussed the need to get Rizo or Savannah out and flush Rizo’s idol. Christina also informed Soph of the plan to go after Rizo and Savannah, although Soph was simultaneously working with them.

Soph then met with Savannah and revealed a plan to split votes between Rizo and Savannah. Rizo, meanwhile, went to Alex and began bad-mouthing him and trying to sway others.

The alliance landscape was split roughly into Sage/Jawan vs. Soph/Savannah/Rizo, with Alex trying to play in the middle.

Immunity Challenge

For the immunity portion, two winners would be crowned — one man, one woman.

The challenge required contestants to press a disc with their feet and support their upper body for as long as possible.

After ten minutes of leg/foot support, players had to continue holding without support. Rizo dropped early, as did Christina.

Eventually, it came down to Jawan vs. Steven on the men’s side and Savannah vs. Sophie on the women’s side.

Steven won the men’s necklace; Savannah told Sophie mid-battle, 

"I’m not dropping,” and later added, “I’m not even close."

Sophie’s legs gave out, and Savannah claimed immunity for a second week in a row.

Tribal Council & Vote

With immunity locked in, back at camp, the plan to vote out either Rizo or Alex crystallised.

Soph and Savannah were safe.

Rizo believed the majority was with him and that Alex was the target.

On the other side, Alex was convinced Rizo was blindsiding him.

At Tribal Council, Rizo acknowledged that, 

"There is a lot of fluidity going on, as people who haven’t worked together before are now seeming to work together."

When votes were revealed, Alex received five votes and was eliminated.

Context & what comes next on Survivor 49

Survivor 49 is the ongoing 49th season of the American reality competition series, which premiered September 24, 2025, on CBS and is being filmed in the Mamanuca Islands, Fiji.

This week’s double-immunity format increased the stakes significantly and forced players to pick sides and make moves rather than coast.

Alex's vote highlights the precarious nature of middle-position play when others consolidate.

Notably, Savannah’s dominance in the immunity challenge validates her growing challenge strength.

The series of events at camp—idol threats, extra votes, shifting alliances—makes Week 9 a pivotal turning point in Survivor 49.

With Alex gone and Savannah & Steven safe this week, the board has shifted.

On Survivor 49, the next phase will see which alliances hold under pressure and which players can leverage idols, extra votes and challenge wins.

Stay tuned for more updates.