Persona Non Grata

Persona Non Grata
Episode Information
Version	United States
Season	Caramoan
Episode Number	5/15 (387)
Original Release	March 13, 2013
Viewership (in Millions)	9.89
Ratings/Share (18-49)	2.7/8
Episode Chronology
Previous	"Kill or Be Killed"
Next	"Operation Thunder Dome"
Subpages

Persona Non Grata is the fifth episode of Survivor: Caramoan.

Story

Day 13

Tribal Council was held at the location of the Immunity Challenge due to Bikal forfeiting the challenge. Because of the tension between the tribe (mainly Phillip Sheppard) and Brandon Hantz, Jeff Probst told the castaways that they would hold an impromptu Tribal Council, with their votes being cast verbally.

Challenges

• Reward
• Immunity

Challenge: Nut Bucket
Two tribe members would each hold on a rope that is holding up large nets above the ground. Members of the rival tribe, one at a time, attempt to toss coconuts into their nets. A winner is determined if the rival tribe has dropped both of their nets.
Reward: Different meats, vegetables, wine, and seasonings.
Winner: Bikal

Challenge: Crate Outdoors
Each tribe sends two members at a time out to a field scattered with crates. Once all six crates were returned, they would be used to build a staircase. The whole tribe then had to climb the staircase.
Winner: Gota (by forfeit)

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 5: Bikal
Voted Against	Voter
Brandon (8 votes)	Andrea, Brenda, Cochran, Corinne, Dawn, Erik, Malcolm, Phillip
Phillip (1 vote)	Brandon
VOTED OUT: Brandon Hantz

Voting Confessionals

Due to the nature of the vote, no voting confessionals were made.

Final Words

	Brandon	“	My exit was nice, it was glorious. I showed them that hey, this guy's not gonna just kneel over and die. If I'm going down in a battle, I'ma throw rocks. And my army, I'm gonna go out Braveheart style. I don't regret none of it because I proved my point. I was the author of my elimination. (spits)	”

Still in the Running

Francesca 20th	Allie 19th	Hope 18th	Shamar 17th	Laura 16th	Brandon 15th	Andrea Bikal	Brenda Bikal	Cochran Bikal	Corinne Bikal
Dawn Bikal	Eddie Gota	Erik Bikal	Julia Gota	Malcolm Bikal	Matt Gota	Michael Gota	Phillip Bikal	Reynold Gota	Sherri Gota

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• In an interview with Dalton Ross for Entertainment Weekly, Jeff Probst explained that there was security on standby to ensure the safety of the contestants. The in-game psychologist was also there to debrief Brandon. Jeff added that every contestant underwent psychological tests before they competed.
• Years after the episode aired, Erik has claimed that the vote was a formality set up by production to cover for Brandon's ejection; Erik stated that he did not have a choice in voting against Brandon.

Other

• This episode was voted the 25th best Survivor episode of all time in the "Top 25 Greatest Episodes of all time" poll by Survivor Oz in 2015.
• This episode marks several records in the Survivor history:
  • This was the first time a tribe forfeited a challenge before it could be played.
  • This was the second impromptu Tribal Council ever held in the series, following "The Ultimate Shock", where Ian Rosenberger was voted out verbally by Tom Westman immediately after the Final Immunity Challenge due to the challenge ending late at night, and it being too late to attend Tribal Council.
    • However, it is the first such Tribal Council where more than one vote was verbally cast.
  • This was the first Tribal Council where the rival tribe witnessed the other tribe cast their votes.
  • This was also the first Tribal Council held in daylight.
• Brandon was the first man voted out of this season, though not the first man eliminated as Shamar had earlier been evacuated.