Nick Wilson picks up one vote at his first tribal council on Survivor premier

The 20 contestants that kicked off Survivor: Winners at War were whittled down to 18 during Wednesday’s two-hour season premier, and Whitley County’s Nick Wilson is still in the game after his Dakal Tribe had its first tribal council.

The episode opened with the contestants who all previously won, coming ashore in Fiji. The 10 men and 10 women were in separate boats, making it appear as if it may be men versus women.

However, after meeting with host Jeff Probst, and enjoying a toast to the upcoming season, each contestant received a box bearing his or her name. Inside were tribal bandanas, red for Dakal, and blue for Sele.

Nick joined, Tyson, Sophia, Sandra, Wedell, Yul, Sarah, Amber, Kim, and Tony on Dakal.

The Sele tribe consists of Natalie, Danni, Jeremy, Ben, Michele, Adam, Rob, Parvati, Denise and Ethan.

While most premiers feature the contestants dressed for the game, this time the contestants were dressed in regular attire. In Wilson’s case, it was khaki pants and a navy-blue dress coat as if he were set to appear in circuit court for his job at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office.

Probst had another surprise, announcing that the teams would immediately compete in an immunity challenge with the losing team going to the first tribal council.

In addition, the losing team would not receive flint, meaning it would not have fire, and would not have rice waiting at camp.

Each team broke into pairs. Pairs from each team would then race to swim out and capture a life buoy, which the pair would then attempt to return to the team’s pole. The first team to get three wins would win the challenge.

Yul, Kim and Sarah, won three out of the four contests for Dakal to win the challenge and send Sele to the first tribal council.

When the Dakal Tribe arrived at camp, the members learned of another twist in the game. Each contestant began the game with a fire token and would be able to purchase items such as coffee, and pastries, beans, or rice, a tarp, pillows, blankets, or with enough tokens, an advantage in a challenge.

“In my opinion, these tokens are going to end up being a huge part of the game,” Nick said.

“The winner will be the person able to use the currency correctly,” he said.

One rule in place with the tokens is that they may not be stolen.

Sele began the process of working alliances and attempting to determine who would be the first to go home.

Probst had told the tribe it would the following night before the council was held.

Denise, Adam, and Natalie each garnered votes with Natalie being the first to have her torch extinguished.

However, it is not the end for Natalie as Probst pointed out that she would be banished to edge of extinction with the chance to earn her way back into the game.

“I thought I would be crying, but I’m just made,” Natalie said as she arrived on the island that would serve as her home.

A sign explained that contestants at the edge of extinction would have to earn tokens to get back in the game by completing challenges. Contestants also have the option to leave the game.

Natalie’s first challenge, explained in a note she finds in a bottle, begins by requiring her to travel to the point where the sun sets on the island. She completes the journey and finds an immunity idol that she can offer to a member of the losing tribe at the next immunity challenge for one token.

Day three is the second immunity challenge.

The teams must paddle a boat out to a platform to retrieve a bag containing a number of tiles. Coming back, the team members must navigate a series of obstacles. Once the team reaches the beach, it must use the tiles containing numbers to figure out the combination to a lock that frees three rings. Each ring must then be tossed onto a paddle to complete the challenge.

In order to even the teams, Sandra sits out for Dakal.

Dakal races out to a big lead as the Sele teams paddles its boat into several of the obstacles, and continues to stretch the lead as Sele has difficultly completing the obstacles.

Dakal frees the rings and Wendell gets the first ring on the first paddle. However, things go downhill from there, allowing Sele to close the gap.

Jeremy tosses the rings for Sele and quickly hits two, as Wendell continues to struggle. Jeremy quickly hits the third to take the win for Sele, sending Dakal to tribal council.

Back at camp, numerous conversations leave the upcoming vote in doubt.

“I’ve never seen this much scrambling,” Nick confesses.

Sandra is seen talking with numerous groups, and individuals, including Nick.

“I’m going to spread truth, lies and rumors,” Sandra confesses.

Sandra receives a bag containing the immunity idol and a note that she may buy it for one token. She quickly accepts the offer.

At the tribal council Sandra elects not to play the idol.

The first vote out of the jar is for Nick. However, the additional votes go to Kim and Amber, with Amber receiving five votes to send her to the edge of extinction.

Amber, who is married to Rob, gives her token to Rob and grabs her torch for the boat ride.