Merge

Merge
The merge is often celebrated with a feast.
Survivor Fan Characters Gameplay
Description:	When two or more rival tribes come together and form a single tribe
Appearances:	Every season

A merge (sometimes called a "merger") is the coming together of two or more rival tribes into a single tribe. From this point forward, all remaining castaways will live together at the same camp, and compete in challenges as individuals.

About

The merge serves as a sign that the castaways have reached the halfway point of the game, typically occurring when there are only around ten people left. It is also common that the Jury phase of the game begins around this point, though this is not always the case.

Process

Informing the Castaways

There have been a multitude of ways that the merge has been announced to the castaways. In most seasons, the castaways are informed shortly after they convene at what is normally expected to be a Reward Challenge. Other times, they are informed via Tree Mail, which provides instructions of what they need to do. On some occasions, the merge is announced to the castaways shortly after a Tribal Council has taken place.

Determining the Camp

After the merge has been announced to the castaways, the first priority is usually determining the camp that they will reside at for the remainder of the game. In some seasons, the castaways choose the camp themselves. In other seasons though, the location is already decided by production. It is usually either one of the rival tribe camps, or an entirely new camp that no castaway has been to.

Naming the Tribe

Once the castaways have all arrived at the merged tribe campsite. They will find their new tribe flag, and are then tasked with giving their tribe a name.

As a running joke, the name the castaways decide on is often something silly, questionable, or generally uncreative.

Early and Delayed Merge

On some occasions, the merge arrives quicker than the castaways may expect it to. This was first noted in Survivor Fan Characters 4: Fans vs. Canons, the first season to have the contestants merge at the final twelve, rather than the final ten.

In other instances, the merge arrived later than the castaways expected. This first happened in Survivor Fan Characters 8: The Midway Island, when the tribes merged with only nine contestants left in the game, as opposed to ten.

Merged Tribes

List of Merged Tribes
Season	Merged Tribe	No. of Members	Day Formed	Tribes Merged
SFC1	Wichibu	10	19	Drazen Schlipa
Brains vs. Brawns	Pokura	10	23	Caruga La Bira
SFC3	Lokubar	10	20	Roku Lockora
Fans vs. Canons	Merged	12	20	Dakaba Thuklu
The Cursed Islands	Baba Laaba	10	21	Caposhir Z'Baba
All-Stars	>:)	11	20	Luna Solaris
SFC7	Corsona 2	10	26	Corsona Ho'Aku
The Midway Island	Jumanji	10	23	Jiut'Zsa Yrsa'Ka
SFC9	Leiomah	12	21	Amatri Carbo
Battle of the Tribes	#Survivor	10	25	Corsona Yrsa'Ka Carbo Retro
SFC11	Quinn	9	26	Hantz Mariano
Fans vs. Canons	Meryellowged	12	20	Canredons Fabluens
SFC13	Tikitikitiki	11	19	Purada Wakah
SFC14	Stranded	10	20	Go'Jonga Uwassa Deserted
SFC15	Brezna	11	23	Golgora Tortana
Blood vs. Water	1-UP	11	22	Kinopio Sarasa
Alola	Guardian	13	14	Fini Koko Lele
	Aether	9	26	Bulu Koko
Past vs. Future	Cherman	11	19	Atlas P-Body
Star Allies	Dreams	11	16	Claterra Yarnago

Trivia

• Green is the most frequent color used for merged tribes, being used five times.
• Orange and magenta are the least used merged tribe colors, only used one time each.
• Alola is the only season to have two merged tribe phases.
• Guardian is the largest merged tribe, with thirteen members.
  • It has also had the shortest lifespan of any merged tribe. Being formed on Day 14, and being dissolved on Day 20.
  • This also makes it the only merged tribe to not last until Day 39.
• Quinn and Aether are tied for the smallest merged tribe, with nine members each.
• #Survivor is the merged tribe that is composed of the most rival tribes, with four total.
• Dreams is the merged tribe that has existed for the longest amount of time in the game. Being formed on Day 16, and lasting until Day 39.
• >:) is the only merged tribe to have a challenge win, as all of its members competed together in a Reward Challenge against the first nine eliminated contestants in All-Stars.