Tribal Council

Tribal Council is an elimination ceremony that takes place in every season of Survivor. This is where the contestants are being held accountable for their actions in the game.

Overview
When a tribe visits Tribal Council for the first time, its members are given torches and are to dip them in the central fire pit. The host then reminds the castaways that the fire on their torch symbolizes their life in the game, and once it is extinguished by him, their time in the game is over. This metaphor is used commonly within the show's theme. After the host has asked some questions, the contestants will then have a certain duration of time in which to vote and, if they wish, play a Hidden Immunity Idol.

Once the vote tally has exceeded the plurality needed, the host stops tallying, pronouncing that player eliminated from the game, keeping the remaining votes a secret, though typically the unread votes are also for the eliminated contestant. The eliminated player presents the host his or her torch and the host extinguishes (known in the series as "snuffing") it and tells that contestant the parting words, "The tribe has spoken", before asking the player to leave the Tribal Council area.

Tie votes

 * See also: Tiebreaker.

In case of a tie during a Tribal Council, the castaways will be forced to re-vote. If the vote ties again, then it goes to the purple rock tiebreaker. In all votes outside the final four, the two tied castaways become immune (along with any already immune players due to immunity/idols), and all other players must draw rocks, with the person who draws the purple rock being sent out of the game. If there is a tie at the final four (or in a vote containing only four castaways), then the re-vote is skipped and it goes to some sort of "fire making" challenge between the two tied castaways.

Final Tribal Council

 * For more information, see Final Tribal Council.