"Sweet but Deadly"
| Season | 1 |
| Episode | 16 of 22 |
| Air Date | January 11, 2001 |
| Days Covered | Days 33–36 |
| Twist | EI Re-entry Challenge |
| Returnee | Trevor Holt |
| Challenge | Individual Immunity |
| Immune | Trevor Holt |
| Tribal Council | Nadi |
| Eliminated | Audra Sinclair |
| Sent To | Permanently Eliminated |
"Sweet but Deadly" is the sixteenth episode of Season 1, airing January 11, 2001. The long-awaited Extinction Island re-entry challenge is finally held — twelve residents compete for one spot back in the game, with Trevor Holt emerging as the winner. Trevor immediately wins the subsequent individual immunity challenge, making him untouchable at Tribal Council. Audra Sinclair is voted out and permanently eliminated — the first castaway to leave the game for good this season.
Story
The episode opens on Extinction Island, where twelve castaways have been surviving in isolation for weeks. The host arrives by boat and announces that a single re-entry challenge will be held immediately — the winner returns to the game, the rest go home permanently. The title "Sweet but Deadly" refers to the challenge itself: a balance-and-endurance test conducted on platforms over the ocean, described by the host as looking serene from the shore but punishing to compete in.
Trevor Holt, the former Kadavu personal trainer who was voted out in Episode 6, wins the re-entry challenge after outlasting all eleven opponents. He rows to the main beach alone, arriving to a visibly stunned Nadi tribe.
With Trevor now immune from the subsequent immunity challenge — won by Trevor himself in a display of renewed physical dominance — the six remaining Nadi members are forced to turn on each other. The vote converges on Audra Sinclair. Petra and Colton, increasingly aligned, each see Audra as a social threat capable of winning jury votes. Celeste, reading the room, flips from her previous Yasawa loyalty and sides with the majority. Audra — who had comfortably managed both sides of the game since the merge — is voted out 5–1, her sole vote going to Petra.
EI Re-entry Challenge — "Last Resort"
Immunity Challenge — "Iron Grip"
Castaways — After Episode
| Tribe Nadi — 6 Members | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Occupation | Age | Status |
| 1 | Trevor Holt | Personal Trainer | 29 | Returnee · Immune |
| 2 | Priya Nair | Pharmacist | 27 | Active ♥ |
| 3 | Colton Briggs | Cattle Rancher | 41 | Active ♥ |
| 4 | Celeste Monroe | Obstetrician | 47 | Active |
| 5 | Kwame Asante | Marine Biologist | 26 | Active Steal-a-Vote |
| 6 | Petra Vance | Documentary Filmmaker | 42 | Active |
| 7 | Audra Sinclair | Real Estate Agent | 58 | Permanently Eliminated |
Tribal Council Vote
| Voter | Vote Cast |
|---|---|
| Colton Briggs | Audra Sinclair |
| Priya Nair | Audra Sinclair |
| Petra Vance | Audra Sinclair |
| Celeste Monroe | Audra Sinclair |
| Kwame Asante | Audra Sinclair |
| Audra Sinclair | Petra Vance |
Trivia
- This is the first episode in which a castaway is permanently eliminated — Audra Sinclair leaves the game for good, unable to go to Extinction Island as it no longer exists.
- The re-entry challenge, Last Resort, is the most-attended challenge of the season with all twelve EI residents competing simultaneously.
- Trevor Holt spent 10 episodes on Extinction Island — the longest stint of any castaway this season — before returning to the game.
- Trevor becomes the first castaway to win both a re-entry challenge and an immunity challenge on the same day in Season 1 history.
- The episode title "Sweet but Deadly" refers to the re-entry challenge platform setup, described by the host as looking deceptively peaceful from a distance.
- Celeste Monroe's vote against Audra marks the first time she has voted with the former Mamanuca pair, signalling a significant shift in her alliance positioning.