With a Panamanian military escort, three motorboats shot across the sea, each holding a tribe of past Survivor contestants. The eighteen people were divided into three tribes named Saboga, Mogo Mogo and Chapera. The All-Stars were given nothing but their water canteens. They were not told the names of the other castaways or how many tribes there were. Armed with no information, no fire and no help, these eighteen All-Stars would be challenged once again to outwit, outlast and outplay one another.

The tribes are dying of thirst and when it rains, they drink and collect it like wild animals. A mysterious box with three locks shows up as tree mail. Saboga wins the reward challenge and allows all the tribes to get a flint and a pot with a clue to the first key for the box, which they now know is rice. Back at the camps, everyone can finally make fire. Next, at the Immunity Challenge, Saboga appears to win, but loses again. At tribal council, Rudy is all-star number two to go.

The reward challenge consists of which tribe can make the best shelter using various tools. Rupert and Jerri get into an argument about how the shelter should be made. After Chapera win wine as part of the reward challenge, Rob M. and Amber begin to flirt and create a romance. Richard is attacked by a shark after he went fishing for the tribe. He was able to catch the shark which was used as a food supply for the tribe. Meanwhile, Ethan continues to try and catch fish, with no luck. Also, Jenna M. can't stop thinking about her mom who has cancer. Before beginning the immunity challenge, Jenna tells Jeff she wants to leave the game so she is able to be at her mom's side.

It's a Rob vs. Rob showdown as Rob M. tries to get on Rob C.'s good side by forming an alliance with him. Meanwhile, Rob M. and Amber continue to heat things up. After a very painful and physically draining Immunity Challenege, Rob C. believes he's safe.

After losing a reward challenge, the Saboga tribe is no more as the four members are split into the other two tribes leaving only Chapera and Mogo Mogo. With the three tribes merging into two, Ethan and Jerri join Mogo Mogo and Rupert and Jenna L. join Chapera.

With Richard gone, Lex now takes over as the provider of fish for the tribe. Meanwile, Shii Ann and Colby talk about personal game stragety even if Shii Ann doesn't agree and respect what Colby says. At Chapera, Rupert attempts to supply food as Rob M. conspires against him. Sue continues to be angry and despressed over an incident that occured with Richard at the previous challenge. At the Reward Challenge, Sue lets her anger out stating that she wants to quit the game. A boat comes to pick Sue up, making her the second contestant on All-Stars to leave the game by choice.

The two tribes are surprised to find out that the Immunity Challenge and the Reward Challenge are combined into one challenge for this episode. After a victory for Chapera, Ethan feels it's his fault Mogo Mogo lost. As a result of this win, Chapera choose Kathy to go with them on the Reward Challenge, she is also immune from the Tribal Council and cannot be voted off. Kathy feels welcomed by Chapera but keeps it a secret. Meanwhile at Mogo Mogo, Shii Ann feels Jerri whines and complains too much which leaves her as a front runner to be voted off. Colby firmly believes Jerri is going as well because he's talked to everyone on the tribe about it. But what Colby doesn't know is that Lex and Jerri have teamed up against him and brought Shii Ann to vote for Colby as well. At Tribal Council, Colby experiences being voted off for the first time.

A recap of the events that the all-stars have undergone so far, including brand new footage.

As the All-Stars gather expecting a challenge, they are hit with another twist. All the members of Mogo Mogo became members of Chapera and all of the members of Chapera became members of Mogo Mogo, except for Amber. The old Mogo Mogo members would now live at the Chapera camp, and the old Chapera members, except for Amber, would now live at the Mogo Mogo camp. Mogo Mogo scored immunity which led Rob M. to lead an offer with Lex concerning Amber, and in the end, Jerri was voted out of the tribe.

The two tribes finally merge into one with more twists to follow.

The castaways watch clips of videos from home before doing the combined Reward/Immunity Challenege. After winning the challenge and immunity, Rob gives up seeing his brother's video to allow everyone else to get their letters from home.

During the Reward Challenge, it's revealed that the other tribemates view Alicia as the least deserving All-Star and that she thinks she's smart. This upsets Alicia which leads to an uncomfortable discussion among the tribe. Shii Ann feels vulnerable as the last remaining member of the original Mogo Mogo tribe. Therefore, she knows how important it is for her to win immunity. After she wins immunity, the strong members of Chapera that make up the merged tribe are forced to boot out Alicia after an overwhelming vote.

Rupert gets in an argument with Jenna L. and says he regrets having ever made an alliance with her. Jenna is also named the bossiest of the tribe by Shii Ann, who notices that the dynamics of the tribe are changing. At the Reward Challenge, the castaways watch their loved ones battle each other in order for them to spend time away from the tribe at an overnight visit. At Tribal Council, Shii Ann voices her opinion knowing she will most likely be voted off.

After a miserable night, morning comes upon the final five all-stars. As Jenna and Rupert collect coconuts and plot against Rob M., they're horrified to find Rob himself standing behind Rupert. Rob and Amber realize Jenna and Rupert have no intention of going to the final four with them. Rob wins the Reward Challenge, winning a car and movie night with Amber. The next morning, Rob starts a fight between Tom and Rupert. After Immunity Challenge, the alliance of Tom, Rob and Amber decide on Jenna, but it is Tom who gets voted out.

The final four are Rupert, Jenna, Amber and Rob M. It seems that Jenna and Rupert face an unbreakable alliance. When Amber emerges victorious from the first Immuntiy Challenge, Miss. Lewis takes out Rupert, leaving her alone against the power couple. After taking a look at the past players, the endurance immunity challenge begins, and Jenna slips up, leaving Rob and Amber in the awkward position of trying to psyche each other out. The Robfather wins immunity one last time, and despite doubts, ousts Jenna. The final two are faced with a jury of scorned players, leading to a very emotional final vote. Lex and Kathy accuse Rob of destroying their friendship, Alicia calls them unclassy and Tom attacks him for being a traitor. Before the votes can be counted, Probst announces that the All Stars will have to fly back to the US, waiting months for the final ruling.

As Jeff reunites the 18 All Stars and prepares them for the final tally of the votes, Boston Rob shocks everyone by proposing to Amber on live national television! Amber accepts, which leads to cheering from the audience. When Probst counts the votes, Amber gets just one vote more than her new fiance. However, the real fun begins with the interviews. Lex accuses Rob of hurting him deeply (again), while Richard tells him to grow up, and that it's just a game. Susan reveals her new look following an Extreme Makeover, Ethan and Jenna M. are revealed as another All-Stars couple, and Jerri points out that the show is about hurting people's feelings for entertainment.

In this live special, Survivor television viewers spent six days voting for one of the All-Stars to win one million dollars and the results of that vote are announced. Plus, Jeff Probst talks with the All-Stars to see how their lives have changed since the All-Stars finale. Jeff also takes a look at the results of viewer polls about the all-time best Survivor moments and also announces the location of Survivor 9.