Here's who got voted out with an idol in their pocket in Survivor 46, episode 9

After Q's epic and chaos-causing performance during tribal council in episode 8 of Survivor 46, we should have been in for a normal, straightforward tribal council in episode 9, "Spicy Jeff," which aired on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. In reality, chaos continued throughout the episode, resulting in one of the most dominant challenge players in Survivor history going home with an idol in their pocket.

Spoilers ahead for Survivor season 46!

Who was voted out in Survivor 46 episode 9?

After losing immunity, barely, to Charlie, Hunter was immediately on the chopping block. He's been one of the biggest challenge threats in the new era of Survivor and quite possibly of all time. It was a no-brainer that, without immunity, he was up for elimination at tribal council.

Then, he was approached with an even better plan. Kenzie wanted to make a move to take out Tiffany, who has a hidden immunity idol, and she looped Hunter, Maria, Charlie, and Ben in on that plan. It was all good to go until Tiffany told them she was playing an idol, which she did not. Then, the alliance backtracked on that plan.

Hunter started to get nervous. He had an idol, so he was safe tonight if he chose to play it. His instincts were correct that the tribe had shifted their focus back to him. All he had to do was play the idol, and he'd be safe. Instead, he tried to make a bold move at the 11th hour, and it absolutely fell flat.

Hunter revealed to Q, Liz, Venus, and Kenzie that he also. had an idol. He tried to rally them to vote out Ben instead. That was his second big mistake.

Earlier in the day, he had just seen how scared people were about Tiffany having an idol. He only made the target on his back bigger by admitting he had an idol. None of the people he told were his friends, really, in the game. He would have been so much better off by keeping his secret, playing the idol, shocking everyone, and sending Q home.

Again, this totally backfired. The tribe split the vote between Q and Hunter, which resulted in a tie. Then, it was easy pickings! The strongest person in the game vs. the person everyone currently hates? It was a no-brainer to take out Hunter.

Hunter got duped into a false sense of security by thinking everyone hated Q enough to take Q out without even taking a shot at him. Big mistake, huge.

Hunter was the 10th person voted out of Survivor season 46 and the third member of the jury.

I'm devastasted for Hunter. I thought he was going to win the whole game! All he had to do was make it through this week and run off three or four immunity wins.

Q lives to fight another day, but the real battle is brewing between Maria and Tiffany. This is the real war of Survivor season 46. Whichever wins over the next few weeks will likely be crowned Sole Survivor and the winner of season 46.

Survivor 46 episode 10 airs on Wednesday, May 1. We'll be tuning in!