The 23rd season begins in Samoa with 18 castaways, including returning players Benjamin "Coach" Wade and Ozzy Lusth. The castaways are divided into two tribes and compete in their first immunity challenge, with the losing team sending someone to Redemption Island.

With Semhar voted off to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Mark, John, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Christine, Rick, Mikayla, Stacey, and Brandon are still in the main game. Things start to go to paranoia when Brandon tells Coach that he is related to Russell Hantz, Coach's arch-enemy. Brandon is determined to get Mikayla off the island.

With Christine sent out to Redemption, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Mark, John, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, Stacey, and Brandon are still in it to win it. On Upolu,things get heated when Brandon reveals a part of his past the entire tribe. Meanwhile one Survivor scrambles to stay alive in the competition and it isn't Cochran.

With Papa Bear sent out to Redemption, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, Stacey, and Brandon are the ones who are still in the game. Brandon gets paranoid more and opens up about his feelings when confronted by Stacey. Cochran and Jim form a mini-alliance and incorporate a unlike ally.

With Stacey sent out to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, and Brandon are in it to win it all still. Stacey and Christine have a lot to say to the other tribe members at the duel that paint a target on Coach's back. However, after a day of good fortune, Coach is not worried at all.

With Elyse gone to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, and Brandon are left to see if they can outlast one another. Ozzy decides to say that he is a "free agent" and reveal a big secret, but has second thoughts of the target that he just painted on his back.

With Mikayla sent to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon are in the game still and they are even closer to the merge. After a devastating loss, one survivor chooses to sacrifice themselves to take out a bigger threat on a different island.

With Ozzy voted to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon are in it as the tribes merge and one person gets their redemption and reenters the game. Once merged, Cochran struggles with the promise that he gave someone.

With Keith voted to Redemption Island after the tribes merged, Ozzy, Whitney, Dawn, Cochran, Jim, Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon fight to stay alive. Cochran gets the backlash from voting against his old tribe, but finds friendship in the others. A double elimination happens and the tribes are narrowed down more.

Paranoia among tribesmen threatens to break a once-impenetrable alliance, and castaways are shocked at Tribal Council with the announcement of another double elimination. Meanwhile, on Redemption Island, a castaway makes a bold threat to his former tribesman during the duel challenge, and two castaways are sent home.

With only 9 castaways left in the running for the Million, this episode is a recap on the journey thus far and with all the Survivors trying to get to the top, it is full of unseen footage.

At the Immunity Challenge, one tribesperson makes a big gesture to a fellow castaway. Meanwhile, an alliance member becomes a liability around camp.

With Cochran voted to Redemption Island, it is Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon are in it to win it. When Cochran makes a move in the challenge, it seems like the entire game is going to change. Three of the Six Survivors get to spend time with their loved ones and Brandon's father tries to do a little recon to see where things are at.

With Edna voted off to Redemption Island to face off with Ozzy, Coach, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon are in the game to win the big prize. When tempters flare at the Te Tuna camp, things don't look good for one contestant and they have to rely on another to get them out of it. However, when the shoe is turned, the favor isn't returned.

Using every last bit of physical mental strength, the castaways battle it out in the final Immunity Challenge to secure their spot at the final Tribal Council, and jury members get their moment to confront the Final Three. Find out who will outplay, outwit and outlast the others.

The cast of Survivor: South Pacific reunite and talk about the season. Jeff gives the winner "Sophie Clarke" the check for Million.