After a shocking and unexpected welcome to their new adventure, the castaways of VIRTUAL SURVIVOR 7: PEARL ISLANDS have begun the quest to become the Sole Survivor. On night eight, the newly formed Drake Tribe made their first dreaded paddle to Tribal Council. It took two deadlocked votes and a tiebreaker challenge, but it was Karen Brown, the 56-year-old retired administrative assistant from Normal, IL, who left the game. According to Karen, she felt her poor performance at the challenge and not being very social was her downfall. Karen gave her Final Words: "I immensely enjoyed myself, and the people I met. My family kept telling me I was going to be the first to go because of my age. Maybe that's the reason, maybe not."

ADAPT OR GO HOME

Aboard a seaworthy craft heading down the angry Pacific waters of Central America, sixteen Americans began the adventure of a lifetime. Not made aware that they had been selected or that the game had already begun, castaways were forced to jump overboard with nothing but the clothes on their backs!

Shock crept across their faces as the realization hit them that they would truly be stranded. Virtual Jeff Probst tossed the castaways' sneakers overboard. With only the clothing on their backs, the two tribes were sent to fend for themselves on separate islands. One by one, each tribe member jumped overboard and swam towards their small rafts, realizing that for the next 39 days they would have no help from the outside world.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Upon arriving at their beach, with little time remaining before the first Immunity Challenge, the castaways spent time trying to get to know one another. Some new friendships quickly formed, and strategies quickly entered the minds of some castaways upon learning of the pre-existing relationships of some players, even some on the opposite tribe!