The sun was shining beautifully, revealing a near perfect tropical sky above a now empty beach. Of course, the camera soon panned towards a lone Pegasus stallion who was seated on a log just away from the untouched sands. The stallion was a bit older with a couple wrinkles at the sides of his blue eyes, but he still looked immaculate for his age. His short-cropped mane was still as lusciously brown as it was a decade ago, and his silver coat hasn't looked to have dulled in the slightest. He was wearing a pale green polo shirt, but it wasn't covering his cutie mark of a lit torch on his flank. The mark also wasn't covered by the banner that came up on the bottom of the screen when the stallion was shown, displaying his name as Tribal Torch.

Tribal Torch looked just away from the camera as he began his interview, even though the pony he was talking to was nowhere to be seen or heard. "When it comes to the social aspect of Survivor, there are countless ways to push those boundaries to see how contestants will react under pressure. Some ideas worked, and some haven't, but we always thrive on finding new ways to put contestants in unique tribes and settings to see how they differ in both gameplay, as well surviving at camp."

Tribal then grinned as he added in a confident tone, "And because of that, I think we have a great cast for this season's theme: Brain, versus Brawn, versus Beauty. Not only are they as diverse as they come, but I really think they all have the chance to stand out as great players."

While Tribal Torch continued to speak, only his voice was heard as clips from the contestants were shown on the screen. The first group of six were accompanied by a blue banner at the bottom, showing them as the Brain Tribe. The contestants were then shown individually with their name and occupation at the bottom as Tribal Torch went over his thoughts on each one:

Moon Dancer - Student/Scholar

"Moon Dancer was somepony I wasn't exactly sure about, mostly because it was clear she wasn't as social as a lot of the other contestants. But when she made it though the first auditions, she shocked everyone in casting when she made a perfect score in the IQ test! That has never been done before! And when I interviewed her personally, I could really tell that she not only had the knowledge and logistics of the game memorized, but she also had the fire in her to make things happen if she wanted to. Do I think she'll last long? I have no idea. But I really want to root for her to succeed."

Fancy Pants - Canterlot Noble/ Entrepreneur

"Fancy Pants is actually our oldest contestant this season, although it's hard to tell due to his upbringing as a Canterlot noble. But once you talk with him, you can tell that he's sharp as a tack! I mean, the guy is extremely charming, and it's no surprise why he has a supermodel like Fleur De Lis for a wife. However, his biggest obstacle in this competition will be his physical capabilities, which could be a deal breaker if he can't win challenges. But if he's able to schmooze his way to the merge and get into an alliance, he could be a serious threat. Especially if he makes it to the final tribal and gives his speech, because he'd be an instant winner right there!"

Bon-Bon - Candy Maker

"Bon-Bon was one of the biggest surprises when she showed up to audition. I just thought that she was a basic candy-maker and small business owner. However, when she did the IQ test, she got the second-highest score of any other mare! She was only lower than Moon Dancer's score by two points! And once I started talking with her, it was clear that she knew a LOT! Like, a LOT a lot! I have no idea where she got all this information from; maybe she has a secret life that nopony knows about. Either way, she could easily be a surprise winner that nopony saw coming, and it would be amazing if that was the case!"

Trenderhoof - Traveling Writer

"Trenderhoof is known world-wide for his writing talents, as well as his tendency to find the next best thing in his travels before anypony else. Because of that, he has a great skill for gathering all these facts and stories which could help him not only in a social game like Survivor, but could also give him some insight on how to live comfortably in isolated islands like this one.

"Unfortunately, I think that the biggest hurdle that Trenderhoof would need to overcome, is himself. Not only could he be less capable in physical challenges, but he also has the unfortunate tendency to come off as clueless or cocky. It's definitely not his fault, and I could see a good side of Trenderhoof in my interviews with him. However, when it comes to a social game like this, you have to be likable right off the bat, and I'm not sure if Trenderhoof can do that."

Zecora - Apothecary

"Zecora has the distinction to be the very first zebra to ever compete on Survivor, which is really surprising considering how much potential she has! Not only is she extremely smart, as well as physically fit, but she also already lives like a true survivor! She actually lives in the Everfree Forest, on her own! There's no doubt that being on an island here in FillyJi will be a walk in the park for her!

"But what WILL be a problem, which I really don't want to say, is whether or not her tribe will keep her around due to her overall appearance. She looks very intimidating, and she even admitted herself that it's difficult for her to get ponies to see past her look and behavior to see the real her. I really, REALLY hope that won't be the case here, though. If she's able to use her positive qualities to her advantage, she could easily become a great player in this game."

Spike - Royal Assistant/Former Dragon Lord

"Spike... What can I can say first about this guy? Well, first off, he actually wasn't planned to be a contestant when he first applied. He was under the age requirements, but somehow snuck in to do the IQ test after submitting his information. By the time we discovered the truth about his age, we found out that he had the second highest IQ score, right between Bon-Bon and Moon Dancer! But still, we weren't originally going to consider him due to his age. We actually had another stallion planned to compete, who was a scientist and clock-maker named Time Turner; however, when we tried to contact him and say he was on, he sorta... disappeared! Like, we have no idea what happened to him. He just vanished!

"So by that time, Spike just hit the age requirement, and Princess Twilight Sparkle herself allowed us permission to have Spike compete. So in the end, Spike is not only our first dragon contestant, but is also our youngest contestant to ever play the game! I have no idea how well he'll do, but his enthusiasm and confidence are good enough to see what happens."

The screen then showed a new tribe, this one with a red banner at the bottom which listed them as the Brawn Tribe. Tribal Torch's voice continued to speak as the next six contestants were shown in order:

Big Macintosh - Apple Farmer

"Big Macintosh, or 'Big Mac' as he likes to be called, was kinda hard to learn about in my interview with him. Even though he's this big, huge guy; like, a real Equestrian stallion, he's also very soft-spoken and didn't talk much. At first I thought he was just nervous, but the more I talked with him, the more I realized that he just preferred listening to others instead of adding his own input.

"And honestly, I think that alone gives him a great chance to win! He's obviously capable of doing well physically, but his tendency to listen instead of speak could easily get him to the end by just laying low and letting others do the work. It's hard to tell if that could help him if he reaches the final tribal, but who knows? Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all."

Rainbow Dash - Wonderbolt/Element of Loyalty

"Rainbow Dash is actually one of three of the Guardians of Friendship who are competing on this season, which is completely unheard of! However, it's hard to NOT pass up on the chance to have an Element compete on Survivor, especially when they're as eager and capable as someone like her!

"Unfortunately, much like Trenderhoof, Rainbow Dash's biggest hurdle will be herself. She's cocky, she can be arrogant at times, and she also has the tendency to not know when to shut up. But honestly, it could go either way with her: She could either be voted out early because of her behavior, or she could be carried along by others to the end as an easy vote for them at final tribal. Still, it's hard for me to see her making it all the way to the end without making more than a few enemies on the way."

Iron Will - Motivational Speaker

"Iron Will: Our first Minotaur to ever play, and the guy is certainly built like an ox! I don't know if he gets that kind of body by genetics, or just by working out a lot, but he could be a serious benefit to his tribe by physical ability alone! And when you listen to what he has to say, you learn that he's also fairly bright when it comes to knowing what ponies think. He's been a motivational speaker long enough to give some genuinely good advice, and he could be a great asset when it comes to socializing, or just giving group morale. If he's able to make it to the merge, and get ponies to see that softer side of him behind all that muscle, he could be one of the biggest threats to win this season. Much like Fancy Pants, I think he could easily snag that million bit check with just one good tribal speech."

Gilda - Scone Vendor

"Gilda isn't our first gryphon to play, but I do think she'll be able to easily stand out in this season. She has a great physical prowess with her, and a 'Don't-Take-Crap' attitude I really admire. Of course, it's clear that when it comes to socializing with new ponies, she isn't exactly the most experienced. But when I was talking with her, it was clear that she was trying to better herself, and saw this game as a great way to improve her friendship skills while also making some money. I'm not sure how helpful a mindset like that will be in a game like this, since Survivor is notorious for back stabbing and deception. But if she gets in with a good alliance, and shows both the good AND bad sides of her, I think she could be our first gryphon to actually win."

Soarin - Wonderbolt Lieutenant

"Soarin is our second Wonderbolt to compete on this season, and it's hard to even care after talking with him! He has a great personality, and is very down-to-Earth once you meet him face-to-face. He's also our second-oldest contestant out here, and he said that he wants to play this as a chance to prove he's just as capable as the other young ponies this season. I'm not sure why he feels the need to do this show when he's already a Wonderbolt, but I can't blame the guy when I saw how insistent he was to play. And who knows? Maybe he'll find that inner youth out here on the island, and use his status to get a few members of an alliance together and win the whole thing."

Maud - Rock Farmer/Geologist

"To put it bluntly, Maude is b**king hilarious! I'm serious, when she came in for an interview, it was almost impossible to keep from laughing at her answers. She wasn't even trying to be funny, and it was clear I wanted her on this show in less than a minute. I have no idea how well she'll do socially OR physically, but it's clear that she'll make for great TV. And honestly, I just want to see how the other contestants will see her, because she has to be seen to be believed."

The screen then showed the final tribe of six, whose yellow banner at the bottom of the screen presented them as the Beauty Tribe. The ponies were individually shown with their names and occupations as Tribal Torch continued:

Blueblood - Royal Prince

"Even with two Wonderbolts, AND three members of the Guardians of Harmony wanting to compete this season, I was still shocked when an actual member of Royalty applied as well. Even though Blueblood has no real standing in Equestrian government, I was unsure if Royalty was even allowed to compete for insurance reasons! Luckily, Princess Celestia herself said that it was alright for her nephew to compete, so I figured why not?

"Honestly, I don't think he's going to last long. He just has this... aura of arrogance about him that's almost impossible to ignore. And given his background, no offense, I don't think he'll do that well on an island without all the amenities he's used to. He lived his whole life in this pampered state and always got what he wanted. Even with his claims that he wants to play for the social and backstabbing elements, I think it would take a LOT more than just a couple lies to get him to the merge, let alone to the very end unscathed."

Fluttershy - Animal Caretaker/Former Model/Element of Kindness

"Fluttershy is not only one of the Guardians of Harmony, but is also extremely graceful and beautiful without even trying. To me, Fluttershy has a lot of the same positives I said that Big Macintosh had. She's very soft-spoken and listens to what ponies have to say, which I think could really help her on the social side of things. However, unlike Big Mac, Fluttershy doesn't have that physical edge that could help her during challenges. So even though she's the Element of Kindness, I think it would take a lot of effort for her to last long at the beginning of the game with her tribe. But if she's able to make it to the merge, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets in with a good alliance, and carries herself to the end by keeping her head low."

Fashion Plate - Magazine Publisher

"Fashion Plate is the editor and publisher of Cosmare Magazine, and clearly has a great sense of both fashion and beauty as a whole. When I was talking with him, he said that he wanted to do this competition as a means to prove to himself that he's capable of 'roughing it,' and being a real stallion despite his background. I have absolutely no idea how a pony like him will do in such a brutal and unforgiving competition, but I'm also curious to see how far he can go. He's clearly good with negotiations and socializing due to his occupation, but I think it'll take a lot more than that to last long enough to see the merge. But if he makes it, who knows? I'm very curious to see what happens."

Coloratura - Pop Star

"Yes, that's right. We actually got THE Countess Coloratura to be a contestant on this season of Survivor! She's actually a super-fan, and got her fans to get a whole campaign made to get her on! So you know what? We listened, and she's a contestant!

"Obviously, because of her background, it'll be really hard for her to last that long on just a social level. It wouldn't take long for ponies to try and get her out because she's already rich. However, you have to wonder whether or not she'd use that to her advantage. If she's able to let herself be used as an easy vote for somepony else, and make it all the way to the end with another pony, she could easily turn the tables with her knowledge and social skills. She's a very smart pony, and I wouldn't be surprised if she used her influence and looks to get some votes if she makes it to the final tribal. But then again, she could very easily be an early boot if she doesn't play her cards right."

Braeburn - Rancher

"Braeburn isn't exactly the kind of pony who you would consider a 'beauty' type, until you actually get a good look at him after a shower. Along with that, he's extremely cheerful and charming, and it wouldn't be hard for him to make alliances with ponies who found him attractive. Both mares AND stallions! Plus, he's also clearly physically fit, and could be a great asset to his tribe during challenges. But he's also very down-to-Earth, and can easily make friends without even trying. Because of that, I would actually be surprised if he didn't make the merge."

Rarity - Fashion Designer/Element of Generosity

"Rarity has a lot going for her, not only in her everyday life, but also when it comes to how she could play this game. Even though she has the same issues with cleanliness that Blueblood has, she's also not above getting her hooves dirty in an effort to get what she wants. She also openly admits that she'd use her looks to get things her way, and I wouldn't be surprised if she succeeds! She's a very persuasive mare, and I wouldn't be surprised if she used her natural talents and personality to be a natural leader on her tribe, as well as a major threat come the merge. Can she win? Possibly, but she would have to get used to getting dirty out here first."

After that, Tribal Torch came back on screen with an excited smile as he spoke to somepony next to the camera. "Overall, I think we have an AMAZING season planned, and I can't wait to see how things go for our eighteen contestants! Not only do I think we're in for some genuinely fun gameplay, but I'm expecting to see a lot of blindsides this season! Especially when we include not only Immunity Idols, but also a special game-changing element which could easily tip the scales if used right..."

As Tribal Torch grinned widely after that statement, the camera began to pan back to reveal the beach of FillyJi once more. As the logo for the series came into play, Tribal Torch's voice could be heard shouting, "Thirty-nine days, eighteen Equestrians, ONE survivor!"

Survivor Equestria: Brain vs. Brawn vs. Beauty