The season 4 finale of “The Traitors” is next week, and the remaining Faithfuls are struggling.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for season 4 of “The Traitors.”
Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski has struggled to find her footing in the game, but she finally had a strong hunch during the Thursday, Feb. 19, episode of the reality competition series. She began to suspect Rob Rausch, who is in fact a Traitor, and shared her thoughts with Natalie Anderson.
Despite having a good rapport with Rob, Natalie quickly saw the merits of Tara’s suspicions. Confirmed “Traitor” Candiace Dillard Bassett voted for him twice when no one else suspected him, and those closest to Rob, including Natalie and Maura Higgins, have been spared from murder. The theory made sense, but it fell apart at the roundtable.
Tara spoke up first, only to say that she was afraid to throw out any wrong guesses. Natalie looked stunned as Tara said she didn’t want to be the one to lead the discussion.
Tara Lipinski, Rob Rausch, Maura Higgins and Natalie Anderson on season 4 of “The Traitors.”Euan Cherry/PEACOCK“You had a theory and we bounced off each other, but now you’re very quiet,” Natalie told Tara. “I was taken advantage of, I feel like.”
The conversation between Natalie and Tara quickly got heated, with Natalie calling Tara’s switch up “messy.” Rob capitalized on the friction, pointing out that Natalie is “very smart.”
“It’s just interesting that you’re coming in here with [Tara’s] plan,” Rob said.
The drama between Natalie and Tara successfully distracted the group from Rob. The remaining players voted unanimously to banish Natalie. Even Natalie let Rob off the hook, instead voting for Tara.
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The chaotic roundtable exemplified the scared and emotional gameplay the Faithfuls have displayed all season. Candiace’s strange votes are a legitimately strong clue, but everyone is reluctant to go against the charismatic and likable Rob. Especially Maura, who has bewilderingly blind trust in him and defended him with vigor at the roundtable.
Players like Tara and Mark Ballas continue to let others lead the roundtable conversation, even though the time for laying low is long over. As she cast her vote, Tara admitted she didn’t think Natalie was a Traitor, noting that she simply felt “attacked.” In a game where the objective is to eliminate Traitors, voting someone out at the final roundtable because of personal drama is a stunningly bad move.
Thursday’s episode ended on a cliffhanger. We don’t yet know who Rob and his recruited Traitor, Eric Nam, decided to kill, but it was likely either Tara or Johnny Weir. The tight duo are best friends in real life and they would never go against each other in the end game, so it makes sense to split them up now.
After the next murder, there will be only five players left in the game, two of whom are Traitors. The Faithfuls have started to take note of Eric’s suspiciously quiet gameplay, and Rob’s name may come up again at the final Circle of Truth. But considering which players are left, Rob has a real shot at convincing them he’s not a Traitor and winning the game.
Mark, Tara and Johnny have all been timid players. Tara and Johnny have spent much of the game bemoaning their own cluelessness, and Rob could easily exploit those insecurities. Then there’s Maura, who is convinced of Rob’s Faithfulness, and Eric, who seems as comfortable in a Traitor’s cloak as a polar bear in a sauna. He’s not the kind of player who is likely to betray a fellow Traitor.
Eric Nam, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski on “The Traitors.”Euan Cherry/PEACOCKThis may be the most oblivious group of final Faithfuls in the history of “The Traitors.” Season 2’s Trishelle Cannatella and Chris “CT” Tamburello had the sense to banish anyone they were remotely suspicious of, and the four Faithfuls who won season 3 banished two Traitors back to back in the end game. Season 1’s Cirie Fields was such a masterful Traitor that it’s hard to blame the Faithfuls who trusted her until the bitter end.
Rob has also played a strong game, but his betrayal of Candiace could’ve proved deadly with a savvier group of Faithfuls. The signal that Candiace sent with her votes was strong — but luckily for Rob, the season 4 Faithfuls are not.
“The Traitors” season 4 finale premieres on Peacock Thursday, Feb. 26, at 9 p.m. ET.