The Traitors Recap: Riddle Me This

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An epidemic is happening, as Dolores Catania pointed out in episode three, “Housewives are no longer Traitors.” Unfortunately, this trend persists, and our third Housewife, Robyn, was eliminated this week. This makes three out of the four killings so far that have targeted Housewives. To add to the misery, all three women have also been removed from their respective Bravo shows. It’s puzzling why the world is against these women being on my TV screen. It seems as if the Traitors might be holding a grudge against me and want to cause me pain. At least we still have Dolores, our only remaining Housewife, who is preparing for potential future protection if this pattern continues.

However, the Traitors struggled greatly with their choice to eliminate Robyn. The expulsion of Bob the Drag Queen, who was cannibalistic among other things, had left the Traitors in chaos. Carolyn remained hesitant about eliminating more Housewives, but ultimately gave in under pressure from Rob and Danielle again. Meanwhile, Danielle was furious with Rob’s move and vowed to eliminate him so she could take control. To get rid of Rob, Danielle needed the help of another trustworthy Traitor, so she decided to target Carolyn first, using a risky all-out strategy.

It’s clear that Danielle struggles with this team game. She yearns for sole authority and it seems she lacks experience or skills when it comes to collaborative tasks like group projects. However, being a Traitor is essentially a group project; you need to strategize and negotiate with diverse personalities to reach decisions as a united force. Unfortunately, we’ve seen that this doesn’t always work out, but when things go awry for Danielle, her reaction is to destroy the entire operation. She aims to oust all her fellow Traitors in an attempt to get new ones who might align with her plans better. She seeks followers who will blindly agree with her. It appears that she’s investing all her efforts into self-destruction instead of focusing on eliminating the Faithfuls. Yet, chaos sometimes favors the unwise, so who knows?

From my perspective, let me share an amusing incident: At breakfast, Chrishell donned an astonishingly chic hat that caught everyone’s eye. Meanwhile, Sandoval appeared reminiscent of Barry Keoghan in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” and surprisingly, Boston Rob was sporting a blazer. However, none of these outfits could outshine Alan, who welcomed us at the mission dressed as the Statue of Liberty – or more accurately, Sandra Bullock during the “One in a Million” scene from “Miss Congeniality.” In such an eccentric setting, it’s a struggle to focus on the challenge rules. Fortunately, this time around, it seems we’re just solving riddles.

This news seems quite exciting for Sandoval, who boasts about his riddle-solving skills because he’s “dabbled in Dan Brown novels.” However, I have my doubts about this claim. He also mentions being well-versed in Harry Potter, which I suspect is an attempt at a Tom Riddle joke. For fans of Vanderpump Rules, Ariana Maddix recalling his mistress as a dementor might ring a bell, making this reference quite fitting.

If they manage to decipher the puzzle, not only do they receive some gold, but they also get to propose someone for one of the two protective shields on offer. However, things become peculiar when Danielle chooses Dolores instead of herself for nomination. This action seems strange because everyone else in the room is bewildered. As Boston Rob explains, this decision raises suspicions because it suggests that she feels secure enough to forego a shield. The possibility that she’s a Traitor could explain her sense of safety.

However, things take an unexpected turn. Upon solving another riddle, she decides to reinstate Derrick’s portrait and gift him a shield together with Dolores. Giving away a shield once might raise eyebrows, but twice seems utterly irrational. Even Dolores, taken aback, queries, “Aren’t you worried you might be next?” It suddenly dawns on Danielle (at last) that she has erred gravely and observes the discomfort her actions have caused everyone. In a sudden reversal, she alters her stance and admits her regret, claiming she now fears for her own life – an overly dramatic change of heart. One would expect a master strategist like Danielle to be more subtle.

In the last puzzle, the solution revealing the recipients of the shields was “heart”. Our in-house nurse, Ciara, correctly guessed it, and she graciously chooses that the two shields will be awarded to her and Dolores. This triumph is a significant boost for all Bravolebrities!

If you had any doubts about Danielle’s performance during the mission, things took an unexpected turn in the car ride back to the castle. It was then that Danielle initiated her strategy to eliminate every single one of her fellow Traitors, starting with Carolyn. She shared her suspicions about Carolyn being a Traitor with everyone in the car, but Dylan and Brittany quickly voiced their disagreement. The idea that Carolyn could be a Traitor was unthinkable to them, which only served to highlight Carolyn’s mastery of the game as a Traitor.

Rob did make a bold move during the mission, one that drew attention towards him – specifically from Wes, who started hinting to people that Rob’s confidence could only be explained if he himself was a Traitor. Carolyn hasn’t executed a big move like that yet, but it seems she doesn’t need to because she’s been playing this game exceptionally well.

It’s disheartening to see Danielle exploit Carolyn’s pristine image for her own struggling game, which is notably weak. Not only that, it seems like she’s merely replicating what Rob did previously. However, the strategies she’s attempting to foster aren’t bearing fruit. Fortunately, she appears to be aware that people aren’t interested and isn’t hastily involving Carolyn in discussions at this point.

At the meeting, Lord Ivar initiates discussions, which is typical for lords. He presents three names that have been circulating: Nikki and Ciara, who are still under suspicion due to their past in the coffins, and Rob. When the issue of his overconfidence comes up, Rob effectively addresses it and puts an end to it. This might be due to the way these meetings are edited, but they often seem like a fast-paced game where the goal is to pass the conversation on to someone else as quickly as possible. Giving too much attention to an accusation, even when trying to debunk it, can provide ample time for people to ponder it.

In another scenario, as focus shifts towards Ciara and Nikki, they engage in a continuous exchange, keeping the spotlight on them for quite some time. The interaction that left the deepest impression on me from this series of back-and-forths was when Ciara questioned Nikki about her even-tempered demeanor during the game: “Have you ever let loose with a genuine laugh?” I consider this question to be one of the most poetic ever asked, maybe even in television history. And truthfully, it’s something that has stuck with me. Have I shared a hearty laugh today? I truly hope so.

However, Chrishell’s comments may have sealed Nikki’s fate within their alliance. Earlier in the episode, Chrishell expressed confusion over Nikki’s response to Rob revealing that Bob had mentioned Nikki’s name. Furthermore, during the conversation at the table, Chrishell admitted to feeling a change in Nikki’s energy after Bob was expelled from the group, causing her to suspect that something might not be right with Nikki.

The entire room, or at least a significant portion of it, was taken aback and saddened as Nikki was expelled, and it was particularly Chrishell who felt remorseful since she held a sense of accountability…because she bore some responsibility. As this is our final interaction with Nikki, I find it necessary to mention one of her most memorable moments – when John Cena (her then-boyfriend) confessed to purchasing 55 suits during their reality show. This incident still brings a hearty chuckle to me. However, let’s move on…

Following the meeting, Dylan finds himself privately with Carolyn in the kitchen. He nearly hesitates before deciding to inform her that Danielle has been mentioning her name. Carolyn is renowned for her expressive face, making it a privilege to observe her reaction to this revelation, which significantly alters her strategy. At the beginning of the episode, she viewed Rob as the potential traitor because he was acting independently. However, now her focus shifts towards Danielle, and a possible collaboration between them in the turret could be imminent, making for an interesting turn of events on Survivor.

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2025-01-24 07:55