Recap: The Traitors US 3, Episode 5 – “Don’t go if you don’t know.”

Recap: The Traitors US 3, Episode 5 – “All This Murderous Power”

The Traitors meet in the turret after the shocking Roundtable. Rob explains that Bob had painted the target on him earlier in the day. But he assures Danielle and Carolyn that he would never go after them… unless they went after him first.

Danielle assures Rob that she isn’t and asks that he just talk with them about these things. Carolyn thinks this was just an ego move on Rob’s part because Bob Queen was so popular with everyone. She points out that Bob never said Rob’s name specifically.

I think Carolyn is completely off base here. No, Bob did not say “Rob”, but obviously when he referenced the three “new guys”, who of them will people suspect first? Of course it is Boston Rob. Most of the people have no idea who Derrick is. Next to Rob, Wes would still be the #2 choice of most of the players. So with Dylan and conceivably others already on Bob’s tail, it’s reasonable for him to take the shot now.

The three of them now decide who to murder tonight. Rob suggests Robyn because no one suspects her of being a Traitor. But Carolyn and Danielle think Gabby is the better option so they can break up the Bambis.

Interesting! Didn’t think the “Bambis” was such a public thing. Which is kind of a mistake on their part since it definitely puts a target on their back. Danielle is good to point out they have the numbers for banishment. And the numbers game is what controlled last season’s middle Roundtables.

Both Danielle and Carolyn are determined to get Rob banished.

Next morning, Rob acknowledges that him going so hard at Bob the Drag Queen puts suspicion on him and he wants to be ready to answer any questions.

While waiting for the final group to walk in, Dylan whispers to Danielle about Carolyn being “all over the place”. Danielle needs a Traitor who she can trust and work with to get out Rob, but she is not sure Carolyn is that Traitor.

The last two people walk in and it is Sam and Gabby. That means Robyn is murdered. Danielle goes along with Rob, calling him the “master of this game”. Carolyn needs a bit of convincing, but she eventually agrees.

Robyn is an okay murder I guess. Funny though that Danielle and probably Carolyn just went along with Rob to placate him after his big night. Lull him into a false sense of security I guess.

Dolores thinks she’s next and she’s angry. Elsewhere at the table, Ivar tells Carolyn and Derrick about Wes’ theory regarding the Traitor. Carolyn thinks it’s only a matter of time before Rob is found out.

While Dylan, Britney and Bob are growing even more suspicious of Nikki, Bob is later welcomed by Gabby, Nikki and Chrishell as a Bambi.

In the library, Ivar tells Rob and Sam about Wes’s Traitor theory. But Ivar and Sam think that makes Wes suspicious and that he is deflecting. Rob goes to talk to Wes and confronts him directly. Wes denies ever saying it or starting the idea.

Rob takes Carolyn aside and says he’s got her “a million percent” in the end. Danielle then takes Carolyn aside and they both express how scary Rob is. But Danielle can’t rule out the two other Traitors of having a Survivor alliance. So Danielle is ready to throw Carolyn under the bus in order to get another Traitor who she could potentially work with better.

On the way to the challenge, Rob tells Nikki that Bob the Drag Queen told him that he would vote for her at the Roundtable. All in an effort to show Rob is willing to work with them.

The players arrive in the chapel. Alan explains that he will have a riddle and players will have to choose an urn with the correct answer. They will smash the urn and if there’s gold dust, they will bank $2500. If it is wrong, that player is eliminated for the rest of the game. Every correct answer will also allow the player to place a photo in one of two Shield frames. And any subsequent correct answer will allow the player to replace any photo with one of their choosing. The two photos at the end of the game will secure the Shield.

Bob takes the first riddle, not even hearing what it was. And he of course chooses the wrong urn, eliminating him.

Not Alan zinging Bob for the 2nd straight week with “Don’t talk to Bob. He’s a loser.” Lol

Derrick is the next to take a chance and he correctly answers the riddle. He puts his own photo in the frame. Tom goes next and also gets it correct. He puts his own photo.

Danielle gets the next riddle correct and decides to put Dolores up on the frame to make her look like a selfless Faithful. She swaps out Derrick’s photo and says it’s because he did not give her a Shield when she begged for one. This move shocks both Derrick and Tom. Danielle says she needs Tom on her side even if it angers Derrick.

Chrishell swaps Tom’s photo for hers. And Tom gets eliminated next.

Danielle gets another riddle correct and she decides to put Derrick’s photo back up, taking down Chrishell’s. Carolyn thinks this is so dumb and it is making Danielle look suspicious. Dolores tries to stop Danielle and then asks if she doesn’t think she’ll be murdered too.

Danielle now says she’s messed up.

OMG. You think?! Is she intentionally sabotaging herself to keep this “Big Brother players are horrible at The Traitors” narrative alive? What is happening?! Did NBCU pay her to throw the game to Rob or something? Lolol

Alan asks Danielle if she has any regrets. Danielle starts to cry and says yes because she now thinks she’s gonna be killed. Dolores says she will not accept her standing there crying like this. Derrick tries to say it’s part of the game. Chrishell starts to be suspicious of Danielle too.

Alan reads the eighth and final riddle. Britney believes this is her shot. But both Danielle and Ciara also step forward with Ciara the first to cross the candle line. She picks an urn and it has gold ashes. She puts her photo on the frames in place of Derrick’s.

With $15,000 in the bank, Dolores and Ciara also get their Shields.

On the way back to the castle, Tom tells Ciara, Tom and Britney that he was shocked by Danielle taking his photo off first. In another car, Danielle tells Dylan, Ivar and Wes that her theory leads to Ciara and Nikki being left as buffers for the Traitors and that the Traitor is a woman: Carolyn.

At the castle, Danielle takes Britney aside to plant the seeds about Carolyn. Britney does not think Carolyn is capable of being a Traitor. But Danielle says that makes it even more likely that she is.

I absolutely agree though. Why do people automatically brush aside someone as a Traitor suspect just because they like that person or because they think they’re too dumb or nice. That would be the perfect cover for being a Traitor, would it not?

Danielle decides to say Carolyn threw out Britney’s name. Which is true because Carolyn did suggest Britney’s name, but as a murder victim. Not as a Traitor.

Chrishell decides to talk to Rob and says that Nikki’s reaction from the van earlier makes her so suspicious. Even if Nikki is her friend, she can’t ignore the signs. She asks Rob not to sell her out.

Later, Wes is in a room with Derrick, Danielle, Britney and Rob saying that he is 95% Nikki today. Derrick is now suspicious of Rob. Meanwhile, Nikki believes she’s on the chopping block and is determined to fight.

The Roundtable begins. Ivar speaks up first and presents the three names on the table that everyone’s been talking about: Nikki, Ciara and Rob. He first lays out the theory against Rob and then gives him a chance to defend himself.

Rob explains that he was sure about Bob last night because of the way he acted and deflected. He only came forward with his suspicion when he was sure unlike Tony, for example, who threw out random names that ended up not being correct.

Nikki says she feels Rob is a Faithful because as a gameplayer, it would be such a horrible game move to take out one of his own. Tom says that if Rob survives the murder tonight, then he will be on him tomorrow.

Ciara speaks up next and acknowledges that perhaps she put her guard up after trying to understand who would have put her in there. She points the finger at Nikki who does it right back. Ciara says Nikki’s calm reactions are quite suspicious. Nikki says not all Faithfuls are bright and bubbly.

Britney says that after the coffins, she felt a palpable split between them. Nikki says Ciara started avoiding her after. And if going with the popular theory of one of the coffin people being a Traitor, Nikki is sure Ciara is the one.

Crazy how the coffin twist ends up driving all these suspicions! Touche to the show for such an interesting drama instigator! But facepalm to the players for being too gullible about it. Though they don’t have anything else to go on, I guess

Chrishell is nervous about burning bridges, but she says she is not in an alliance. She is here to catch Traitors. And it pains her to have to suspect Nikki. She felt an energy shift after Bob Queen left last night. Chrishell apologizes for feeling this way.

Nikki acknowledges that everyone has their assumptions of her, but she reiterates that she is a Faithful and they will have to make a decision based on that.

Bob steps up and offers a devil’s advocate perspective. He thinks it would be the most badass move if Rob came in and took out another Traitor. But Rob says that is not what happened.

Alan immediately(?) ends the discussion and says it is time to vote.

Derrick goes Nikki even with circumstantial evidence. Tom, Chrishell, Britney, Ciara vote Nikki as well. Dylan votes Gabby because he believes Nikki and Ciara are Faithful.

Carolyn and Wes vote Nikki.

Nikki votes Ceara.

Sam, Ivar, Rob (who says Chrishell’s words pushed him over the edge), Bob, Dolores, Danielle and Gabby vote for Nikki.

Nikki steps on the Circle of the Truth. She offers a bit of advice and says everyone is born different. They should not judge someone or how they play the game based on those expectations and personalities. She adds that she will go home to her son as a Faithful.

Nikki is upset that the people she loved in this game did not stick up for her.

“You have not failed. You have merely found three ways that did not work,” Alan tells the players. He adds that the Traitors are running away with this game so far after three innocent banishments.

Ciara cries, saying she knows she is next. Chrishell feels terrible and wishes Nikki had fought a little harder. But she also understands why she did not.

“I feel like such a bitch.”

Gabby says it is clear that she, Ciara, Chrishell and Dolores are being targeted.

Derrick takes Wes aside and says he trusts him enough to say that he is 100% sure Rob is a Traitor. Derrick thinks Rob should murder him tonight, otherwise he is coming for him.

Later, Dylan approaches Carolyn and says Danielle put her name out. He adds that he has been trying to talk her out of it. Carolyn cannot believe it. She had been worried about Rob all day. But she believes Danielle is the dangerous one.

Carolyn tells Dylan to tell Danielle to bring this to the Roundtable. She is not afraid.

The Traitors head to the turret. Carolyn looks like she’s fuming.

Episode Thoughts

Wowowowow! I love Traitor-on-Traitor action! Yes please! They are imploding! Wow!

Like I mention in the recap above, Danielle seems like she is sabotaging herself. Like, what the hell is she doing?! I really think Big Brother players and the long-game strategy of that show really does not mesh with The Traitors and its far faster paced game. It’s crazy to see!

Definitely sad to see Nikki go. Especially as a real innocent player. But she was absolutely the casualty of the herd mentality that can permeate on The Traitors.

Would be interesting to see what else was discussed at the Roundtable because we know they last far longer than what they show in the episode. But I think this episode was really just the buffer (a term mentioned in this episode!) for the potential drama in the next episode.

Yes, people may be suspicious about Rob. But if it comes down to Rob vs. Danielle vs. Carolyn next week? I would put my money on Rob. There’s also the idea of keeping Rob in longer (like they did with Phaedra and/or Kate last year) so they have a sure Traitor closer to the end.

Unless the players have some crazy theory again next episode or they default to “Ceara” or some other player messes up, I think another Traitor might get banished next week. Also, don’t count out Rob shooting and hitting whatever target he might come up with too.

At the same time, the players seem to be that suspicious of Danielle, but not enough to actually bring her name up. I guess with them knowing the targets were going to be Nikki and Ciara. So why bother to rock the boat more.

Overall, another actually good episode. Thanks to the Traitor drama. But next week hopefully will rival last week’s amazing insanity!