And there we have it – we’re into the final week of The Traitors‘ fourth season. Stephen and Rachel have survived another night in the castle despite several signs pointing in their direction. Luckily for them, they’re surrounded by a pack of Faithful who may as well be playing a different game entirely, but who’s looking set for a spot in the final?
Tonight’s episode saw Jessie – who fans felt was the last hope for the Faithful – become the latest victim of the Traitors’ killing spree. Stephen and Rachel, however, have been playing with fire and tonight felt like the closest they’ve been to actually getting burned.
Stephen came under huge suspicion when he answered the most questions in the challenge correctly – either a bold and brilliant move or a huge mistake that may come back to bite him even harder than it did in the evening’s round table session.
As for Rachel, she’s going for the jugular, and is being so unbelievably dangerous. For now, it’s working: throwing such a loud curveball to come for Ellie was a stroke of genius, and this close to the final, she feels absolutely unstoppable.
She’s there to keep Stephen afloat without even having to jump to his defence. Together, they’re impeccable. So, if it looks like we’ll have two Traitors in the final, let’s have a look at the Faithfuls that we think will be joining them…
James
BBC
James, suffice to say, has been a diabolical Faithful and would make the worst Traitor imaginable – that’s why he’s got a hall pass straight to the final. He’s largely been a background player but he’s been present enough for someone to root for when it comes to the final crunch.
The Traitors have no reason to murder James and, with the exception of Roxy, there’s little chance any other Faithful will banish him. He has accidentally played a blinder. His default setting is absolute chaos and it’s only worked in his favour – whether he intended it or not.
At tonight’s dinner party, he modestly told the others that he’s “not rich [or] poor”, but if he’s learned anything at all from The Traitors, he “bloody loves” his family and wishes to buy his stepdaughter a car “that doesn’t just conk out”. Let’s see if he’ll be able to…
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Jack
BBC
“Who?” we hear you ask. You’d be forgiven for having no idea who Jack was until tonight. We can’t recall a single thing he’s said or done – but surely that can only mean one thing: he’s destined to be gathered around the fire pit as one of the final remaining players.
Going into the final week, expect him to be forced out of his shell and thrust into the spotlight once the crowd has dwindled. The Traitors is nothing if not consistent, and every season features at least one Faithful who has crept under the radar – was his quietness a deliberate tactic?
Jack is likely a genuinely nice guy who is well-liked by everyone in the castle, and he has crucially never had a target on his back – from either Traitors or Faithful. Almost inevitably, that makes him a finalist.
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Tonight we learned that he’s put all his trust in Stephen; a bold move perhaps, but every final needs the risk of heartbreak and betrayal. Of those left in the game, it appears Jack is the one who could be played by their best friend… or comes to their senses in the final hour.
In tonight’s dinner party, he revealed he’s planning to use the prize money to get on the property ladder because, like most people in the UK, he needs to win a huge prize pot to even think about owning. So will he succeed?
Faraaz
BBC
Until last night, Faraaz cruised into the final week by quietly grinning from afar in a rotation of cosy jumpers. He posed no threat to the Traitors and was universally adored by the Faithful.
Then Rachel spotted an opportunity to test whether the 22-year-old could be thrown under the bus, bizarrely accusing him of targeting older players – as if that logic would benefit anybody at all.
It was another strange move from Rachel, though perhaps not one big enough to be her downfall, given her recent claim of being “trained by an FBI agent” and getting almost every round table spectacularly wrong.
There is simply zero merit to banishing Faraaz. Even as an under-the-radar player – usually the ones to watch – he is so cool, calm and collected that he’s just so transparently a Faithful. He’s without a doubt a prime candidate for the final.
Related: Why The Traitors’ Fiona was pleased to get banished before THAT Matthew recruitment moment
His ability to remain completely unbothered, no matter how much chaos unfolds around him, is genuinely impressive. He also has all the makings of a public favourite: kind, cheeky, fun and just a bit of a gem.
Though he may not have had the amount of airtime to match his personality, it would be a safe bet that it’s coming thick and fast next week when he steps up, survives, and makes it to the final.
Do any of them deserve to be there? Rarely does a Faithful who reaches the final truly earn it. But with Rachel and Stephen growing stronger by the day, it’s looking increasingly unlikely they’ll be caught out by this trio…
The Traitors airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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