Somehow that was both surprising and predictable.
Shane had the Power of the Pardon and chose to save Victor, even though he voted for him. Something about his impending reveal made Shane change his mind, keeping the provocative New York executive in the game. Victor made every extra moment in the castle count as he zeroed in on Tomica. She was then banished at an early-morning Round Table, then revealed herself as a Traitor (Tomica was ranked #11 last week). The interesting part was that, as things seemed set on Tomica, the other Traitors (Joe and Katie) had to decide whether to turn their knives on her as well.
Katie's decision was obvious (Tomica had said her name in the last episode, accidental or not). But Joe and Tomica had been in lockstep, so his distancing himself would look suspicious. Of course, aligning himself with a Traitor who would reveal themselves was riskier. Unfortunately for Joe, it's a lose-lose situation.
While Victor made a huge mark on the game, he surely isn't long for the world. Where the rest of the list shakes out is another matter. Let's get to it.
11. Joe Vanella (Last Week: 12)
To give Victor some credit, I have to put Joe last. While I still think Joe and Katie are going to immediately murder Victor (likely meaning I should be putting him last again), there's at least a world where they don't because it will point fingers at Joe. But I honestly think they should because Joe can't win this game anymore. He was seen with fruit, was tied at the hip with Tomica until she got caught, and Victor has said his name over and over again. The funeral director will be seeing his own funeral sooner than later.
10. Victor Vollbrechthausen (Last Week: Last)
I don't really know what this season is without Victor. I guess it's a Traitors steamroll? All the credit in the world to Victor for the game he played. It was an entertaining one, if not a winning one. I'd love to see him show up on another reality show sometime.
9. Wyatt Gillespie (Last Week: 10)
We'll hold the line here with Wyatt. The one benefit I can give him is that Abby L is out of the game, but since she threw his name out and was a Faithful, there will always be lingering sus on him. It means that it's incredibly unlikely he survives every Round Table, let alone the End Game.
8. Jay Vinnedge (Last Week: 8)
Kudos to Jay for finding some balance in the midgame, but having been wrong about Victor is going to look bad for him long-term. His only shot is to regain some attention on Katie where he can get her banished, but even then he might just get murdered soon after.
7. Katie Fites (Last Week: 9)
You have to give Katie some credit for finding her footing after getting some heat earlier. She did a good job of distancing herself from Tomica and voting for her, but she'll need to do the same with Joe. The biggest make-or-break moment for her will be when she gets to recruit a player, as that person could either help or hinder her game greatly.
6. Morgan Cook (Last Week: 6)
Morgan has a bit of suspicion and has had pretty terrible reads so far. Typically this would be good for a Faithful as it means they might avoid suspicion from the Traitors, but I think she could wind up being the target of a Round Table before the end of the game.
5. Abbey Benjamin (Last Week: 5)
There's a world where Abbey makes it to the end with The Dolls and wins the game. Her rating at #5 is more of a reflection of where I think the other players will take her than her ability in the game so far. To be fair to her, she isn't throwing out wild accusations or playing overly suspicious, so she could be a contender to win.
4. Kriste Lewis (Last Week: 4)
Kriste might have the best Goldilocks game. She has a little bit of heat (Tomica threw out her name) but not so much that it feels like she's a threat to be banished. That heat also means she's likely not in contention of being murdered at night. This suits her very well in the end game, but means she could get knocked out before they all agree to end the game.
3. Clyde Moser (Last Week: 3)
I think Clyde is in a good position, but not as good as the two players above him. The biggest risk for him is that he seemed to be truly sad about Tomica being voted out and that might give him some heat. His reaction also means he's less likely to be chosen for recruitment.
2. Shane Beatty (Last Week: 1)
Shane moves down the list just slightly because he's the one who saved Victor with the Power of the Pardon. As a result, he gets bumped up a bit in terms of being someone the Traitors could murder. However, I can't lower him down because I also think he's a prime target to be recruited once Joe is gone.
1. Ben McDonnell (Last Week: 2)
If Shane has to move down, Ben moves up. He seems like he's reading Faithful to the others, but not in a way that puts him in danger of being murdered. He's also insulated by The Dolls in a way that feels good for him. I also think he might be the #1 candidate to be recruited, and if you've heard me talk about The Traitors, you know it's the best position in the game.
