The Season 3 finale of The Traitors, now streaming on Peacock, delivered a dramatic and intense conclusion to the season, filled with twists, betrayals, and shocking moments. The final five contestants—Britney Haynes, Dolores Catania, Dylan Efron, Gabby Windey, and Ivar Mountbatten—found themselves battling for the grand prize after a chaotic penultimate episode. The episode picked up where the previous one had left off, with the group still reeling from the tie between Danielle Reyes and Ivar during the last banishment ceremony. The tension was palpable as the group prepared to decide Danielle’s fate, marking the beginning of a series of explosive revelations and strategic moves.
At the center of the drama was Britney Haynes, a recruited Traitor who had grown particularly close to Danielle during the competition. Danielle, who had been a key player and an original Traitor, had recruited Britney into the group after turning on their fellow Traitor, Carolyn Wiger. This bond made Britney’s decision even more poignant as she stood at the roundtable, facing the weight of deciding whether to save Danielle or betray her. The votes were split, with Dylan and Gabby voting to banish Danielle, while Dolores opted to eliminate Ivar. The final decision rested with Britney, who ultimately chose to backstab her friend and ally, voting to banish Danielle. The moment was eerily reminiscent of their time together on Big Brother, where their relationship had also been marked by tension and competition. Danielle’s departure was met with shock, and as she left, she made sure to express her disbelief, simply stating, “Britney, wow.”
Danielle’s exit was followed by a candid interview where she opened up about her feelings. “I said I was going to come in this game and play for my family by any means necessary, and of course, I’m definitely a Traitor,” she declared, reflecting on her strategy and determination. However, she also admitted her regret and frustration, saying, “I feel stupid because I didn’t think Britney would be the nail in my coffin… I should have killed her!” Her words highlighted the complexity of alliances and betrayals in the game, as well as the emotional toll it takes on the players.
Following Danielle’s departure, Britney’s role as the Seer was revealed, giving her the power to uncover the true identity of one person in the house. She chose Gabby, and the next morning, she revealed to the group that Gabby was a Faithful, someone loyal to the group and not a Traitor. This revelation set off a chain reaction of suspicion and tension. Dylan, in particular, became wary of Britney, sensing that she might still be a threat. As the group approached the final roundtable, Britney anticipated that Dylan would target her and prepared to defend herself. The confrontation between the two became heated, with Britney attempting to shift the suspicion onto Dylan. However, her efforts were unsuccessful, and she was ultimately voted out by the group. Britney left without revealing her identity as a Traitor, leaving the final four—Dylan, Gabby, Dolores, and Ivar—to move forward to the Fire of Truth.
The Fire of Truth presented the final four with a critical decision: they could choose to end the game and split the prize money of $204,300 equally, assuming that all of them were Faithfuls. However, if there was a Traitor among them, that person would take the entire prize. Alternatively, if one person chose to continue the game and banish another, the entire group would have to follow suit. The stakes were high, but in a somewhat anticlimactic twist, all four players decided to end the game. This decision was historical, as it marked the first time in the U.S. version of The Traitors that the most Faithfuls had made it to the end and emerged victorious. Interestingly, this season had featured some of the most experienced players from shows like Survivor and Big Brother, yet none of them were able to outsmart the Faithfuls and claim the prize for themselves.
The finale’s conclusion left fans with mixed emotions. On one hand, the lack of drama in the final moments was unexpected, given the season’s otherwise intense gameplay. On the other hand, the victory of the Faithfuls was a testament to the power of loyalty and trust in a game dominated by deception and betrayal. The season as a whole had been a rollercoaster of alliances, blindsides, and strategic moves, making the ending all the more surprising. For the players, the experience was both rewarding and exhausting, as they navigated a web of lies and friendships to reach the end. For fans, the season provided endless entertainment, with memorable moments that will be talked about for a long time. As the curtain closed on Season 3 of The Traitors, it left everyone eager to see what the next season would bring.
