The Traitors Season 2's Murder Game-Changer

The Traitors Are Being Challenged Like Never Before

The Traitors US season 2 episode 3 introduced a major plot twist for the traitors--murder in plain sight--and it's a true game-changer. During The Traitors season 2 premiere, host Alan Cumming chose Dan Gheesling and Phaedra Parks as the first two traitors. On the first night, they murdered Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio in the traditional manner of sending a letter via Alan to Johnny's room stating that he was eliminated from the game. They then had to recruit a third member, and they chose Parvati. The trio then murdered Marcus Jordan. However, on The Traitors season 2 episode 3, Alan revealed that the third murder would be a murder in plain sight.

Parvati Shallow The Traitors

There would be no secret meeting in the turret, but rather the traitors would have to carry out the diabolical deed by the end of the night, right in front of their fellow contestants, without getting caught. The traitors had to retrieve a poisoned chalice hidden in a set of Shakespeare's tragedies from the library, and then somehow get one of the faithfuls to drink from it, murdering them with a slow-acting poison. The traitors would not know when the poison would take its murderous effect. This twist is a game-changer that will make committing murder so much harder for the traitors.

Dan Gheesling in The Traitors promotional poster

This Traitors season 2 twist of having to murder a faithful in plain sight has never been seen before on the US version of the show. On season 1, all of the murders were carried out in the traditional manner. Therefore, there's no precedent for how this should be done. When the traitors read the letter informing them about their diabolical task, in their confessionals, Parvati said that it was 'dark,' while Phaedra admitted that the game was becoming 'very stressful.' Dan was worried about getting the chalice out of the library, but Parvati said that she thought that she could do it, and it was right up her alley.

Phaedra Parks in The Traitors US Season 2 Promotional Photo

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The Traitors Don't Have The Upperhand

For the first time in the game, the traitors don't have the upperhand when it comes to the faithfuls. Even though they'll be murdering someone, the fact that they could get caught or at least raise suspicions about themselves would put them at a major disadvantage. Although the contestants might not be expecting such a mind-blowing twist of murder in plain sight, any out-of-the-ordinary behavior from Dan, Parvati, or Phaedra could give their identities as traitors away. Dan was right when he said that the mission was 'so complicated.'

John Bercow in The Traitors US Season 2 promotional photo

Because it was so difficult for the traitors to meet in plain sight, Phaedra left the mission up to Parvati and Dan. The duo discussed possibly murdering John Bercow, but Dan pointed out that maybe they should get rid of a woman since the first two murders were men, and it might raise suspicions about Dan being a traitor. They wondered if murdering Mercedes 'MJ' Javid was too obvious after she called out Dan at the last round table and also voted for him to be banished.

MJ Javid The Traitors

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The Traitors Have To Make Split Second Decisions

Because it was so difficult for the traitors to meet in plain sight, Phaedra left the mission up to Parvati and Dan. The duo discussed possibly murdering John Bercow, but Dan pointed out that maybe they should get rid of a woman since the first two murders were men, and it might raise suspicions about Dan being a traitor. They wondered if murdering Mercedes 'MJ' Javid was too obvious after she called out Dan at the last round table and also voted for him to be banished. Parvati and Dan also considered murdering Shereé Whitfield, but Parvati thought that Phaedra would never let them do it. However, Dan said that Phaedra wouldn't have to defend Shereé if they decided to murder her without Phaedra's knowledge. Parvati worried that Phaedra would be angry if they murdered Shereé, but Dan reassured her that they could come up with a good reason why they did, such as the fact that she's so quiet, and they don't know what her next move will be. They settled on murdering either John, Shereé, or MJ. Dan said that Parvati would have to do it, and it was 'Black Widow time,' calling to mind the Survivor: Micronesia alliance, the Black Widow Brigade, which she founded.

Sheree Whitfield The Traitors

After Dan found the Shakespeare books and pointed them out to Parvati, she took the chalice out, and began her mission. She said that she felt like a 'full-on trained assassin,' and had 'zero adrenaline running' through her body. Parvati thought about who was the best target to complete the mission in the most nonchalant way in which she wouldn't be implicated in it. She brought the chalice into a room where John and Shereé were hanging out with some other contestants. Parvati became the bartender and wondered how she would ever get someone to drink out of the chalice.

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