The Traitors Season 4 heats up tonight with Episode 9 on Peacock, where a shocking recruitment just changed the game. One Traitor remains. Will new deception secure victory, or collapse everything the players believed?
🔥 Quick Facts
- Episode 9 Air Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Peacock
- New Traitor Revealed: Singer Eric Nam joins Rob Rausch in the turret after accepting ultimatum
- Episode Title: “Think Outside the Box” sets trap that backfires on Faithfuls
- Eliminations: Dorinda Medley murdered, Stephen Colletti banished, four players face jack-in-box peril
Rob Rausch’s Desperate Gamble Pays Off
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Rob Rausch, the lone Traitor after sacrificing Lisa Rinna and Candiace Dillard Bassett, faced elimination unless he recruited a Faithful. His target: Eric Nam, the R&B singer who instantly accepted the turret’s dark offer. Nam, visibly shaken, admitted in confessionals his overwhelming stress about maintaining the lie. Yet he seized the chance to work with Rausch for potential victory. The pair now controls the game with only three more Round Tables remaining. Their shortlist included Dorinda Medley, Natalie Anderson, and Stephen Colletti.
Both new allies know the odds favor them if they stay hidden. Nam’s nervousness, however, became visible to observant players, particularly Kristen Kish, who directly confronted him. The tension escalated when Kish began assembling suspicions against the disguised recruit.
Faithfuls Banish Wrong Player, Lose Momentum
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The Faithfuls initially targeted Johnny Weir, convinced he was the final Traitor paired with Tara Lipinski. But Tara publicly defended her Olympic co-host, and Weir deftly denied accusations during Round Table discussion. Meanwhile, Anderson and Kish shifted focus to Stephen Colletti, whose breakfast reactions seemed calculated. The voting split unpredictably.
When votes tallied, the Faithfuls eliminated Colletti, a Faithful who protested his innocence on the Circle of Truth. This marked only the second week the Faithfuls failed to correctly identify a Traitor, breaking their earlier momentum. Dillard Bassett’s earlier elimination of Rob now seems like a critical strategic error as he regrouped with Nam. The game shifted in the Traitors’ favor.
“Think Outside the Box” Mission Tests Traitor Ingenuity
| Detail | What Happened |
| Mission Challenge | Players enter boxes blindly, Traitors sneak out to guess answers |
| Traitor Strategy | Rausch and Nam chose Lipinski for every answer, blocking information |
| Prize Impact | Faithfuls won only $5,500 instead of $18,000 available |
| Final Question | Shortlist for murder chosen, Anderson, Weir, Lipinski, Kish selected |
Rausch’s masterstroke involved deliberately excluding himself and Nam from the murder shortlist. He assumed the Faithfuls would place Traitors in those vulnerable positions. Instead, he targeted Anderson, Weir, Lipinski, and Kish. The strategy worked, leaving only Faithfuls in danger. Host Alan Cumming later revealed that four players would face jack-in-the-box elimination next episode, each turning a handle that might unleash a Traitor’s face, resulting in instant murder.
“I’m sure I’ve put a lot of faith into some of you, Traitors. And you know what, I would have loved to have stayed on, but, you know, the queen’s got to get back to Bluestone Manor.”
— Dorinda Medley, eliminated Faithful
Hidden Friendships Exposed as Trust Crumbles
Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski shocked players by finally revealing their close friendship, hoping to strengthen credibility. They jointly defended each other, swearing blind loyalty. Yet Kish and Mark Ballas remained unconvinced, questioning whether the Olympic duo manipulated their friendship reveal. The strategy backfired slightly as suspicions lingered despite their combined testimony.
Lipinski defiantly told her doubters, “They picked the wrong girl to mess with their best friend,” showing competitive fire. But the damage to player trust was already done. Multiple alliances now question each other’s motivations entering the dangerous final stretch.
What’s Next for The Traitors Tonight and Beyond?
Episode 10 releases February 19 with jack-in-the-box murders determining which of the four vulnerable players survives. Rob Rausch and Eric Nam will choose who faces the mechanical killer. The season finale airs February 26 alongside a reunion special where remaining cast members debrief the betrayals. With only eight players left and two cunning Traitors controlling momentum, which allegiances will hold until the end?
Will Kristen Kish’s suspicion of Nam expose the secret before the finale? Can Rausch’s new partnership survive final Round Tables? Or will the Faithfuls finally banish another Traitor and reclaim the prize fund? Tune in tonight to witness the deception intensify.
Jessica Morrison is a seasoned entertainment writer with over a decade of experience covering television, film, and pop culture. After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.