While Eurovision is itself a continent-wide phenomenon; in the last few years, another European series as taken the world by storm, the Dutch series De Verraders, better known abroad as The Traitors.
Based on the game of Mafia, the show starts with a set amount of contestants, in which two to four of them are selected as Traitors. Every night, the Traitors would “kill” one of the Faithful, of which they have to guess which which one of their fellow contestants is the Traitor. All the while, they compete in challenges to earn money for a prize pot; if all the Traitors are eliminated, then the prize pot is split amongst the remaining Faithful. But if even one Traitor is amongst the mix, then they claim all the money.
Expanding outside of Europe, the American version has garnered a following. While the first season mixed civilians and celebrities, the second season involved a full celebrity cast, and quickly became the most streamed show on Peacock. The British version has also garnered acclaim, thanks to the variety of contestants and the interactions between them.
But how would this year’s Eurovision class play the game?
Disclaimer: All observations are based off of speculation, and made out of jest.
Original Traitors (picked at the beginning of the game):
Don’t let the colorful outfits and the charming look fool you, because Nemo would surprise as a traitor. Just like how they transcend binaries and barriers alike, Nemo could slip into the role of a Traitor and find themselves under the radar. Because of their gentle nature, they would remain undetected until the end of the game, and surprise any Faithfuls should they try to end the game early.
Another person to look out for is Kenzy Loevett, the lead singer of Megara. Behind the magenta and black aesthetics and the witty persona, is somebody who could lead a group of people to “murder” her faithful contestants. Like with Nemo, she has a witty persona to keep her out of suspicion, which could result in some fun round table discussions!
With her stunning look and determination, Kaleen would be picked as a Traitor, so to throw the cast into a frenzy. Her dancing skills would help out in more physical challenges, allowing for more money. However, her energy, followed with her frequent desire to rave, would put her gameplay at risk, and end with her getting exposed at the Round Table.
The Faithful of the Faithful:
Both members of Electric Fields are here, because they have nothing but positive vibes to share with the whole group. However, due to their personas and sense of banter, both Michael and Zaachariaha are quick to be banished, not quite fitting in with the rest of the group.
Similarly the members of Ladavina bring mixed signals for the rest of the group. Jaklin is always cheerful and upbeat; with a good hint at how to make friends. Louis is a bit more introverted, but with how he manages to play multiple instruments, could be a quick learner in getting money and playing the social game.
With his friendly nature and his ability to rock it in challenges, Fahree would remain a faithful. The remaining contestants couldn’t find a better person to help out; his law education would be an advantage in trying to pursue any possible traitors, and keeping everybody’s suspicions of him at bay.
Slimane believes in the power of love to carry things through, fitting him squarely with the Faithful. However, his kindness would garner the Traitors’ attention, and therefore lead to a tragic demise.
Because of her ability to make friends, Marina Satti would be a worthy faithful, developing the social capital necessary to draw suspicion on potential traitors. While her song, “Zari” alludes to chance and letting the chips fall where they may, this doesn’t mean she would take the same approach on Traitor-hunting–once she has a suspect, she would go in at full force at the round table. Unfortunately, based on previous iterations of the show, it would not go well with the traitors, and would lead to an early murder.
One of the main contenders to win Eurovision, Baby Lasagna similarly would fit perfectly as one of the Faithful. His energy would translate well in challenges, and he has an ability to get other people on his side. His Eurovision journey saw him starting as the underdog for Dora, to one of the most popular acts from this year’s class.
Joost is a known troll in his performances, and yet would still make a decent faithful. His dedication to details could help him in finding the traitors, but one trajectory, and that means banishment.
Traitor Recruits:
Despite singing in the name of freedom in “Ulveham”, Gunnhild Sundli of Gåte hides a more vicious side, thanks to years of experience and cynicism. Getting the opportunity to become a traitor would allow her to tap into that, and play a more ruthless game. At the same time, amongst the recruits, she would hesitate on if she should join in.
At the beginning, Raiven would stay a faithful, because her aloof nature would give reason for the Traitors to accuse her of being a Traitor. Should that not work, and a Traitor goes out, the Traitors would work hard to get her into their orbit. She knows her way through the dark corridors of the castle, and how to take her sweet time on charming the other contestants to following her every move.
Mustii’s upbeat personality would bring enthusiasm to the rest of the group, which would be perfect Faithful by all means. But when the Traitors start looking for Faithful to replace them, Mustii would slip into the role like a glove. Like with Nemo, his playful personality hides a more sinister side, and the desire to make his move will fuel him for the rest of the game.
Wildcards (could go either way):
With their unique look and tendency to witchcraft, Bambie Thug could turn eyes either as a Faithful or a Traitor. As the former, they would stand out, which wouldn’t do well at the first round table when anything could set the rest of the contestants off. Yet knowing them beyond the surface, Bambie Thug would be a worthy ally. As a Traitor, on the other hand, their magic would shine, and they could blend in with the shadows.
Angelina Mango has the skills to play both sides–like her tune of her song, she’s playful and fun and easy to get along with. And yet, she’s precise in her songwriting and thoughtful in her actions. As a result, she can handle both roles, though she wouldn’t be the first pick for a Traitor to seduce.
Windows95man lives by no rules, and would be a chaos factor, no matter which faction he lands on.