Another Survivor legend has fallen on Season 3 of The Traitors. “Boston Rob” Mariano’s traitorous reign came to a halt in Episode 7 after receiving the majority of votes at the roundtable. Rob’s elimination did not shock viewers who saw the writing on the wall after his takedown of Bob the Drag Queen in Episode 4.
His conviction in Bob’s Traitor status made a few Faithfuls question how he could be so sure. Wes Bergmann and Derrick Levasseur were among the first few to suspect Rob, but they weren’t able to convince their peers at the roundtable. Rob was successful at eliminating his accusers (Wes through banishment, Derrick through murder), but the theory lingered. Eventually, Rob’s sloppy gameplay caught up with him and he was banished.
The Survivor alum made a few grave mistakes in the castle. Here’s where he went wrong.
Boston Rob talked too much at the roundtable
Rob’s chattiness at the roundtables may have cost him the winning prize. The Boston native boldly decided to go after one of his fellow traitors at the roundtable to gain more control over the Turret. While turning on your own isn’t always a bad play, it has to be done very carefully.
Rob’s ally, Dylan Efron, had been unsuccessfully throwing out Bob the Drag Queen’s name for the last couple of roundtables. Since Dylan struggled to deliver a convincing speech, Rob took matters into his own hands. He presented such a compelling argument at the roundtable that even Bob’s closest allies turned on him. While Rob was successful at banishing his biggest competition, his grandiose speech put his game in grave danger. If he was smart, he would have coached Dylan on how to take down Bob rather than doing the dirty work himself. His confidence at the roundtable caught the eye of the Faithfuls, who theorized that the only way Rob could be sure Bob was a Traitor was if he was one myself.
Boston Rob’s ego was too big on The Traitors
Rob, like many Survivor players, has a big ego. He wanted to be in control of the Traitors Turret, which rubbed his teammates the wrong way. Carolyn Wiger and Danielle Reyes were not impressed with Rob tanking Bob’s game at the roundtable. The move caused his allies to distrust him and want him out of the game. His selfishness made it easy for them to flip on him. They voted him out with ease when his name was on the chopping block in Episode 7. They may have protected him if he spent more time nurturing his relationships with them. I think Dani and Carolyn knew Rob wanted the prize pot for himself, so they had little incentive to keep him around. It was better for their game if he was gone.
Boston Rob didn’t distance himself from his notorious reputation
Rob is known for being a cutthroat and manipulative player. He’s a Survivor legend for a reason. The CBS star’s entrance into the castle was met with whispers about his notorious reputation. It was kind of like when a beloved TV star makes an entrance on a sitcom and the audience erupts in applause. He was definitely treated like a star in the castle.
If he was smart, he would’ve tried to downplay tales of his brilliance at every turn, but he didn’t do that. Like Tony Vlachos, he couldn’t resist taking on a leadership position and puffing out his chest in the castle. He should’ve behaved like a sitting duck instead of a roaring lion. He did little to conceal his threat level, which I think may have been his biggest mistake. Rob should have known that all eyes would be on him when he entered the Traitors castle. He should’ve had enough sense to realize he should not be leading conversations at the roundtable but rather chiming in here and there when needed. He has no one to blame but himself for his downfall.
The Traitors is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF BOSTON ROB’S GAME? DO YOU THINK HIS ELIMINATION WAS HIS FAULT?
