Multiple people end up shocked and upset.

*The Traitors *winner(s) revealed in super tense finale: ‘You absolute a—hole’

Multiple people end up shocked and upset.

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

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February 26, 2026 9:00 p.m. ET

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Rob Rausch, Eric Nam, Maura Higgins, Mark Ballas, Johnny Weir, and Tara Lipinski on 'The Tritors'. Credit:

Sam McElwee/PEACOCK (6)

**Warning: This article contains spoilers about the season 4 finale of *The Traitors.***

*“Oh, dear God. I’m a fool. This is why I don’t trust anybody ever. Because they stab you in the goddamn back.”*

That was Maura Higgins after she realized she had blindly followed her fellow *Love Island* franchise-mate Rob Rausch all the way to the end of *The Traitors* season 4, handing him all the money, and leaving her heart-forming hands completely empty in a super tense and emotional finale.

And Maura was not the only shocked victim of Rob’s duplicity as the strategic mastermind who had been a Traitor since day 1 also cut loose a stunned Eric Nam — whom he had hand-picked and recruited to join him — at the very end, ensuring he got to keep the $220,800 prize pot all for himself.

Rob Rausch on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

Eric did not take it well. “If I had done that, I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself in that way,” he said to the camera. “It’s just a different line in the sand that we have. Money is great, but I think relationships are more important. And it doesn’t feel good.”

The episode began with Mark Ballas being murdered in front of the group and having to awkwardly lie down in a coffin surrounded by a ring of fire, because sure, why not? That left Rob, Eric, Maura, Johnny Weir. and Tara Lipinski as the final five, but it was pretty clear after Natalie Anderson was mistakenly banished that Eric and Rob (who had Maura wrapped around his finger) had a clear path to the very end.

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Sure enough, Johnny was eliminated at the next Roundtable, with Maura casting the deciding vote. Although the edit tried to show Maura as being conflicted and going back and forth on what to do, she clearly was in Rob’s pocket the entire way, and she continued to do his bidding at the Fire of Truth.

Eric Nam on 'The Traitors'.

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

First, Rob, Eric, and Maura chose to “Banish Again” and take out Tara. Little did Maura realize it, but at that point, her game was already lost. The only question left was how many Traitors would split the winnings. Unfortunately for Eric, Rob had no intention of sharing the pot. As he would say later, “Would you give $100,000 to someone you met three weeks ago? I wouldn’t.” (Harsh, but fair.)

After Rob joined Maura in choosing to Banish Again, Eric tried to appeal to Maura to look at what she had been missing: “You are wrong. You are so incredibly wrong. I want you to think about why you have never questioned the other player in this game.” It didn’t work, and Eric was eliminated.

Natalie Anderson felt 'bamboozled' by Tara Lipinski's 'Traitors' U-turn

Kristen Kish explains why Rob Rausch had her fooled on 'The Traitors': 'Rob had a plan'

Even with the game result finalized at this point, the anticipation to see how Maura would react to Rob’s betrayal was almost sky high, and the result matched the moment. Once Rob revealed his true identity as a Traitor and tried to explain how sorry he was, Maura was in a state of total shock. “Oh my God, I’m so stupid,” she said, almost in a daze. “I was so fooled by you. You absolute a--hole. You pinky promised! You’re a piece of work. I was so convinced. You’ve embarrassed me.”

Maura Higgins on 'The Traitors'.

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

When Rob attempted to defend himself, she cut him off: “Don’t speak. Please stop talking.” And then she went on the attack: “You’re never going to have a girlfriend after this. You’re such a good liar.”

She eventually struck a slightly more conciliatory tone, telling him, “I mean, fair play though. You know what, if I was a Traitor I would have done the same. No hard feelings.”

Maura’s final words to camera were short and sweet “Rob, youre a f---ng snake, but well done.”

Rob Rausch on 'The Traitors'.

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

That left Rob to celebrate alone with a bottle of champagne and host Alan Cumming, who asked the winner how long he thought it would take Maura to come around. “I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me, honestly,” Rob answered.

But the man who absolutely dominated the game from day 1 was still more than satisfied to prove people’s assumptions about him wrong. “People just see me as a dumb, hot person, but I’ve been a Traitor from day 1 And I won. Beat everyone… Now I just have to find a nice girl that hasn’t watched TV too much.”

Good luck with that!

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