Episode 5’s bloody fountain mission was a classic test of trust versus greed—and it probably cost Monét X Change her life.

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Here’s the simple setup: Players were split into groups of four. At each statue, there were four hidden shields. If every single shield stayed untouched, no murder could happen that night—everyone would be safe. But if even one person grabbed a shield for themselves, the murder would go ahead, and anyone without protection could die.

The groups talked it out. They agreed to leave the shields alone for the good of the team. But deep down, everyone worried: “What if someone else takes one anyway?” That doubt is the heart of the prisoner’s dilemma—trust sounds nice, but self-protection feels safer when you suspect betrayal.

We don’t know for sure what happened (Alan Cumming kept the result secret until the next breakfast). But Monét was murdered that night. That means at least one shield was taken. Someone chose themselves over the group, and that selfish move let the Traitors strike.

Why does this matter? The mission added $16,000 to the prize pot, which looks good on paper. But the real cost was vulnerability. If the whole castle had stayed united, Monét might still be in the game. Instead, greed (or fear) opened the door for her exit.

After the mission, paranoia grew fast. People started eyeing each other harder. Colton Underwood pushed hard on Lisa Rinna’s name in group talks. Ron Funches got blamed again. The Round Table exploded with Michael Rapaport’s attack on Colton, leading to Michael’s banishment.

This mission shows how The Traitors twists teamwork into suspicion. One quiet grab can change everything, and the players never know who broke the trust. It keeps everyone on edge, wondering: Was it the person next to me? Or someone in another group?

With Episode 6 coming January 22 on Peacock, we’ll finally learn the full truth. Did one selfish choice spark a chain of murders? Or will the reveal cause even bigger fights? Either way, the shield temptation proved once again: in this castle, trusting the group is a risk most players won’t take.