WIDM afterthought: this is the Mole of the Moles

Eight weeks ago, the WIDM engine was started. With former Moles and former candidates in the group, we immediately knew: this edition would be different from anything we had ever seen. With so much experience, it seemed logical that the Mole would be unmasked quickly. But nothing could be further from the truth. The suspicions went in all directions, and no one seemed truly innocent. This season deserves its own special place in the history books. And now, finally, the answer is here, the big revelation – and to be honest: we still need to recover a bit from it.

Did the prediction of the former WIDM winners hold true?

Do we still remember that task in the courtroom in episode 1? Former WIDM winners were tasked with identifying the Mole. If they did it correctly, another €2,000 would be deducted from the pot in the final. After extensive deliberation, Nathan was put forward, but that ultra-reliable athlete couldn't possibly be the Mole? Well, he didn't get a red screen either, so the big prediction remained alive. With a provisional final score of €7,340, we stood on the brink of something historic. Because if Nathan was indeed the Mole, he would make history with by far the lowest pot ever.

Just as the game began months ago in Portugal on the motorcycles, the finalists arrived now to finally give us that one answer. After a trip down memory lane that made everyone suspicious again, the moment was there: who steps forward? Meet the Mole of Moles — Nathan was (indeed) all along the great saboteur. The fellow candidates were visibly just as surprised as we were. So come on, Nathan: please tell us how you did this.

This is how the Mole sabotaged the game

Nathan flew to Portugal with a clear double plan: to maintain his image as the ideal candidate to stay under the radar, and to delay — a lot of delay. He got right to it. Discussing a bit longer with Sahil about which suitcases in task one were feasible? Nathan wasn't too concerned about the ticking clock. Even when gathering the port barrels, a pause could be taken. As the Mole, he was already busy enough.

Although he sometimes struggled to suppress his enthusiasm, Nathan increasingly got into the groove and dared to sabotage more noticeably. Throwing an orange here and there on the plantation? No problem, even while the rest was almost on top of him. In the swimming paradise, it became clear again how cleverly he played the game. Nathan consciously spoke in the plural, causing others to take multiple items — which then turned out to be worthless. Exactly how the Mole likes it.

And then the shining moment: rapper Nathan. It might have seemed like he was significantly boosting the pot with a long number and rapping away, but very little of that text was accurate. And with such an unknown song, hardly anyone noticed. Well, almost no one. For Merel, this was the turning point, the switch that ultimately earned her the win. Furthermore, no candidate ever voted for Nathan, not even with all that experience in the group. Hats off, little Mole.

When the Mole got a helping hand

Nathan absolutely deserves a deep bow as the Mole. But to be fair: sometimes luck was really on his side. Unknowingly, other candidates regularly did exactly what fit into his plan, allowing all the puzzle pieces to fall effortlessly into place. That the former WIDM winners pointed to Nathan was, of course, a gift in itself. That prior knowledge remained safely with the Mole. And that the barrel task was not fully understood also worked in his favor.

During the sightseeing ride in the tram, Loes sat down incorrectly, which meant Nathan didn't have to do anything here either. And although it got a bit tense, the group managed to shift the suspicions off him just in time during the fado lunch. Sahil also gave Anne-Marie just the right push not to open her envelope: goodbye €1,500, plan successful. Perhaps Nathan's biggest lucky moment? The catfight between Loes and Merel. It drew so much attention that the Mole could have done a somersault without being noticed. Well, even as a Mole, you sometimes just have to be a bit lucky — and that must have felt wonderful.

The very hidden clues to the Mole

A bit of luck here and there, a strong plan, and enough courage — then the Mole was still missing one ingredient: a bit of help from production. Because although we have unraveled quite a few hints by now, some ‘clues’ were very well hidden. Take the clothesline with former Moles from task 1. The four green hangers formed the letters S, T, I, and J. We would then have had to add an N for the last Mole, Stijn, to ultimately arrive at Nathan with that N. Sorry, but that's going a bit too far.

Nathan's conversation with Rik between the port barrels took place underground; and who lives there again? Exactly, a mole. That Ellie Lust wanted to drink a twenty-year-old port was also no coincidence: Nathan previously participated in the twentieth season of ‘Who is the Mole?’. And those trays full of pastel de nata? They had a coaster with the name of the Mole. Only we, of course, didn't get to see that. The fence in episode 4? Yes, also a hint. Just like the chemical formula in the classroom. So we did get that right; we're not that crazy, are we?.

The bottle of cola in the chemistry classroom, the football shirt on the wall at the fado lunch, or the title ‘Viervoeter’ during the karaoke cruise — everything ultimately pointed to Nathan as the Mole. But for that, you had to dig very deep. And let's be honest: the creators know exactly how to edit what we do and don't get to see. That Nathan emptied the entire pot, and not Merel or Loes as the montage made us believe, remained beautifully off-screen. Oh well, it shouldn't be too easy either. Difficult hints or not, Nathan has mainly ensured that he is now truly the Mole of Moles.

Now that the Mole is back above ground, our search is over. But fortunately not for long. At the end of February, the mole books can come out of the closet for the (somewhat delayed) regular season. I'm already blocking my calendar. Can't wait.

Photo credit: Joy Hansson