Rick, played by Walton Goggins, awaits his fate in the season finale of White Lotus. (Courtesy of the Associated Press)
Caution: this review contains spoilers.
“Bad things usually come in threes.” Who would have thought that Chelsea’s superstitions would come to fruition in Episode 8 of the Season 3 culmination of “The White Lotus?”
With the finale under our belt, we can review the show with a fresh perspective, and we’ll find that clues were hidden everywhere. From the pong-pong fruit, Saxton’s blender, Chelsea’s “Stay Gold” necklace, Mike White left subtle bread crumbs for viewers to follow.
From the beginning of Episode 1, threes are scattered throughout the plot. Starting with the image of Ratcliff kids on the boat — Saxton with sunglasses, Piper with headphones and Lochlan sipping a drink — which was meant to be representative of the Japanese maxim: see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil.
The connotation is that Saxton, although closest to the fraudulent business conducted by his father — being the only child who works with him — remains oblivious to any illicit activity. Piper, the only child who recognizes how out-of-touch her family is, chooses to try and tune them out. Lochlan, the most observant, would rather go with the flow than voice his own opinion.
In Episode 8, this portrayal is paralleled by another image of them on the boat. This time, Lochlan has taken the place of Saxton, wearing the same glasses his brother did. After all the things he witnessed this weekend, he has taken on the role of “see no evil.” Piper no longer wears headphones, as she has decided to join her messed-up family rather than run away. Saxton — enthralled in a novel — has decided to open himself up to a spiritual education rather than being all-knowing.
I would like to take a moment to examine the quote: “At this point in my life, I just don’t think that I was meant to live uncomfortably.” While dramatic, Peter Ratcliff may be the only person to read it as: let’s kill my entire family then — from, of course, the seeds of three fruits. Ironically enough, the only child he meant to survive was the one who came closest to death.
Back to the threes: The other noticeable one is the best friends reuniting for a girls’ trip. While there are some exceptions, if there’s one thing to take away from their vacation, it’s: two’s a party, three’s a crowd. For the first few episodes, we watch as two women bond over a flaw of the third and then watch as it subsequently happens to them the following evening.
The tension within this three woman show came to a head when they banded with, of course, three Russian men. While the crew spends one fun — however concerning — evening together, their true intentions are soon after revealed and Chelsea’s superstitions are, once again, reaffirmed.
Finally, the most shocking three come at the end of the finale when Rick starts a shoot-out that kills his father, his girlfriend and himself. After his season-long search for the man he claims ruined his life, Rick accidentally reunites with his father instead. While Jim Hollinger is responsible for abandoning his son, Rick’s unsatisfying life and ultimate death can be pinned on no one but himself. While he was searching for the love he never received as a child, he was unable to see the love he was receiving as an adult.
While it was speculated that Belinda would be one of the dead after her son’s panic in the opening shots of Episode 1, she walked out of the resort better off than anyone else. After two seasons of sacrifice and disappointment, it’s nice to see her get a win.
The most praised dialogue comes at dinner with Laurie, Jacklyn and Kate, when Laurie’s honesty is what breaks the superficial curtain of the group and brings them closer together. While Jacklyn and Kate reminisce on the successful trip, Kate is the only one to point out the reality of how it’s been for her. Her epiphany, “I don’t need religion or God to give my life meaning. Time gives it meaning,” demonstrates a transformation that neither of her friends endured over the week. In ending her speech with, “I’m glad you have a beautiful face, and I’m glad you have a beautiful life. I’m just happy to be at the table,” she is forsaking the competitive cycle they’ve found themselves in and choosing to accept her friends as they are. Still, I plead with Laurie to rethink these relationships when she returns to New York.
While everything wraps together nicely, the one thing out of place is Mook’s flat character. Being one of the biggest stars in the show — known as Lisa, a K-pop sensation — her single storyline is out of place in the whirlwind of plot twists around her. The largest theory was that it would be revealed that she helped Valentin with the robbery. While this did not end up being the case, I predict that her appearance in seasons to come will give some depth to her inner story.