We have less than a week to go before the big ending, so what happens in The White Lotus 3 final? We take a look at what some possibilities could be – as well as some insane fan theories making their way round the internet!
All we know for sure about the last episode of this season of The White Lotus is that at least one gun is going to be fired and at least one person ends up face down floating in the majestic ponds of the resort. But who is it going to be? And what is going to become of all of these crazy characters we’ve come to love and hate and be bewildered by?
Will Belinda take Greg/Gary’s hush money (one thing is for sure, if she does, she should definitely be asking for more)? What the heck is going to happen to the Ratcliff family? Will they be reunited with their phones only to discover that Tim’s off the hook and no longer in deep trouble? Will it already be too late for some of them? Will the three long time “friends” continue with their facade? Will Gaitok give in to what other’s want of him, or will he stay true to his morals? WILL PAM BE BACK? (we’re pretty darn sure of it – particularly because one of the times we interviewed Morgana she had just been filming in Thailand, had come back home for a while and was heading back to film more)
There’s oodles of possibilities as to what might be ahead of us, but here’s a look at 12 potential twists:
1. The Simpson’s Reference…
In episode six Chloe is on the boat, talking on her phone to Gary/Greg. It’s the morning after that evening at the full moon party. And, according to the internet, an accessory she is wearing gives away the final plot of The White Lotus…
See, eagle-eyed viewers saw that she is wearing a Maggie Simpson necklace. If you’re a fan of The Simpsons you’ll likely remember one of the biggest episodes – so big, it was a two parter: Who Shot Mr. Burns? Well, spoiler alert (even though this episode first screened exactly 30 YEARS AGO) but the person who shot Mr. Burns was none other than Maggie. Is this a subtle hint? Is Chloe the Maggie here, and Greg/Gary is Mr. Burns?
Plausibility rating: 4 Stars (We already know Chloe is rather ruthless – if push comes to shove, we definitely think she has it in her). Personally though, I’d be kind of disappointed if it’s Greg/Gary who dies. To me that all feels a bit neat for a White Lotus series.
2. What’s in a Name?
Nameberry in the States are dedicated to names – they help parents pick the perfect name for their children and call themselves the name experts. But what does this have to do with The White Lotus? Well, they’ve also started trying to predict what will happen in popular TV shows, based off the names of the characters. It might sound insane, but they got it pretty spot on for their Succession finale predictions.
Based off the origins of names and what has happened in history to people with these names, they’ve come to some conclusions and made these predictions before the final two episodes screened:
- The Russians are not who they say they are.
- Tim Ratcliff will accept the consequences of his actions but deny his guilt
- Saxon will kill Lochlan
- Rick Hatchett will attempt to kill Jim Hollinger but ultimately fail.
Wanna see how they got there? Watch this vid:
Plausibility rating: 4 Stars. Look, Nameberry already has a lot of this correct (the Russians was an obvious one though, no?). I’m not sold on Saxon killing Lochlan. My bet is Saxon actually becoming the one Ratcliff family who manages to become enlightened on this trip.
3. What’s in the Blender?
There’s been a lot of attention put on the blender that (our fave, obviously) Pam brought to the Ratcliff’s villa. Saxon’s been working that thing overtime making protein smoothies for him and Lochlan (although notably not the morning after that night out). In the very first episode the family asked about the interesting looking fruit that had fallen from the tree in their garden – which Pam let them know to stay away from, because it’s very poisonousness.
Could someone “accidentally” add one of the fruit to a smoothie? Could Saxon whip Lochlan up one last smoothie? Might someone else accidentally drink it instead?! Might Tim or Piper? OR, will Tim be the one behind the blender now that he no longer has a gun?!?
Plausibility factor: 3 stars. At this point, I hope this isn’t what happens. It would feel almost toooo obvious now? And, like I said earlier, my bet is that it’s Saxon who has a spiritual awakening this trip – the one who probably seemed the least capable of it on day one. If anyone is whipping up a poison smoothie, surely it’s Tim. Or, will we get a total plot twist and it’s Piper or Victoria behind it all?
4. Jumping to Conclusions?
One theory that really makes sense that’s doing the rounds is that there is a big shoot up at the end, which is really a case of too many different characters jumping to the wrong conclusion.
The theory goes that Belinda (or even her son?) might fear enough for her life that she’ll rat Greg/Gary out by contacting the local police or the American authorities or the Italians, or Interpol – whoever it is, they’ll turn up, guns ready to arrest Greg/Gary. Except, when the authorities turn up at The White Lotus, there’s actually a number of people who may think they’re there for them. Will Timothy assume he’s the one they’re after and put up a fight? Will Rick?! Will Valentin think it’s for him? Will someone else, who we didn’t even know was on the wrong side of the law?!
Things have definitely got trickier now for Rick though, given that he’s now had to run from Jim Hollinger/Sritila’s house. Can he even go back to The White Lotus in Koh Samui? They know he’s staying there. Will Sritila’s bodyguards be ready for him if/when he tries to return? Will a shoot-out happen then?!
Plausibility factor: 3 stars. I mean… it’s possible. But, this isn’t quite how we’re used to seeing White Lotus seasons wrap up. But could that be exactly what they’re going for this season?
5. Too Sweet?
Another fan favourite theory centers on Mook. She’s so sweet! So mild-mannered! But… are we been thrown off the scent here? Is it all an act? An act to distract Gaitok?
In the first episode we saw her talking to the shadier group of men, that Gaitok was not happy about. Is she a part of some sort of ring? Did they spot that Gaitok is easily distracted and not a great security guard – he seems like an easy person to target… particularly by a pretty, sweet young woman?
Did she try to persuade him that his job is a perfectly fine moral choice, to keep him in the job so that it’s easier for a group of people to get through the White Lotus gates?
Plausibility rating: 5 stars. This Mook/Gaitok storyline definitely seems off.
6. Nothing Gold Can Stay
Ok, it’s another necklace theory – and this time it involves Chelsea. Gorgeous and endearing Chelsea has won everyone’s heart this season, while she also has us all on edge after having not one, but two brushes with death. “Bad things come in threes,” she keeps ominously warning us. Lots of fans are worried that she might be the one who ends up dead in the end.
And now there’s a necklace theory to support it. In the first episode when Chelsea goes to the pool in a red bikini, she has a gold pendant necklace around her neck, which has turned up again a couple of times since. God knows where she – and Rick! – really get their money from, because this little piece of jewellery is a nearly $20k diamond LunaFlo London necklace. And it’s the inscription that has people worried: ‘Stay Gold’. Which is a tribute to the line, ‘Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay sold’ from Robert Frost’s poem Nothing Gold Can Stay. Is… Chelsea the body in the water?
Plausibility rating: 3 stars. I might have to eat my words here, but I don’t think Chelsea is going to be our dead body this season. Maybe because I too really don’t want it to be her. But, I also think this necklace is more likely talking about her relationship. Can her and Rick make it? Will hope or pain win next episode? Surely hope?!? The alternative is so depressing. Although honestly, I was kind of rooting for these two to work out, but now I’m not so sure I actually want them to. Maybe he’s had a bad week and this is very unusual for their relationship, but, Rick so far has been nothing but harsh to Chelsea. Would it kill him to pick up his phone when she calls?! Could she even find something spiritual with Saxon (who can believe we’re even thinking this is a possibility now?!?)? Perhaps Rick will redeem himself in the 11th hour though… maybe he’ll even save Chelsea by taking a bullet for her?
7. An old-fashioned showdown
Two guns – that we know of – have been in play this season. There’s the gun that Frank sourced for Rick, which he took with him to Bangkok. But that one’s now out of play, after Rick ditched it before their wild night out. The second gun is the one held in the security office – which Gaitok temporarily lost after Tim Ratcliff stole it. Now, it’s in the security office – and Gaitok’s possession. So, is it the gun used in the shooting we heard at the start of this series?
Now that Gaitok knows that Valentin was involved in the robbery – alongside his two friends, is this going to escalate? Will Gaitok have to make the choice as to whether to pull the trigger or not? Will it be Valentin on the other end of the gun?
Plausibility rating: 4 stars. It seems more than highly likely that Gaitok is going to be presented with a dilemma in the finale and will ultimately have to chose whether he has that killer instinct, whether he is prepared to turn his back on his morals, or stay true to who he is. Ultimately, could this decision cost him his life? Or his soul?
8. Another mark…
After Laurie hooked up with Aleksei, he swiftly began pressuring her into wiring him $10,000 to bring his mother to Thailand. Thankfully Laurie was saved from this awkward situation – but unfortunately for her, it was with an even more awkward scenario: his girlfriend turning up, leaving her to scramble out the window.
We’ve been left worried about what might happen to Laurie now, as she tries to make her way back to The White Lotus alone. But, is it Jaclyn who is more likely to be in trouble?
Was this Valentin’s motivation for sleeping with her? Jaclyn’s the one with the real money here – she’s the TV star who is footing the bill for all her friends. We know Valentin worked with his friends on the hotel robbery – so, has he already tried to get money from Jaclyn? Or is that still to come? Will Jaclyn be blackmailed with a sex tape?
Plausibility rating: 5 stars. Seriously, how likely is it that three criminals who are actively running a couple of cons aren’t going to try to take advantage of this situation?
9. The Power of Three
As mentioned in theory number six, Chelsea talks about how “bad things come in threes”, and, well, we certainly have plenty of evidence of that in this series.
If we look broader than three things happening to Chelsea, there are plenty of triads in The White Lotus. There’s the Russian three. There’s the three friends on the girls trip. There’s three Ratcliff siblings. There’s even the, gulp, threesome that took place between Saxon, Lochlan and Chloe. So… which three are going to be the ones who land most firmly in the spotlight? Surely, whoever it is, it doesn’t end well.
Plausibility rating: 5 stars. Something big is surely coming for one of the groups of three on this trip, that’s for sure.
10. Daddy Issues
There was so much build up to Rick finally squaring off with the man he believes killed his father. As we learned, he was 10 when his mother told him on her death bed that his father was killed before he was born by a man named Jim Hollinger. She told Rick that his father was a do-gooder who was in Thailand to help the local people save their land from a corrupt property developer.
When Rick finally came face to face with him, it went down a lot different to the way he had fantasized. Despite him having a gun in his jacket pocket, he didn’t end up using it, or even swinging a punch. Instead, he realised that this man he had built up in his head (who he holds responsible for ruining his whole life) is actually just a sad, frail old man.
But, is that the end of the story? Surely not. The obvious answer is that Jim Hollinger is actually Rick’s dad. They even look darn alike.
Plausibility rating: 4 stars. This seems so glaringly obvious. Which gives me a little bit of doubt about it being true.
11. Is it An Act?
A little fan favourite theory floating around the internet is that Victoria is not all she seems. She may come across as not really knowing what’s going on – unable to remember Kate when she comes over to remind them they once spent a weekend together at a mutual friend’s baby shower, and often oblivious to the fact her husband is having a complete breakdown.
But this theory goes that Victoria is a lot more cunning and conniving than that. In actual fact, she knows exactly what is going on and is the master manipulator. Does she really know everything about what’s going on with her husband? Is that why they’re in Thailand – did she use Piper’s desire to “interview a monk” to get the family there? To get away from things while her legal team (or perhaps a rich, powerful parent we hadn’t heard about yet?) sorts things out? To stay in Thailand and hide their money? To dispose of Tim?!?
Plausibility rating: 4 stars. Look. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a twist coming with Victoria. Might we see Victoria going to Gary/Greg to ask just how one might be able to be wanted by the police, but able to keep their fortune and live quite happily in Thailand? One of Mike White’s favourite shows is the Real Housewives franchise and those women are bonkers… so… anything is possible when it comes to what might happen next with Victoria. There’s also been plenty of snake motifs in this season (everything from tattoos to the stolen snake jewellery). Is Victoria the unexpected snake?!
12. A Bananas Ending
From the very first episode fans have been speculating that the gunshots ringing out in the first episode are actually down to…. a crazed monkey that steals the gun and starts accidentally (or, intentionally?) firing shots at random around the resort.
It’s bonkers, yes, but after the last two seasons ended with a bonkers, almost humorous death element to them, it’s not completely crazy.
We’ve also seen lots of references to monkeys this season. From the many cutaways to shots of monkeys in the trees, or in statues – they’re definitely around.
Perhaps the best monkey reference we’ve seen so far is this one.
In the first episode when we first meet everyone on the boat, we see the three Ratcliff’s like this:
Yip, that’s “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.
So, are monkeys about to start the shoot out?!
Plausibility rating: Unfortunately, I think this one is a 2 star possibility. Plus, one of the stars already denied it. Michelle Monaghan, who plays Jaclyn on the show, said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live: “You know, I’ve just got to debunk a theory out here. Guys, the monkeys did not do it! People have gone apeshit thinking that.”
She does however say that whatever we’re thinking, we’re going to be so suprised by this finale. She said, of getting all eight scripts:”I was on a plane, on a 15-hour flight, and I read all of them – [they were] just such page-turners, of course, just like the show. I was just as shocked at the end as everybody else will be shocked watching it. You have no idea – it’s the brilliance of Mike White. You have no idea what’s coming, it’s crazy.”
