The White Lotus Season 3 Finale Subverts Expectations In The Most Egregious Ways

This post contains spoilers for "The White Lotus."

Amor Fati. It's a Latin phrase that loosely translates to "love of one's fate," where every occurrence — whether good, bad, or morally neutral — is accepted as is and even considered necessary. This philosophical idea, however, has more to do with human reactions to suffering, where radical acceptance is considered key to true freedom. A hollow mirage of this notion plays out in the "White Lotus" season 3 finale, which is quite literally titled "Amor Fati" due to the tragic nature of certain characters' fates. As with previous "White Lotus" season finales, unexpected deaths occur, some perpetrators get off scot-free, and a chunk of privileged, out-of-touch tourists return home forever changed. The only difference is that season 3 completely drops the ball while tying up its thematic threads, whose set-up was infinitely more interesting than the rushed, unsatisfying payoff towards the end.

But first, let's talk about those end-of-the-season deaths. Just when we think Rick (Walton Goggins) has successfully shed the chains of his past, the sudden arrival of Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn) in Thailand upends this short-lived sense of peace. In a subversion of expectations, Rick grabs Jim's gun and shoots him dead, with Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) getting caught in the crossfire and dying during the ensuing shootout. Yes, sweet, empathetic Chelsea, who has only ever been defined by her unconditional love for Rick all season, is shot dead due to tragic circumstances that have nothing to do with her. Rick, who has killed at least three people by now, is then shot by Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), whose jarring loss of innocence is perceived as an act of heroism by those around him.

The death of innocents or justice being thwarted aren't new concepts for "The White Lotus." However, the way these arcs are handled in season 3 feels rushed, with the suspension of disbelief doing some wildly heavy lifting to create a smokescreen of catharsis. However, there is no catharsis to be had here, and even the most bittersweet resolutions leave an unsavory aftertaste. Let's take a closer look at everything that happens in the finale.

Buddhism and eastern philosophy are at the heart of this season, woven into the cultural fabric of Thailand and its appeal as a tourist destination. The fact that affluent Western tourists often co-opt these religious and philosophical beliefs without nuance isn't new to season 3, as "The White Lotus" creator Mike White also explored this to an extent in season 1. Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) is an obvious example of this trope, as her seemingly sincere hunger for spiritual knowledge (which comes at the cost of worldly possessions) crumbles the moment she has to live in the monastery for a single day.

Piper's arc succeeds in driving the point home, as it proves once again that those with inordinate privilege are unable to sincerely engage with religious and philosophical tenets that are divorced from material comforts. The only person who internally experiences the concepts closest to Buddhist beliefs (death and rebirth) is Lochlan (Sam Nivola), who feels like he has seen god after escaping the jaws of death.

That said, the concepts of karmic retribution and forgiveness that have been a part of Rick's journey are interpreted in the most violent, uninspired ways. We learn that Rick's mother had pulled an Obi-Wan Kenobi by saying that Jim killed Rick's father, when the truth is that Jim is his father. By the time Rick learns this from Sritala, it is too late, making this plot contrivance feel even more frustrating in light of the number of bodies that pile up. Jim could've easily avoided all of this conflict by coming clean (he had ample chances to do it), but chose instead to shame Rick's mother and insult his own integrity. Amrita's (Shalini Peiris) wise words about Rick's ability to let go feel ironic now, as he ultimately chooses to be defined by violent rage and poor impulse control.

Then there's Chelsea, whose love for spirituality is as genuine as her heart. Her belief in astrology extends to her belief in fate, to the point that she even affirms the tenets of Amor Fati before the shootout. I'm sure there's much more to Chelsea than her visceral loyalty to Rick, who has been too wrapped up in his revenge schemes to treasure what's right in front of him. However, we rarely get to see much of Chelsea beyond her romantic notion of entwined destinies and her urge to heal the man she loves, which takes such a tragic, heartbreaking turn. No amount of yin-yang imagery and well-meaning romanticization negates the fact that Chelsea deserved a better fate than this.

Some aspects of the season 3 finale work out perfectly, if also somewhat ironically. The Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Kate (Leslie Bibb) storyline is perhaps the most satisfying, even if their climactic moment in the finale reeks of characteristic vapidity masquerading as sisterhood. Perhaps that is the point: I doubt that these women will change who they are, but this trip has brought them closer, as this friendship has stood the test of time despite being flawed and inconsistent. This arc is the closest to what can be called "wholesome," as everything else that happens in this episode is either bleak or bittersweet in a way that feels rather empty.

Indeed, there's a glaring lack of consequences in the world of "The White Lotus" — one that cannot always be explained away with the fact that the wealthy are immune to concepts like karma. Previous seasons' deaths were more accidental, but this particular season elected to indulge in deliberate violence with several casualties, which should undoubtedly invite legal scrutiny (even in a fictional setting). Moreover, there's an unsettling absence of empathy in the aftermath, even though everyone was in or near the hotel when the incident occurred. Neither Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) nor Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) seems bothered (or aware!) that Chelsea is dead, and there is no indication of general shock among the hotel staff or the guests after such a harrowing incident.

Even normally empathetic folks like Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) seem to gloss over these traumatic events. Speaking of which, Belinda turning down Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul) here surprisingly mirrors what Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) did to her in season 1. This is intentional, of course, but it evokes mixed feelings all the same. Turns out, money changes everyone, including those with a spine, blurring the line that once separated unscrupulous characters from the ones worth rooting for on the show. Then there's Greg (Jon Gries), who is last seen lounging in his Thailand mansion, now virtually untouchable after having committed fraud and attempted to kill his ex-wife.

But what about the Ratliffs? The three kids have changed just a tiny bit, yet there's little satisfaction to how this arc ends. This entire season was driven by Timothy's (Jason Isaacs) anxiety over his family's reaction to their impending financial ruin and legal problems, but we never get to see this moment. Instead, we simply get a wishy-washy statement about the family's ability to weather any storm, with Timothy looking longingly out at the ocean waves. This anticlimactic ambiguity makes it feel as if the Ratliffs are exempt from consequences, which will definitely not be the case when they return home.

In the end, the "White Lotus" season 3 finale leaves too many threads unresolved. (Did the whole robbery reveal actually have a point? Does Lochlan tell his mother and siblings about his near-death by poisoned smoothie?). But while the show can pretend these oversights are by design, one only has to look closer at the finale's flimsy, cynical foundation to recognize that's not the case. Much like the episode itself, it goes to show how quickly things can fall apart.

"The White Lotus" is streaming on Max.