After an agonising wait, season three of The White Lotus is finally here. And, with the first episode having now premiered, you can bet fans are already deep into the theories about what’s to come.
If the past two seasons have taught us anything, it’s that the hit HBO series is dripping with symbolism and subtle motifs.
The return of Tanya McQuoid tied seasons one and two together brilliantly, but given her dramatic death (RIP Tanya, you icon) fans now turn their focus to the return of season one character, Belinda, to see if this installment will be linked to the past in any way.
As we try to thread together the deeper meaning tying the characters and wider series together, these are the most compelling White Lotus season three theories.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
The White Lotus Theories
Greg V Belinda
Theories that Greg would return, given his somewhat open-ended storyline–having had his wife Tanya killed off for her money before disappearing–were popular well before his surprise season three return in episode one as a veritable LBH (loser back home, identifiable by his balding head).
While he didn’t utter a single word in the first episode, we’ve since learnt he’s living near The White Lotus resort with his girlfriend, Chloe (played by Charlotte Le Bon). Moreover, Chloe has revealed Greg has been feeding her lies about his ex-wife, Tanya, namely that she was mentally unwell and so depressed she walked into the ocean and never returned.
Thankfully, Belinda recognised Greg–or should we call him by his new name, Gary–and has begun digging into Tanya’s disappearance. After approaching him, to which he denied dating Tanya at all, Greg/Gary clearly knows Belinda is onto him, ultimately putting a target on her back. We know he isn’t above murder, after all.
The Three Monkeys
Another recurring theme in the series is the proverb of the three monkeys–hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil–deeply rooted in Japanese culture.
In eastern culture it suggests that people should avoid evil thoughts and deeds, but in western culture it has come to represent turning a blind eye to evil.
In season one, fans noted a bronze statue of the monkeys in Armond’s office, while season two was a little more subtle with a chained monkey spotted in the credits.
Fans pointed out a reference in the season three trailer which shows Saxon (Patrick Schwazenegger), Lochlan (Sam Nivola) and Piper (Sarah Hook) sitting on a boat; one wearing glasses so not to see, one wearing headphones as not to hear and one drinking as to cover their mouth.
The deeper meaning of this symbolism is yet to truly reveal itself but it definitely has fans intrigued thus far. Theories online have suggested that somehow the monkeys around the resort get hold of Gaitok’s gun (which is currently missing) and are responsible for this season’s death.
The Seven Deadly Sins
Theories about The White Lotus reflecting the seven deadly sins–Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Pride, Sloth, Envy, Wrath–have been rife since the show’s first season. While some have argued that each season a different character’s downfall is tied to one of the sins, others suggest each season’s overarching theme relates to one of the seven.
“The White Lotus Season 1 is about colonialism, and the takeover of things that do not belong to you for profit. Also called Greed,” One reddit user argues. “The White Lotus Season 2 focuses on the many sexual aspects of people’s lives, and how it affects them. This is called Lust.”
If so, which sin will represent season three? Some have already guessed it will be gluttony, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Who Dies In The White Lotus Season 3 Theories
From brief clips we’ve seen showing this season’s murder, there’s a few (read: very little) things we know about the person killed: they appear to have dark hair and it’s not Belinda’s son Zion, who we see in the same scene fleeing as the body bobs in the water.
Rick
Has Chelsea foreshadowed Rick’s demise already? We see her call out Rick’s secretive ways by simply pointing out his star sign – a Scorpio – but could it point to something more sinister? There’s a chance Rick’s determination to hunt down his father’s kill could lead to the end of his own life.
Belinda
As we mentioned above, Belinda’s suspicion over Greg’s involvement in Tanya’s murder could prove to be her undoing. If Greg is concerned of being tied to the murder plot (as he should be) then he may try to get rid of the last remaining tie to Tanya, which is Belinda. It may also explain Zion’s presence near the body and the dark hair.
Tim
Let’s face it, Tim screams most likely to be killed: he’s an uptight businessman who’s been revealed to be corrupt and possibly suicidal on his wife’s lorazepam. But, is that too obvious? It does feel strangely akin to the storyline of Armond in season one and we can’t imagine Mike White would be happy regurgitating played out tropes…
You can watch the new season of The White Lotus on BINGE.
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