In true White Lotus fashion, the seeds of mystery were planted within minutes of the first episode of the most recent series. The highly-anticipated third season opened with a literal bang as shots were fired and guests began darting, ducking and diving for cover. Who died? We will soon find out, but that hasn't stopped anybody from hypothesising before the mystery is solved before our eyes.
As we stand at the half-way point of the current season — the finale airs on April 6, and we have four more episodes until we get there — the questions are mounting. What is Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins) doing in Thailand? How did he meet his partner, the bashful Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood)? What will become of Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs)? Will Gary-Greg ever be found out? And what exactly is going on with those three friends who love-hate each other? Above all: is anybody actually having a good time staying at The White Lotus? It's a wonder the place is still in business.
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Now that the series has once again made sleuths of us all, we polled team ELLE UK on their theories as to who meets their fateful demise in the current season of The White Lotus, and the answers, well, they speak for themselves.
Who dies in 'The White Lotus' season three?
Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey)
'All is quite obviously not all as it may seem for the Ratliff family who are reluctantly vacationing in Thailand, but the simmering tension of Timothy's dodgy business dealings feels like the greatest source of angst this season, and it's for that reason that I think he accidentally murders his wife, Victoria.
Stay with me here: while promoting the current season, cast members and Mike White himself, have called this season 'darker' than its predecessors, and what could be darker than a barbarous shoot-out at the end of the third season? Victoria's nauseating delineation of humans as 'decent' (see: moneyed) and, well, everybody else, feels like it could well be some kind of subtle foreshadowing. Is it that her husband, the fairest and most decent of all in her eyes, is actually a deceitful money launderer with a murderous streak? It certainly seems plausible to me, and we have just four more weeks to wait to see if my theory comes true.'
Naomi May, Deputy Digital Editor
Mook (Lalisa Manoban)
'I'm sorry to all the devoted Blinks out there, but I can't help but think that it might be Lisa's Mook that's the victim in the third series of The White Lotus. My theory doesn't come so much from the character's arc but from the casting of the megastar instead.
As a passionate follower of the genre (Death In Paradise on a Friday night is a weekly highlight!) I've come to learn it's always the most famous face that is either the murdered or the murderer. I don't think Mook is the killer because there's little intention or motivation thus far, which if I apply my learned rationale sadly points at her meeting her demise quite soon.'
Naomi Pike, Commissioning Editor
Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell)
'I can’t help but feel as though Belinda’s identification of Gary-Greg is going to result in a dramatic and dangerous confrontation later in the season (not to mention, the mysterious, lurking presence outside her hotel room).
Between her romantic sub-plot with Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul) and her son's appearance in the subsequent episodes, it's clear that there'll be plenty more in store for her this season than the most recent episodes are letting on.'
Katie Withington, Beauty Writer
'As soon it was announced series one’s Belinda was returning to The White Lotus (hasn’t she learned?), I knew it wasn’t going to end well for her. The internet has been yearning for Belinda to succeed following Tanya’s (RIP) betrayal, but I knew Mike White had other ideas.
The arrival of Greg-Gary to the hotel (again, hasn’t he learned?) has only cemented Belinda’s fate, and by episode three Belinda has started to piece together the puzzle of Tanya’s death, and Greg’s disappearance from Sicily. Throw in Belinda’s son who in the opening scene is wading through water to save his mum from the rogue shooter… it’s not looking good.'
Amy Brewster, Head of Social Media
Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong)
'Both previous deaths in The White Lotus have been accidental – in season one, Armond (Murray Bartlett), the hotel manager dies after being accidentally stabbed by Shane (Jake Lacy). In season two, Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) dies after falling over a railing in a yacht.
If season three were to follow a similar format, the death would have to be accidental as well. I feel like it’s somehow related to the gun the security guards got. I’ve seen some theories online that the monkeys did it, and as they’re known to steal things from tourists, it would only make sense they somehow got their hands onto the security guard’s gun. Does that then mean that Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) dies? It seems like a very plausible theory.'
Elli Lehtonen, SEO Manager
'Greg and Belinda’s simultaneous Google-search discoveries leave me feeling uneasy, but we’re rooting for the latter too much to lose her (she’s an OG, and we need vindication for Tanya’s murder).
My bet is on the adorable security guard Gaitok, whose unrequited love with Mook is leading him to make all the wrong decisions (the handgun is on the loose as I write this). Perhaps this way he will finally get the hero status he so craves.'
Abigail Southan, Senior Ecommerce Editor
Fabian (Christian Friedel)
'I am as plentiful in my TV theories as I am reliably completely and categorically wrong. So, as a superstitious person, I should say I think that my sweet babies Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and Chelsea will die, just because if I say it, they won’t (follow that logic if you can).
Honestly I don’t know what is going to happen, so it’s more a process of elimination. I’m trying to continue to trust in Mike White, so I don’t think it’ll be something obvious – a Gary-Greg (Jon Gries) death seems like it’d be too satisfying. And we know the rich and privileged tend to walk away without consequence back to their wealthy and miserable lives, so I think the Ratliffs will get out alive.
To me, as the multiple shots rang out it sounded like it was kicking off inside the hotel and there was some kind of shoot-out scenario – we know White Lotus managers never fare well (Armond was the death in season one, remember) and so maybe Fabian gets caught in a crossfire?
That’s all I’ve got. I’m stumped.'
Rhiannon Evans, Acting Digital Director
Gary-Greg (Jon Gries)
'I am hoping and praying that Gary-Greg finally gets killed off. God knows he deserves it – and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in some kind of altercation with Belinda that ends with her shooting him in self-defence.
But there were multiple gunshots in the first episode, so I also think that there will be a major shoot-out between the Russian/Thai mafia and the owners’ bodyguards, perhaps with Rick involved somehow or accidentally ending up in the middle.'
Clementina Jackson, Digital Fashion Editor
Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood)
'Since she has already pre-empted it by saying, ‘I have a bad feeling about this,’ in episode four, I think Chelsea, the astrology-inclined, spiritual seeker and devoted girlfriend of the surly and moody, Rick, might die this season.
The character has a premonition after experiencing two near fatal incidences (a robbery in the hotel and a snake bite shortly after), predicting that since bad things happen in threes, she may well have another brush with death — but with more permanent repercussions this time.'
Amelia Bell, Digital Beauty Editor
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Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
