The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 1 Ending Explained: Who The Most Likely Victim Is

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The White Lotus season 3, episode 1.

The White Lotus season 3, episode 1’s ending raises many interesting possibilities going forward, all centered around a mysterious victim. The White Lotus season 3’s cast, as per tends to be the case with each installment of the HBO show, is almost entirely new this time around. Rather than take place on the beaches of Hawaii or Sicily - the latter depicted in The White Lotus season 2’s ending - this entry switches to Thailand, with the titular hotel’s wellness center being the focus.

The White Lotus season 3’s story fits the same format as its predecessors, centering an unexplored mystery around disparate groups of people vacationing at the luxurious resort. Throughout The White Lotus season 3, episode 1, the deeper lives of the hotel’s guests are hinted at. First teased in The White Lotus season 3’s trailer, the guests will slowly unravel as their secrets are revealed, following the beloved format of the show while raising a new mystery. This time, The White Lotus season 3, episode 1 ends with a victim and many possible suspects.

What's Going On With Timothy's Shady Business & Sho-Kel?

Timothy Clearly Has Some Wrongdoings In His Past

Jason Isaacs imagery from The White Lotus.

One of the new groups of residents of the titular White Lotus in season 3, episode 1 is the Ratliff family. The patriarch of the Ratliffs is named Timothy, played by Jason Isaacs, who insists his family is visiting Thailand so that his daughter, Piper, can interview a nearby religious figure for her university studies. However, Timothy begins to face his own issues when he gets a call from a journalist asking him about previous work he has done with a man named Kenneth Nguyen and a company named Sho-Kel.

Timothy brushes off the inquisition by insisting that he has not spoken to Nguyen in a long time and that he is on holiday with his family, so he wishes to be left alone. That said, Timothy quickly called Nguyen and warns him of the questions, raising secrets about the true nature of Sho-Kel and Kenneth's links to the government of Brunei. Timothy later says to his family that he has some issues but that he will fix them, implying the Ratliff family wealth may have been ill-gained by the shrewd businessman and potentially spelling chaos for their Thailand getaway.

Why Is Rick Looking For Sritala's Husband?

Rick’s Business Seems Equally As Shady As Timothy’s

Walton Goggins as Rick in The White Lotus season 3 next to a phone showing a picture of Jim and Sritala

Another group of guests at the White Lotus in season 3, episode 1 is Walton Goggins’ Rick and his girlfriend Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood. It is quickly revealed that Rick is not the most admirable of people, with the character even confirming he is "not allowed to go to Australia." This implies he has had trouble with the law in other countries, which could link to his search for Jim Hollinger, the husband of Sritala, one of The White Lotus' owners in Thailand.

It seems as though Rick has business of his own to settle with Jim and potentially even Sritala. Rick was shown to be visibly angry when told Jim was in Bangkok, later revealing that he chose to come to the White Lotus in Thailand. Evidently, Rick needs Jim for something that seems just as shady as Timothy's connections to Sho-Kel, which could circle back to The White Lotus season 3, episode 1's opening scene involving gunshots and a dead body.

Saxon & Lochlan Ratliff's Weird Bedroom Scene Explained

Sibling Boundaries Seem Strangely Nonexistent

One of the weirder scenes in The White Lotus season 3, episode 1's ending comes in the form of two other Ratliff family members: Saxon and Lochlan. The two are shown sharing a bedroom, with the former insisting that the latter should not be like their sister, Piper. Beyond referring to his sister as "pretty hot," Saxon's outlook on life is quite strange, insisting that money, respect, and sexual fulfillment are all anyone could want in life. Saxon then implies he will masturbate by looking at pornography with his brother in the next bed.

Saxon eventually walks naked to the bathroom instead, with Lochlan staring intently at his brother. Lochlan does not look away until Saxon closes the door, with The White Lotus season 3, episode 1 not needing to spell out how strange these moments are. The nigh-on sexual tension between the three proves that the Ratliff siblings have a strange grasp on boundaries.

This is supported by earlier scenes in which Lachlan and Piper insist they want to share a room, which Saxton opposes due to them both being fully grown. Later, Saxon playfully wrestles with Piper as their mother states, "We're a normal family." While it is unclear what exactly the Ratliff siblings' almost nonexistent boundaries will lead to, it is clear that their upbringing has been somewhat strange, and will undoubtedly unravel further as The White Lotus season 3 continues.

Why Laurie Starts Crying While Watching Kate & Jaclyn

Laurie Feels Alone

Carrie Coon looking disturbed in The White Lotus season 3

One of the other groups receiving a focus in The White Lotus season 3, episode 1 are Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie. The three are described as childhood best friends who have somewhat dispersed since Jaclyn became famous. Nonetheless, they reunite for a wellness break at the titular resort, with their interactions being admittedly strained. Kate and Jaclyn often seem to compete with one another over every little thing, even going as far as to one-up each other with compliments.

Laurie states she is going to bed, watching the other two from her room before starting to cry...

This leads to a similar scene in The White Lotus season 3, episode 1's ending, which showcases Laurie as being somewhat of the odd one out. Jaclyn and Kate endlessly praise each other's lives, as Laurie sits aside and simply drinks her wine. The duo eventually turns to Laurie and praises her, but the compliments are notably less enthusiastic and less frequent. Laurie states she is going to bed, watching the other two from her room before starting to cry.

It seems as though Laurie is crying due to her feeling like a third wheel. Moreover, there are implications that Jaclyn and Kate are better off in life, be it of the former's fame or the latter's husband owning a big company. Laurie is simply described as impressive, as everything she does is so hard, with her daughter being referred to as "really cool." Clearly, Laurie's outburst is a result of her friends seeming as if they care more about each other as a duo than each of them as a trio, leaving her unfulfilled as a friend and person.

Who The Most Likely Victim Is After The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 1's Ending

The final major question after The White Lotus season 3, episode 1's ending is who the victim was in the premiere's obligatory flash-forward sequence. At this point, it is almost impossible to say, as several more episodes are yet to unravel the complex mysteries and secrets at the heart of the titular wellness center's guests. One possibility, though, is Belinda. Belinda is a returning character from The White Lotus season 1, visiting the Thailand branch for inspiration for her post as a massage therapist in the hotel's Hawaii resort.

It is Zion, Belinda's son, who is shown finding the body, making her the most likely prospective victim to make The White Lotus season 3's mystery truly heartbreaking. That said, Rick's shady business with Jim and Timothy's connection to dodgy dealings with Sho-Kel could come into play, as could their own antagonism between one another, not to mention the brewing conflict between Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie. As of The White Lotus season 3, episode 1's ending, the mystery remains as unclear as ever, with the show's future episodes promising an addicting story to piece together the puzzle.