Editor’s Note: The following are major spoilers for the White Lotus season 2 finale.
White Lotus it was something of a minor miracle when it debuted as a limited season in the summer of 2021; produced and conceived in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike White’s obsessive social satire was a rare ‘reach eating’ story that managed to add something new to the conversation. While White is certainly known for his comedic sensibility, he surprised viewers with his ability to evoke sympathy for his characters. White Lotus has become HBO’s new must-watch show due to prevalent theories about who will die before the series closes.
Although White Lotus intended as a standalone miniseries, the show’s popularity inspired White to return to the material the following season. With the exception of Tanya McQuoid-Hunt (Jennifer Coolidge) and her new husband Greg (John Grice), White Lotus: Sicily introduced an entirely new cast of characters. White again surprised his viewers by not traversing too much familiar territory; the Italian part of the series explores millennial culture, imperialism, workplace culture and gender dynamics in a new and interesting way.
Real Winner White Lotus: Sicily there was an audience; everyone who tuned in seemed to be in awe as the show continued to shock and surprise. However, some characters that fans have grown up with have met a more troubling fate than others.
Winner: Ethan and Harper
Judging by the latest episode “Abduction”, Ethan (Will Sharp) and Harper Spiller (Aubrey Plaza) were at a point of no return in their relationship. Harper seems convinced that Ethan cheated on her after a night out with Cameron Sullivan (Theo James), and he becomes upset at her refusal to acknowledge his innocence. However, in “Arrivederci” we see the couple emerge from their holiday with renewed vigor; they both have lingering doubts, but they have learned to appreciate and believe in each other like never before. Ethan stands up for his wife for the first time, and they are able to be together after their relationship has become stale.
Loser: Dominic
Dominic DiGrassoMichael Imperioli) ends his journey through Italy in the same way as he began; despite seemingly learning something about what he lost as a result of his infidelities, Dominic can’t help but revert to his old habits when he sees an attractive woman at the airport. It is assumed that his ex-wife (Laura Dern) does not want to forgive him, and he failed to earn the respect of his father Bert (F. Murray Abraham). Dominic learned just enough to be ashamed of, but he didn’t find the motivation to get better.
Winner: Daphne
While Daphne Sullivan (Megan Fahey) initially seemed like an ignorant aristocrat, but she turned out to be one of the most surprising characters of the season, judging by her comments to Ethan and Harper. Harper learns that Daphne has learned to play on her husband’s insecurities and successfully manipulated Cameron into giving her what she wants. Daphne acknowledges Cameron’s shortcomings, but is willing to accept them in order to benefit from it.
Loser: Tanya
Although Jennifer Coolidgethe acting is eccentric, Tanya is revealed to be a more dynamic character in the second season as she falls victim to her husband’s machinations. Tanya had her entire agency stolen from her; she thinks she may have found in Quentin someone who cares about her (Tom Hollander), but realizes too late that she was the victim of a scam. What’s even more heartbreaking is that Tanya has learned to take care of her assistant Portia (Hayley Lou Richardson), showing an empathy for the working class that she did not have in the first season. Unfortunately, Tanya meets a terrible fate before she can complete the full redemptive arc.
Winner: Lucia and Mia
In the world White Lotus, those who are able to sacrifice their emotions are able to deceive others and emerge victorious. Both Lucia (Simone Tabasco) and Mia (Beatrice Granno) flirt with a more ambitious future, but eventually realize that they are at their best when they have all the cards in their hands. In the last shot of the season, they stroll dignifiedly through the Italian landscape; they are not yet fully accustomed to this magnificent scenery and are able to appreciate it in a way that richer guests cannot.
Loser: Jack
Although it seems that Portia may have to pay the highest price for her romantic encounter with Jack (Leo Woodall), a young man claiming to be Quentin’s “nephew”, eventually surprises her and lets her go. Like Portia, Jack was a young and helpless victim who made the mistake of trusting the wrong people, and he simply begged her not to be as clueless as he was. While it’s good that Jack didn’t become a heartless killer, we know that his fate is unlikely to be happy when he goes on the run.
Winner: Bert
Bert watches as his son and grandson go through emotional crises, but it doesn’t bother him in the least. If there’s one wealthy character who has never been prosecuted throughout the entire season, it’s the senior statesman of the DiGrasso family. Bert passes off his sexism as a “family curse” and is simply so clueless that he doesn’t realize he was a thorn in the side of everyone he came across. The only real disappointment that Bert faces on the trip is a meeting with distant relatives, which he ends up passing off as a faded dream.
Loser: Cameron
Cameron, in fact, uses the vacation as an opportunity to indulge his own ego. Nothing is more important to him than domination, but he is finally brought to justice when Ethan beats him up in the pool. Cameron not only fails to get anyone to believe his arguments, but Harper provokes his complaints that people have become “too sensitive”. Given Daphne’s comments to Harper, it seems like Cameron’s colleagues are being ostracized for their abusive behavior, and it’s likely that he, too, will have to face the consequences when he gets home. Based on the final moments of the season, it’s clear that Daphne has power in their relationship; she would be willing to hang him up to dry if he was ever really threatened.
The first two seasons of the series White Lotus now available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: Collider
