This post contains spoilers for “The White Lotus.”
While “The White Lotus” has always revolved around entitled, out-of-touch tourists, there have always been glimmers of authenticity that humanize even the most flawed characters. Season 3 positions every arriving guest at The White Lotus, Thailand, as affluent, but the Ratliffs are presented as the pinnacle of wealth (and the bubble of ignorance that often comes with it). The irony lies in the gap between appearance and reality, as the Ratliffs are desperate to present themselves as the perfect familial unit, with the truth being far from it. There’s Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs) and his escalating anxiety/suicidal ideation after he has been legally exposed for committing fraud, and his wife Victoria (Parker Posey), who breezes through life with flippant condescension and her trusty doses of Lorazepam. These are hollow, vapid people with fixed ideas about the world, but these perspectives shatter once they’re placed in circumstances they would rather avoid.
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Their children — Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Lochlan (Sam Nivola), and Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) — have absorbed these mindsets to varying degrees but encounter their own challenges during the trip. Saxon and Lochlan’s arcs run parallel and culminate midway in a shocking twist, casting Piper in the mold of relative normalcy. Moreover, Piper is the only Ratliff sibling who appears measured and progressive, calling out Saxon’s casual misogyny and expressing distaste whenever Victoria launches into problematic rants. While these traits are not enough to gauge a character’s morality, Piper has always come off as authentic in her exploration of Buddhist philosophy. Between Saxon’s insecure defensiveness and Lochlan’s behavioral mirroring, Piper’s desire to live a life divorced from her privilege felt almost refreshing amidst the chaotic cocktail of season 3.
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The finale reveals that this perceived sincerity and authenticity is a lie, proving that she is, in fact, “spoilt,” as she calls herself. While not totally unexpected, Piper’s abrupt change of mind underlines a key theme that runs through the show. Without further ado, let’s dive into it.
Piper’s relationship with Eastern spirituality is as vapid as her core self
Due to the absolute bonkers nature of the Ratliff arc in general, Piper’s spiritual quest is easy to overlook at first. However, it quickly becomes the catalyst for several developments throughout season 3. The revelation that Piper lied about writing a thesis rattles Victoria, and she is appalled at the idea of her daughter following Buddhist teachings/values. Victoria’s fears are mostly rooted in ignorance and prejudice, but she is primarily worried that Piper will drift away from the values she and Timothy have instilled within her. This might’ve been a valid concern under traditional circumstances, but the Ratliffs are so removed from root-level issues and grounded emotionality that this outlook loops back into privileged entitlement.
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Moreover, Piper’s decision to live at the monastery inadvertently leads Timothy to equate death’s embrace with the Buddhist notions of peace/salvation, which he tries to (unsuccessfully) chase in recurring visions of murder-suicide that include his family. This obsession ends with a plan to kill everyone (minus Lochlan) with poisoned cocktails in the finale, but Timothy changes his mind at the last minute. Moreover, Lochlan’s decision to stay with Piper at the monastery adds to her eventual decision to not stay in Thailand, as she doesn’t want to be responsible for her brother’s whims while wrestling with the truth of her hypocritical core motivations.
So, what motivates Piper in the first place? Well, the finale makes it clear that her initial decision to visit Thailand was as abrupt as her decision to leave for good. Piper’s understanding of Buddhism and associated spirituality is solely through secondary sources (such as books and videos), making her lavish lifestyle twice-removed from the reality of spiritual asceticism. Keeping this in mind, it makes complete sense that Piper is put off by the lack of “organic good” at the monastery and perceives its modest lodgings as shabby and uncomfortable.
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Additionally, “The White Lotus” often satirizes how Western tourists try to co-opt Eastern practices for personal gain or development (the Sam Rockwell monologue captures this sentiment perfectly). In that vein, such affluent folks often confuse Eastern spirituality with a fantastical band-aid for fixing their problems, blissfully unaware that internal voids cannot be filled while deceiving oneself.
In short, Piper is so accustomed to a life of luxury that the prospect of choosing a reality where she needs to exist without such comforts immediately snaps her out of her delusion. In many ways, she’s just as vapid as her mother, even when she spends the entire season convincing us (and herself) that she’s not like the other Ratliffs.
“The White Lotus” is currently streaming on Max. Solana Token Creator
