Amor Fati

“Because amor fati…it means you have to embrace your fate, good or bad, whatever will be, will be. And at this point wer’re linked, so if a bad thing happens to you, it happens to me.” - Chelsea

After a week since the finale of season three of The White Lotus, I feel it’s finally appropriate to unpack and discuss not only the finale itself but also the season as a whole. For starters—and I know this might be an unpopular opinion—this has been my favorite season so far. I really enjoyed the first two, but I felt more drawn to the characters in season three, even though I also thought the plot moved a bit more slowly. The Thailand-based location wasn’t necessarily a driving factor in why I liked this season so much, but it definitely added important components to the plot that influenced my overall opinion.

Whenever I finish a movie, show, book, etc., I love entering the title into Google and scoping out the thousands, if not millions, of different opinions, perspectives, and theories on the medium. One particular article that resonated with me was about how the author believed that individuals who truly enjoy the layout, themes, and timing of The White Lotus are almost always avid readers. The rationale was that the show isn't formatted like most television shows currently streaming. For example, the pacing is quite slow, allowing viewers to really get to know and understand each character (which is especially important for TWL). There are hidden context clues and foreshadowing, and the main component—so much of the show is left up for interpretation.

The ambiguous nature of The White Lotus has proven to leave a lot of viewers annoyed, like they didn’t get the last bite of the complex dish Mike White served them weekly for two months.

I’m guilty to an extent here. I mean… I feel like everyone wanted to see what would happen to the Ratliff family once they got back to North Carolina! That being said, I think it’s absolutely genius on Mike White’s part that viewers only get to see what happens at the resort, leaving everything else up to interpretation, and making us question whether each character acts the same way when they’re not at a luxury resort.

The social commentary embedded into the show is also delivered in a digestible yet meticulous way, which I think is by far the most compelling part of the series. There are multiple individuals on my college campus who are going to be a carbon copy of Saxon in about 3–4 years.

Because I feel like I could write multiple pieces on The White Lotus, I decided to instead sum up all my thoughts by focusing on my two favorite characters from season 3: Chelsea and Saxon. I chose this pair for reasons I’ll get into shortly, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the rest of the cast (except maybe Gaitok). Jason Isaacs as Tim Ratliff, Parker Posey as Victoria Ratliff, Walton Goggins as Rick Hatchett, Carrie Coon as Laurie, and Sam Rockwell as Frank were also incredible—but I narrowed it down to just two, not only because of the complexity of each character, but also because of the standout performances by the actors themselves.

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My Standout Characters From The White Lotus Season 3

Chelsea

Chelsea — My Favorite Character by a Landslide!

Her kindness, wit, bubbly personality, and genuineness made her such a unique and magnetic presence this season. From the opening scene, I knew I was going to love Chelsea — just based on her outfit. Everything that followed only solidified that first impression. I truly do not think anyone could have encapsulated the beauty and complexity of Chelsea than Aimee Lou Wood.

Before I get into the details of Chelsea’s character, I first want to say how much I loved her relationship with Chloe, because I think it mirrors so many female friendships in real life. They quickly become friends, but don’t really dive into anything too deep. Of course, I know they had just met and were only vacationing at the same resort, but they still spent quite a bit of time together without ever truly getting to know each other, which I found interesting.

On a different note, both Chloe and Chelsea’s outfits were killer this season — which definitely kept my attention whenever they were on screen. Each of their personal style was a clever extension of their personalities.

Chelsea was a dynamic character who, in many ways, felt like the glue of the show, the one who connected so many people to each other. Even though she didn’t have a ton of screen time, I always felt her presence, whether it was when Rick was off with Frank wreaking havoc, or when Saxon was dealing with his family. She always lingered in the emotional atmosphere of the show, even in the final scenes after her death.

Speaking of Rick, her relationship with him was... interesting, almost like they were so incompatible that they just had to be together. If anything, Chelsea served as a grounding force for Rick, even if he was almost always too stubborn or emotionally closed-off to admit how much he valued her. But it’s important to acknowledge that her self-appointed role as the one “healing” Rick is what ultimately led to her unbearably tragic end.

“You’re not going to get rid of me that easy. If you kill me, I’ll follow you into the next life and the next. You’ll never get rid of me.” - Chelsea

Her perception of their relationship as yin and yang — where she saw herself as hope and Rick as pain — was compelling to watch unfold. It reflected her pure intentions, but I still think she was too attached to the idea of saving someone who was simply too far gone. In my opinion, she clung to spirituality and positivity as a way to shield herself from the depth of Rick’s trauma and emotional instability.

Their dynamic always kept me hooked, mostly because of Chelsea. Her overtly empathetic nature, while beautiful, ultimately became her downfall. And that’s what made her death so heartbreaking. Knowing her true personality and intentions made it so much harder to accept her fate.

Even though her death was heavily foreshadowed, my heart still sunk when I saw her lying on the ground. I think I speak for many when I say that this was the first death on The White Lotus that actually made me feel genuinely sad. Yes, Rick dying was also unfortunate, but dragging Chelsea down with him (literally) was not only a stroke of genius in terms of scene-writing —it was also incredibly hard to watch as an audience member.

The depiction of toxic relationships through Rick and Chelsea’s dynamic was powerful — not just compelling from a storytelling perspective, but deeply resonant in how it mirrors real-world situations. This element of realism was one of many this season that adds to near perfection of the show.

Chelsea will go down in history as one of the most profound characters in The White Lotus. Her authenticity, grace, and kindness cut through the show’s darker, more chaotic dynamics, leaving a lasting impact on both the characters around her and the audience watching. She elevated each and every second this season.

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Saxon Ratliff

When watching the first few episodes, I couldn’t have disliked Saxon more…his douchey, arrogant personality and preppy attire made me (and many other viewers) have very little interest in his character or his relevance to the plot. Of course, I think it’s only right to add that these feelings were all made possible by Patrick Schwarzenegger’s outstanding performance throughout the show, so much so that Maria Shriver (his mother) made sure to tell everyone online that Patrick is not like Saxon in real life… even if certain familial backgrounds align. Schwarzenegger is the epitome of a nepotism baby in the acting industry, but I’ll always give credit where it’s due — he killed this role.

“No, dad, I don’t have anything else but this. I don’t have any interests, I don’t have any hobbies, okay? If I’m not a success then I’m nothing, and I can’t handle being nothing.” - Saxon Ratliff

A particular scene that really stood out to me towards the end of the season was when he questioned his father about the phone calls he was receiving and his behavior, and then told him that he had no hobbies or interests — that his connection to his father’s job was “all” he had. He couldn’t handle being nothing. Not only was the acting superb in this scene, but it was also the first time I felt empathy toward his character. Not just because of what he was saying (because it was kind of pathetic), but how it was delivered by Schwarzenegger. A standout scene for me, for sure.

Thanks to Mike White’s brilliance, I thought it was insane how, by the end of the finale, Saxon was by far the most “normal” compared to his two siblings. The finale actually made me feel a lot of empathy toward him, as we finally got to see depth added to his character, especially through his relationship with Chelsea.

Speaking of Chelsea, I think Saxon’s relationship with her was my favorite dynamic in the show. At the start, he was obviously hitting on her and still acting pretty arrogant, but Chelsea immediately saw through all of that and was one of the first people to not enable his behavior, which was definitely an awakening of sorts for Saxon (I mean, she called him soulless to his face…). She ultimately helped him understand himself better. She lent him books to read and continued to be kind, but also real and honest when interacting with him.

The scene in the finale where Chelsea, Chloe, and Saxon are sitting on the beach — and Chelsea immediately sees Rick and runs to hug him — was especially powerful. The camera pans to Saxon’s blank face, where you can almost see the thousands of thoughts circling his mind. In my interpretation, by the end, Saxon saw Chelsea as a true friend who genuinely wanted the best for him (which I think is crucial, since Saxon is constantly seeking approval and support from his dad throughout the show). When he saw her run toward Rick, I think it might have simultaneously helped him understand what a real relationship looks like (even though Rick and Chelsea’s was definitely flawed) — and maybe realize he’s never felt that way about someone.

Chelsea changed Saxon, and he knew that by the end. I thought it was tasteful of White not to include any scenes of Saxon finding out about her death or involving him in those final moments…I truly think if Saxon had known any of that occurred, it would’ve taken a serious toll on him. The final scene of the Ratliff siblings was one of my favorites - mainly because of the shot of Saxon reading the book Chelsea gave to him before he left the resort.

One of the coolest parts about The White Lotus is that it puts its cast members on the map! So much exposure and attention, especially for non–A-list actors, which I hope makes its way to Schwarzenegger and Wood. I’m looking forward to seeing both of them in future roles!

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Thank you for reading!

- Lily