I hate to admit it, but I’m one of those people who talks to other family members while watching TV shows. I swear I’m working on it, but I couldn’t help but say something during “The White Lotus” season 3 finale.
I’ll just warn you first that there are major spoilers ahead so only read on if you’ve watched the entire third season of “The White Lotus” or you have no plans to.
The problem with Rick
In episode 7, Rick (Walton Goggins) finally confronts Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn) in Bangkok, whom Rick blames for killing his father.
Although Rick has a gun, he decides not to use it and instead pushes Jim (who is older and uses a cane) over in his chair.
At the time, it seems like a small moral victory for Rick, and he acts as if there’s a weight that’s been lifted off his shoulders.
So, you’d think Rick wouldn’t stick around in Bangkok. After all, his girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) is waiting back at the resort in Thailand — the very resort that’s owned by Jim and his wife Sritala.
Plus, Rick had just escaped Jim and Sritala’s home, which they gained entry to under the false pretenses of casting Sritala in a movie, by running past the guards and lying to them that Jim fell.
So, what does Rick do after narrowly escaping on a boat? He decides to party with his friend Frank in Bangkok before heading back to the White Lotus.
Rick is clearly still not well mentally, but what happens next boggles the mind.
Time to go!
There’s a touching moment when Rick walks onto the beach after his confrontation with Jim. Chelsea runs up to Rick and jumps into his arms, and he seems truly happy for the first time during the whole season.
But instead of getting on the very next boat out or — you know, going anywhere else — Rick decides to stay and have dinner at the resort that’s owned by the very rich and very powerful person he just threatened to kill.
This is the point at which I turned to my wife and said, “Why the hell is he staying at the hotel? Get the hell out of there!”
It gets worse. Rick decides to stay the night at the resort with Chelsea. And yes, there’s another heart-warming moment at dinner where he says he wants to be together with Chelsea forever by uttering the words: “That’s the plan.”
But how could that possibly be the plan when you’re putting yourself and your forever partner in mortal danger?
This is where this particular plotline falls apart, despite an amazingly complex and sophisticated performance by Walton Goggins.
‘White Lotus’ fans speak out
It seems like I’m not alone in believing that Rick should have left the White Lotus resort much, much sooner.
Over on Reddit, there’s a thread about the season 3 finale, in which several people sound off about Rick’s insane decision to stay.
“Yeah, let’s go back to the hotel owned by the guy I pushed over in his home,” says one fan. And another jokingly says, “But first, donuts!”
But another commenter makes a good point.
“Everything [Rick] does is reckless, impulsive, and not thought out. I agree it’s not very believable to me either but at least his character is consistent I guess.”
That may be true. We’re talking about someone who earlier in the season decides to let a bunch of poisonous snakes out of their cages (though at the time he was in a drug-induced stupor).
The Rick we see at the end of the season seems a lot more lucid, but he’s still very much detached from reality and the consequences of his actions.
Amor fati
During their last dinner together, Chelsea utters the words to Rick that echo the title of the season 3 finale: “Amor fati.”
She explains its meaning: “You have to embrace your fate, good or bad. Whatever will be, will be.”
That fate winds up being Chelsea being caught in the crossfire of a gun battle between Rick and Jim’s security guards after Rick decides to take Jim’s gun and shoot him in front of other guests.
And, yes, there’s a weird “Star Wars” vibe when Rick learns Jim is his real father.
Rick himself is ultimately shot twice by security guard Gaitok while he’s trying to get away with Chelsea in his arms.
The two dead lovers fall into the water, and it’s an especially tragic fate for Chelsea. Her character deserved better, but as Chelsea herself says:
“At this point, we’re linked. Whatever happens to you, happens to me.”
It’s just a major shame that Rick did not understand that when he decided to ignore Chelsea’s well-being and act on his rage instead. And for me, it’s the only major flaw in an otherwise satisfying finale.
