The critically acclaimed black comedyThe White Lotushas concluded its second season, yet many of its plot threads remain untied and the fates of its colorful cast of characters are still to be determined. The show’s award-winning first season didn’t exactly wrap up all of its intertwining storylines with a neat bow either, and quickly established little interest in their further exploration.
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However, theSicily setsequel ramps up ambiguity by not only leaving pivotal scenes to the audience’s imagination but ending with a climax so dramatic yet unresolved that it’s hard to imagine series creator Mike White not devoting at least a portion of the next season’s screentime to shed some light on the aftermath of and people responsible for Tanya’s tragic demise. Here are ten questions viewers were left asking, some of which will hopefully be answered in the future and some that are likely to remain the subject of speculation.
9Will Portia Go To The Authorities?
Portia may not be absolutely sure of Tanya’s death by the time the season finale’s credits roll, but she’s guaranteed to discover her former employer has met a watery end as the sensational news that an heiress has suddenly died and in such peculiar circumstances is certain to make headlines. She’s currently the only main character with significant information surrounding Tanya’s death, information that would be vital to investigators.
Mike White has suggested that Portia could potentially keep what she knows to herself, in fear of invoking the wrath of the powers that Jack warned her about.
8Will Greg Be Implicated In The Deaths?
Tanya dies believing that Greg conspired with Quentin toplot her deathand obtain her massive fortune. Some evidence backs her theory, Greg has lost interest in her and a prenup has ensured that he won’t have any claim to her money if they divorce. Quentin is desperately in need of funding if he wants to continue his extravagant lifestyle and wistfully confesses that he once fell in love with an American “cowboy” that he would still do anything for before Tanya finds an old photo of him with a man bearing a striking resemblance to Greg, both men sporting cowboy hats.
It isn’t an ironclad hypothesis but there are a bit too many odd coincidences to not consider that Tanya was correct in her suspicions.
7Who Was Greg On The Phone With?
Even if Greg had no hand in Tanya’s death, his phone call to an unidentified person makes it clear that he has betrayed her in at least one regard. There’s no way to confirm who exactly Greg was speaking to and what it was regarding. He could be simply reassuring a secret lover that Tanya has no idea they’re having affair or more sinisterly, affirming that he’ll be able to successfully orchestrate her murder.
Quentin could possibly be the caller but it’s less probable given if the two are in cahoots, Greg is very likely the cowboy that Quentin fell for and acknowledges as being “heterosexual and completely uninterested”.
6Will The White Lotus Be Seriously Affected By The Deaths?
Like the preceding season,The White Lotus’s second chapter centers its opening and closing moments on a death surrounding the luxurious resort. Unlike before, the audience witnesses The White Lotus staff stressing over the potential repercussions the grim affair may reap upon their operations.
Although viewers may not feel attached to the resort itself, beautiful as it is, one struggles not to worry about the lives of the local employees whose livelihood depends on The White Lotus. Particularly Valentina, since her position as hotel manager makes her more likely to be scapegoated. Hopefully, as she argues in the opening scenes, the hotel won’t be vilified for events that transpired in the sea and not on its grounds.
5Will Valentina Move On From Mia?
As endearing as Valentina is, she’s got a weak spot for beautiful women and a tendency to hyper-fixate on the ones she falls for. Whilst her dalliance with Mia allows her to finally express her sexuality and helps her move on from her feelings for Isabella, it isn’t hard to imagine that Valentina has traded one unrequited love for another.
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Mia does openly declare to Valentina that their sexual relationship isn’t long-term and that they’ll find Valentina an actual lesbian lover, yet it’s obvious that Valentina remains enamored with her. Viewers will just have to cross their fingers that Valentina takes up Mia’s offer to go clubbing with her and Lucia.
4What Happened To The Rest Of Quentin’s Crew?
Tanya managed to get the upper hand on Quentin and his associates, shooting him, Didier, and Niccolo after becoming convinced that they plan to do her harm, yet there are still a few members of his team unaccounted for. Hugo jumped into the ocean to escape Tanya, swimming away from the yacht. Whether he made it to shore remains a mystery but it’s worth noting that the show never mentions the discovery of another body located in the water besides Tanya’s.
Matteo stayed behind at the villa, possibly unable to stomach Quentin’s plan given the tears he shed saying farewell to Tanya. The captain of the yacht, his part in the plan unknown, presumably is still alive after running away from Tanya and locking himself in a room. All three could potentially take the fallfor the deathsor point investigators toward the true mastermind.
3What Lies In Jack’s Past and Future?
Jack could be considered part of Quentin’s crew but the latter behaves more as a benefactor, though one who expects much in return for his assistance. Like Portia, Jack knows crucial info regarding Tanya’s death but it’s unlikely he’ll reveal anything freely even after Quentin’s demise considering he made no moves to stop Tanya’s murder and has vocalized fear for the people who planned it.
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Jack’s past is similarly veiled. He alludes to Portia that Quentin saved him during adark point in his life, a vague situation that was so awful remembering it incites the usually lighthearted man into criticizing Portia for her self-pity and lack of awareness of her own privilege.
2Did Lucia Have Any Real Feelings For Albie?
Many viewers feltbetrayed themselves, though perhaps not totally shocked when Lucia abandoned Albie the morning after he convinced his father to wire her fifty thousand euros. If leaving him to wake up alone and swindled wasn’t bad enough, the closing scene of the season additionally confirms that the threat of Alessio was completely fabricated.
The audience is left wondering if anything Lucia told or seemingly felt for Albie was a lie. It’s doubtful the two will show up again in the series but Lucia’s actress, Simona Tabasco, has stated that she believes Lucia genuinely loved Albie but prioritized her personal goals over pursuing a relationship with him. Her words offer a tiny shred of comfort to the disappointed shippers.
1What Transpired Between Daphne, Ethan, Cameron, and Harper?
The White Lotusunapologetically decided to keep the scenic stroll that Daphne and Ethan took and the tableside antics of Cameron and Harper off-camera, forcing the audience and other characters to remain in the dark about what really occurred behind closed doors and lush trees.
Mike White offers his own general ideas of what went on between the two couples but reiterates, a recurring theme surrounding the four’s vacation, that no one truly knows what another person has been up to. And in this case, not even their audience.
