“Bad luck comes in threes.”
That ominous little nugget of superstition in The White Lotus comes courtesy of Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) in Episode 6, as she warns Rick (Walton Goggins) about lingering in Bangkok for a third day, fearing that his plans to confront the hotel owner’s husband will go awry.
It’s a classic superstition, one that’s usually relegated to the dustbin of old wives’ tales. In any other show, this would be a throwaway line, a red herring meant to throw viewers off the scent of the trail. But this is The White Lotus, which means anything and everything could mean something. As a result, fans are spiraling, spotting threes everywhere in Season 3 (!).
Have they cracked Mike White’s genius code, or are they just seeing patterns where there are none?
We will let you be the judge of that.
The Russians
There are many trios in the show—the three Ratliff siblings, the three rich white ladies, and finally, the three Russians: Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius), the hot hotel spa worker, and his recently introduced buddies, Aleksei (Julian Kostov) and Vlad (Yuri Kolokolnikov).
Out of all the trios of characters listed, fans are pinning their suspicion on the Russians being behind the shooting teased at the beginning of Episode 1. There’s some evidence to back up this theory, as some may remember Valentin distracting Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), the hotel’s innocent security guard, back in Episode 2, which allowed the robber to come into the resort and steal from the spa’s gift shop.
The Rich White Ladies
The three blonde divas in this season, Kate (Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan, are without a doubt many viewers’ favorite characters. They’re dysfunctional, passive-aggressive, and love to s***-talk, but at the end of the day, they all love each other (women after my own heart).
It’s perhaps because of their status as beloved characters that fans are beginning to think the reference to “bad luck comes in threes” means that these women might not be making their return flights from Thailand. Importantly, they are also the three characters who have spent the most time with the Russians, who are, as mentioned, the prime suspects in The White Lotus fandom.
The Ratliff Siblings
Another popular theory amongst viewers is that one or all three of the Ratliff siblings will end up dead. There is the oldest, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), the gymcel frat bro of the family. Next in line is Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), the middle child who wants nothing to do with her family’s business expectations. And finally, Lochlan (Sam Nivola), the youngest sibling, who viewers recently renamed “Freaklan” after the incest scene on the yacht during Episode 6.
Although it seems more likely that if the siblings are going to die, it will be at the hands of their father, Tim (Jason Isaacs), as he has been spiraling ever since he learned the FBI found out about his involvement in a fraud/embezzlement case from a few years ago.
Chelsea Almost Died Twice
In Episode 2, Chelsea “almost dies” after a robber holds her up at gunpoint in the resort’s gift shop. Then, Chelsea escapes death again in Episode 3, a very high Rick releases a bunch of poisonous snakes, causing one of them to bite Chelsea.
That’s two times now that Chelsea almost died. Did she just predict her own death? Or is it a misdirect?
Only time will tell.
Three Guns
Viewers couldn’t help but point out that the show has three guns. The first gun shown was in Episode 2 when the masked person robbed the gift shop. The second gun is Gaitok’s, introduced during Episode 5. And finally, the third gun is Rick’s, who gets it from his friend Frank (Sam Rockwell).
Although it is too soon to tell what damage the three guns will cause, one or more of them will likely be responsible for the shooting teased in the first episode.
The Three Monkeys
There’s some monkey business going on at Thailand’s White Lotus resort, and fans are sure these animals might foreshadow the demise of some of their favorite characters.
When the Ratliff family is on the boat that takes them to the resort at the show’s beginning, fans couldn’t help but point out that the three siblings mirror the proverb: “see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil.”
This principle might be a reference to the Japanese pictorial maxim that depicts three wise monkeys. The first monkey covers its eyes; therefore, it “does not see.” The second monkey covers its ears; therefore, it “does not hear.” And the third monkey covers its mouth; therefore, it “cannot speak.”
The proverb has two different meanings depending on where you live. In Eastern Buddhist tradition, it typically refers to avoiding evil thoughts and actions. In Western tradition, people understand it as turning a blind eye to evil, meaning choosing to remain ignorant.
Given the show’s consistent commentary on the corrupting nature of wealth, people are leaning more toward the vacationers representing the Western understanding of the principle.
Does Bad Luck Come in Threes?
Whether Chelsea’s warning about “bad luck comes in threes” is a misdirect or not, one thing is for sure: the number is inescapable this season.
