‘The White Lotus’ Season 3, Episode 7 Recap: At Thailand’s The White Lotus resort, the tension has boiled over. In episode 7, “Killer Instincts,” there is violence going on below the surface, showing up as both physical fights and emotional betrayals. The episode is a tapestry of power struggles, self-destruction, and awakening as the guests deal with their pasts, their wants, and their fears. In the penultimate episode, the much-anticipated Muay Thai fights set the tone for scenes of raw aggression and shocking revelations. But who will come out of it unscathed and who will give up because of what they did?
MUAY THAI, VIOLENCE, AND SPIRITUALITY
At the beginning of the episode, Luang Por Teera talks to a group of excited young tourists. “Violence, aggression, and anger all come from the same place—fear,” he said in simple but powerful words. The wise words of this Buddhist monk are the perfect contrast to the violent events happening in other parts of the episode. There is a big difference between what Teera says about how violence hurts people spiritually and how intense the Muay Thai fights are. Fists clash, bodies collide, and the discipline of the sport is put on full display.
One of the guests, Rick, has spent decades seeking revenge for his father’s murder. He finally comes face to face with Jim Hollinger, the man he believes responsible. But the Jim he meets is not the cruel, powerful businessman from his nightmares. He is now a weak old man who needs a cane to get around. Rick has been planning a fight for 40 years, but all of a sudden, he has a crazy thought and tips over Jim’s chair instead of hitting him. The act is both sad and important. Not only is violence not the answer, but so is anger that isn’t dealt with.
FRANK’S DOWNWARD SPIRAL
While Rick (Walton Goggins) struggles with his moral dilemma, Frank (Sam Rockwell) starts to hurt himself in a different way. He indulges too much, and his act as a Hollywood director turns dark. What starts out as a harmless drink in Sritala’s courtyard turns into a night of drugs, drinking, and acting badly. It makes him feel a mix of longing and desire as he watches old videos of Sritala’s performances. Frank is crazy about himself and thinks he can change the things he did wrong in the past. His actions, on the other hand, suggest otherwise.
THE WHITE LOTUS SEASON 3 FINALE: WHAT TO EXPECT IN EPISODE 8 “AMOR FATI”
LOCHLAN FINDS PURPOSE AT THE MONASTERY
Lochlan/Lochy (Lochy (Sam Nivola))‘s story in this episode of The White Lotus shows him finding comfort in the monastery. At first, he wasn’t sure about it, but he grows to appreciate the monk’s teachings about nonviolence and self-improvement.
When Piper sneaks into his room to ask what he thinks, she’s surprised by his response. He tells her he loves it there and wants to spend a gap year with her at the monastery. He likes that the monk teaches people how to be better and avoid making life worse for others. Lochlan admits he doesn’t want to give in to his “dark side” anymore and, most importantly, doesn’t want to go home.
This shows how lost he feels, especially in his relationship with Saxon. He tried to please his brother but ended up pushing him away. Now, he’s doing the same with Piper, who doesn’t know how to respond and awkwardly leaves. His story highlights his struggle to figure out who he is and where he belongs.
CHELSEA, SAXON AND A STRANGE CONNECTION
Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) is getting antsy at Gary’s dinner party on Koh Samui. Her thoughts are only on where Rick is, and the conversations of the evening don’t help her feel better. Saxon, (Patrick Schwarzenegger) the honored but often clueless guest, tries to talk to her, and what starts as a heated argument turns into a surprise moment of connection. When Saxon says that Chelsea is seeing Rick for his money, Chelsea tells him the truth: she wants to heal him. Even she is shocked by the confession.
Later, Chelsea doesn’t want to date Saxon, but she does want to teach him how to meditate. As they sit across from each other and touch knees, Saxon’s usual confidence gives way to weakness. Chelsea doesn’t move away when he reaches for her hand. She gives him a book on self-improvement instead, which shows that she is becoming more interested in whether Saxon can really change.
VICTORIA’S MISSION TO SAVE PIPER
At the same time, Victoria (Parker Posey) is on her own mission to “save” Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) from what she sees as Teera’s cult-like devotion. Victoria’s actions are rude and unfiltered when she’s drunk. She asks Rupert’s Thai girlfriend direct questions because she thinks she is stuck with a rich and powerful man. Victoria doesn’t believe the woman when she says she is happy. Victoria’s crusade is well-meaning, but it doesn’t take into account other people’s feelings or cultures. This shows that Victoria can’t accept them.
BELINDA’S MORAL DILEMMA
One of the most poignant moments in the episode comes when Greg/Gary’s (Jon Gries) approaches Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) with an offer—$100,000 in hush money, supposedly in Tanya’s honor. He tells her that Tanya always regretted not opening a spa with Belinda and that this money is his way of making amends. To any outsider, it sounds like a trap. But the offer is both scary and tempting to Belinda, who is tired and needs a break badly.
When she asks her son Zion (Nicholas Duvernay) for advice, he tells her to “take the money and walk away.” But Belinda is afraid that taking the money would make her look like she is involved in a murder that she can’t prove happened. Belinda hesitates because she wants to do the right thing but also wants to protect herself. This choice may come back to haunt her.
TIM’S DESCENT INTO DARKNESS
Tim Ratliff keeps going downhill by taking Victoria’s benzos to dull his pain and thinking only about bad things. He is becoming more and more paranoid, and his worst thought is to kill his whole family. When Tim goes to get his gun, he finds that it is missing, which is a scary turn in the episode. He feels a rush of fear when he realizes what’s going on. Someone knows.
GAITOK’S DILEMMA AND A SHOWDOWN ON THE HORIZON
Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), the soft-spoken hotel worker, is having a hard time with his morals. His kindness goes against what he sees around him. Mook (Lalisa Manobal) tells him to be more aggressive and follow his instincts at the Muay Thai fights, but Gaitok doesn’t want to do that. He knows one of the fighters as Vlad, a member of the heist crew, though, and a different kind of fight starts. Gaitok knows that he has to deal with someone, but is he ready?
A NIGHT OF EXCESS, A WARNING OF CONSEQUENCES
When everyone gets back to the resort, things in the group keep changing. Laurie (Carrie Coon) finally loses it after taking insults from her so-called friends Leslie Bibb’s Kate and Monaghan’s Jaclyn. all night. She doesn’t want to deal with their judgment, so she leaves to find comfort somewhere else. She ends up at the boxing match, where she becomes very interested in the rough sport. The violence seems to wake her up and make her feel stronger.
When the episode ends, there is still a lot of in the air. Rick has decided not to get even, but Frank’s carelessness makes things very likely to go badly. Strange things are about to happen in Chelsea and Saxon’s relationship. Victoria’s well-meaning interference may have made Piper dislike Victoria for good. And Belinda’s choice is still up in the air.
With just one episode left, “Killer Instincts” builds up to a very dramatic ending. There are going to be betrayals, secrets coming out and violence (physical, emotional, or spiritual) at the door.
Watch out for the exciting end of Season 3 of The White Lotus. To get more recaps and information about your favorite shows, go to tvacute.com.
THE WHITE LOTUS SEASON 3: MEET SRITALA’S HUSBAND JIM HOLLINGER
THE WHITE LOTUS (DENIALS) RECAP: SEASON 3 EPISODE 6 EXPLAINED!
The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 7: Is Tanya really dead? Is Jennifer Coolidge leaving The White Lotus?
[Season Finale] The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: Who died? Ending Explained!
