Fake scripts and unhinged theories: Everything you need to know before The White Lotus finale.

We are just days away from The White Lotus season three finale, and fan theories are in absolute overdrive.

But the creators aren't about to let spoilers ruin their hard work. In fact, they have gone to extreme lengths to keep the ending a secret.

In an interview with PEOPLE, executive producer David Bernad explained that he and fellow creator Mike White have implemented a backup plan to ensure nothing is revealed until the right moment.

"We have fake endings to the scripts," he told the publication. "We have six different endings — and we kind of distributed fake endings to people just in case someone leaked anything, and then we could say there's different fake endings."

Yep, even members of the crew have no clue how the show ~actually~ ends (a tactic Marvel should have, perhaps, used with Tom *spoiler* Holland in Spider-Man).

Bernad continued: "When we shot the ending scene, it's a locked-down set. So no one really has access to what we were shooting and there would be no non-White Lotus participants ever seeing what we're doing."

When filming began for the latest season, Bernad told PEOPLE that there were three secrets to keep: how it ends, Jon Gries' return, and Sam Rockwell's multi-episode arc.

He said that Gries was so committed to keeping the secret that at one stage, he even rode with the filming equipment instead of catching a flight, just to avoid being spotted.

Though, his cover was almost blown.

"We were shooting at the Four Seasons, a scene with Jon Gries, and there were people looking and filming from a room.

"[The crew] didn't know that what they were filming was sensitive, and I was really scared they were going to post it. So I had the hotel manager go and bring them over to the set and I kind of schmoozed them and got them on my side."

After inviting them to "hang on set", Bernad "casually" suggested the onlookers delete their videos.

"[We] were like, 'We got to make them part of the experience,' so that I could get them to delete all the footage they had," he recalled.

"They unknowingly didn't realise they were filming something that was very sensitive."

For the creator, The White Lotus is all about its slow build, culminating in an unforgettable ending. And tension has certainly been building this season. With each episode, fans have been collecting more and more clues as to how the finale will play out.

Thanks to a brief glimpse of a floating body in episode one, we know someone winds up dead (it wouldn't be The White Lotus without it, right?). And while theories are piling up as to the potential identity of both the deceased and the killer (including the now-debunked possibility of a monkey committing a fatal shooting), we've all been missing vital clues that are right in front of our faces.

Sneaky!

Watch The White Lotus trailer. Post continues after video.

If we've learnt anything from previous seasons, it's that no detail is there by accident. Everything in White's cleverly constructed world *means something*.

And that applies to the costume choices, too. In an interview with Dazed, the show's Emmy-nominated costume designer, Alex Bovaird, revealed that we should definitely be scanning the characters' outfits for clues.

"There are some Easter eggs in there. But no one's figured it out yet," she shared. "There is some foreshadowing this season. I've seen lots of red herrings online, though."

The sleuths of the internet (it's us, we're the sleuths), have been hard at work, looking into what the characters say and wear, and what it could signal about events yet to transpire.

Gaitok could meet a tragic demise.

Episode 7 of The White Lotus finally connected the dots on the mysterious boutique robbery from earlier in the season, and a few of the clues have potentially set up a tragic conclusion for our beloved security guard, Gaitok.

During a revealing conversation with Mook while on a date, Gaitok shared he wasn't getting a promotion. "Pee Lek thinks I'm soft. He says I don't have a killer instinct." Despite Mook's encouragement to prove himself, Gaitok admitted he doesn't have a fighting instinct.

"When they came to rob the hotel, I didn't want to fight... I think it's wrong," Gaitok confessed. "I never want to hurt people. I will never feel good about that."

During the Muay Thai boxing match, Gaitok recognized Vlad (the bald associate of Valentin) as the robbery's getaway driver. The revelation confirmed what many viewers had suspected: Valentin's group orchestrated the theft, deliberately distracting Gaitok.

The robbery mystery has been solved. Image: Binge.

The final episode will likely feature Gaitok's response to this discovery, and will probably be influenced by Mook's insistence that physical confrontation is sometimes necessary. "It's natural," she told him during the fight. "It's a part of life!"

People online are now speculating Gaitok will attempt some heroic act to impress Mook with potentially disastrous results.

"I'm thinking Gaitok gets wise to the robbers' plans and tries to play hero and a shootout ensues," one user wrote on Reddit, as another suggested he "tries to be a hero and is most likely the body floating in the water."

Another pointed to Gaitok's lack of skills using a gun. "He never used a gun, now he's being pressured to be more of a tough guy, even though he's not," wrote another.

The necklace theory.

TikTok user GrumpyGurl noticed an interesting detail when observing Chloe, the trophy girlfriend of Gary/Greg, in the aftermath of the infamous boat scene in episode six.

Accessorising her poolside outfit, she's wearing a necklace with a charm that looks like Maggie Simpson, the youngest child of America's favourite cartoon sitcom family.

@grrumpygurl

this show has me looking for easter eggs in every scene 👁️👄👁️ #whitelotus #hbo #fyp

♬ original sound - amanda

What does this have to do with a possible shooting, you ask? Diehard Simpsons fans will recall an episode of the show called 'Who Shot Mr Burns?', where it is ultimately revealed that it was Maggie Simpson who wielded the gun that accidentally shot Springfield's resident rich bald guy… A man who watches over the town from his evil power plant.

Could the necklace be a way of foreshadowing Chloe ultimately shooting Gary, the crooked, rich bald guy who looms over The White Lotus?

Compelling, no?

It's giving Mr Burns. Image: HBO.

Every season symbolises a different seven deadly sin.

There's been a lingering theory for a few years surrounding The White Lotus. Fans are suggesting that each season represents one of the seven deadly sins: Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Pride, Sloth, Envy and Wrath.

According to a Reddit theory, Season 1 represents Greed because it focuses on colonialism and exploitation. Characters like Shane exemplify this sin through their constant demands and entitlement, highlighting how wealth and privilege can lead to a disregard for others.

Season 2 explores Lust, delving into the sexual aspects of characters' lives. This season was heavy on sexual politics, infidelity, and the transactional nature of relationships. Characters like Lucia and Mia leveraged their sexuality for power, while others struggled with desire, monogamy (*cough cough* Cameron Sullivan aka Theo James) and validation.

Lucia and Mia on season 2 of The White Lotus. Image: Binge.

Fans speculate that the current seasons will follow this pattern, with Season 3 representing Gluttony (excessive comsumption of money, sex, power) or another sin like Pride.

All that said, creator Mike White has never confirmed the show is themed around the seven deadly sins. When writing the season, he said that the current season is about 'death' more than anything else.

"I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality," White told Variety in 2022.

Belinda will uncover the truth behind Tanya's death.

Belinda, who returned from Season 1, is one of the few people who can connect Greg to Tanya — this is important.

In Season 3, Episode 3, we find out that Tanya's death was incorrectly reported as a "suicide". In reality, Tanya died accidentally after killing Quentin and his associates who were trying to murder her as part of Greg's plot to kill her and inherit her fortune.

But according to the story Greg is peddling, Tanya was depressed and walked into the ocean, with only "a piece of her leg" being found. Sounds fake but okay!

Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya in The White Lotus. Image: Binge.

It's obvious that 'Gary' doesn't want to talk about Tanya because when Belinda confronted him, he pretended at first that he didn't recognise her and denied ever being married to Tanya.

This scene set up Belinda to uncover the truth about Tanya's death, Greg/Gary's true identity, and (potentially) bring justice for Tanya. In episode 7 we see that come to fruition, as Greg offers Belinda some of Tanya's money for her business venture, a barely disguised attempt to pay her off. When we left her, she was deciding whether or not to take the hush money.

Some fans theorise that Belinda might seek revenge, not just for Tanya's death, but for her own broken dreams as Greg appears to be living off Tanya's inherited wealth. If you cast your mind back to Season 1, Tanya promised Belinda she would fund her own spa before she abandoned their plans and pivoted her attention to Greg.

Belinda could potentially become the person who finally exposes Greg's crimes and brings justice for Tanya, perhaps finally funding her spa along the way.

An "overlooked" detail and an iconic quote.

There's another necklace theory doing the rounds, this one relating to Rick's girlfriend Chelsea, who's now had two run-ins with danger and fears she's about to face her third.

TikTok user TaraMariaGonzelez spotted a pendant Chelsea wears in several scenes which she thinks could be an "important overlooked detail". The $10k gold and diamond pendant necklace by FloLondon resembles a tarot card with the inscription "stay gold".

@taramariagonzalez

I don’t even want to speak this into existence but had to share #whitelotus #chelsea #hbo #thailand #theory #fashion #costumedesign #greenscreen

♬ original sound - Tara Gonzalez

The design is inspired by the novel The Outsiders, by S.E Hinton, and a sentence uttered by the character of Johnny Cade to Ponyboy Curtis.

In a now-iconic quote, Cade says, "Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold" right before his death.

Stay with us here, because it gets deeper.

This line is actually a reference to the Robert Frost poem, "Nothing Gold Can Stay", which is ultimately about the fleeting nature of beauty and innocence.

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Throughout the series, Chelsea has been carved out as a symbol of purity and optimism — standing by Rick despite his shifty behaviour and remaining true to herself while some frankly deplorable things happen around her (read: incest).

There's also been a running theme of Rick not really seeing what he has in front of him in Chelsea.

Could all this be pointing to his younger partner as the victim? It's a lot to pile onto a necklace, but it's not out of the question.

The White Lotus uniforms.

Monkeys have been a recurring theme this season, from literally swinging on trees above the guests to popping up on the staff's uniforms. And while Michelle Monaghan recently told media that it is not a monkey that commits the murder, we still think the symbolism has something to answer for.

The White Lotus staff, including Mook and the Ratliff family's butler Pam, are decked out in the "Monkey Business Shirt" by New York brand Tombolo, which feature a cheeky monkey under a palm tree.

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If you recall our first sighting of the Ratliff children on the boat trip over to the hotel, they were positioned in a way that referenced the 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' adage.

In the West, this saying refers to a lack of duty or moral responsibility — turning a blind eye, you might say.

The Ratliff children make their way to The White Lotus. Image: HBO.

Does this hint at the hotel staff being in on it all? There have been some theories around Mook's potential involvement in the plot to rob the hotel — with many suggesting she's being used as a decoy to lure smitten security guard Gaitok away from any, well, monkey business.

In Episode Seven, the glamorous Sritala wears an enamel monkey brooch by David Webb. Given she literally owns the hotel, we can't not make this connection.

She knows something.

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Belinda's new look.

While it feels too obvious that it's Belinda who ends up dead (thanks to Gary's not-so-subtle plotting to get her alone), there may still be some symbolism going on in her outfits.

When asked whether Belinda's wardrobe might hold clues as to her fate, the show's costume designer Alex Bovaird was tight-lipped.

"I could not possibly say. I plead the fifth," she told Dazed.

And in further scrutinising the returning character's outfits, we noticed something pretty uncanny.

During her initiation into the wellness centre, Belinda avoided wearing the staff uniform and instead being seen in brightly printed dresses and kaftans. Her outfits echo the styling of her late friend Tanya, who almost exclusively wore vivid floral kaftans, and met her untimely death in season two.

Is Belinda merely leaning into the resort vibes, or does channelling her friend's outfits mean something more?

Photographed by Fabio Lovino. Image: HBO Max.

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Jaclyn's Erewhon tote.

While this doesn't point to a clue about the murder, it's a fun fact worth including in an analysis of the fashion on the show.

Bovaird told Dazed it was actually Michelle Monaghan who suggested her character Jaclyn would bring an Erewhon tote to the resort.

Jaclyn carries an Erewhon tote while out and about in Thailand. Image: HBO.

If you're not across it, Erewhon is a cult LA grocery store beloved by famous people and the influencer set (otherwise known as the home of the $20 Hailey Bieber smoothie).

When Bovaird didn't have an Erewhon bag to-hand, Monaghan offered to purchase one and bring it to set. The tote is a way of showing Jaclyn's true nature and her obsession with image. She signals status through her choice of designer items with flashy logos: a Gucci logo bucket hat, Chanel logo wedges, and a splashy sequinned minidress covered in the word "Valentino".

As the plot progresses and we learn about Jaclyn's fear of ageing and becoming obsolete, and the shady ways she tries to reclaim power over those around her, her costumes really project her insecurities.

The identity of the dead body.

There are a few names being dropped. Belinda is top of the list as it was her son Zion who discovers the floating body in Episode 1. However, it's worth noting that Zion runs away from the body, which doesn't feel like something a son would do.

The other options are Timothy and Rick, two men who appear to be engaged in some sort of criminal activity which could be their undoing.

Read all the theories about the dead body here.

The identity of the murderer.

ICYMI: the first ep begins with Belinda's son Zion finding a dead body, which begs the question: who is the murderer?

There are a few options: Timothy and Rick are acting shifty so if their illegal activities happen to end in one of them murdering someone, it wouldn't be a huge shock.

Of course, there's Greg, who is capable of anything, and would go to extreme lengths to keep his secret and Tanya's fortune. Is he capable of murder? Well, he apparently planned Tanya's murder, so I'd say, hell yes.

And now, my favourite theory: the murderer is a monkey.

It would be classic The White Lotus for the murder to be a comedy of errors, so I wouldn't be shocked if it was one of the monkeys at the resort who accidentally fired a gun at someone.

But alas, The White Lotus actress Michelle Monaghan has poured cold water over that theory.

"The monkeys do the shooting? Man, y'all have lost it," Monaghan joked with InStyle when the popular internet theory came up.

"Spoiler alert, like, sorry, the monkeys don't do the shooting."

Well, that's case closed on the monkey theory.

Tune in on Monday to find out how The White Lotus turns out.

Feature Image: HBO/Binge.

This article was originally published on March 5, 2025, and has since been updated.