Unpacking the Biggest Bombshells From This Week’s ‘White Lotus’

Only two more episodes of The White Lotus left until we find out whose dead bodies are left in the beautiful waters of Sicily. In the lead-up to that revelation, we get some very interesting bombshells concerning some characters that only serve to complicate matters.

Spoilers for The White Lotus S2, E5 “That’s Amore”

Since finding that condom in the couch from Cameron and Ethan’s night in with sex workers, Harper has been carrying her justified bitterness around the entire episode. She gains some satisfaction by twisting the knife into both of the men while getting drunk and trying to mask her pain under sarcasm and the veneer of being “fun.” Yet, at the end of the night, she approaches Cameron’s wife Daphne and hints that something happened.

Actress Meghann Fahy has done an amazing job as Daphne. A character who also has her own anger and resentment, but has learned to live with it in a way that gives her pleasure. As the actors said in the behind-the-scenes “Unpacking” segment that followed the episode on HBO, Cameron and Daphne do love each other, but fidelity is not part of their marriage. While Harper is sitting distressed, Daphne tells her that she has a handsome trainer who she sees all the time with blond hair and big blue eyes. She goes to show Harper a picture, but it ends up being one of her kids. A subtle tell, but the message is clear that Cameron is not (likely) the father of Daphne’s children and this is her own personal revenge for his cheating.

Infidelity is the throughline of all the relationships in White Lotus this season. Dominic and his father talk about how Bert cheated on his wife with many women throughout their marriage, and that it left Dom’s mother bitter and unhappy. Yet she stayed. When Bert asks why she stayed then, he can simplify it as just love. Considering his age, the audience can infer it was probably faith, societal expectations, and maybe even some love. Or she found comfort in arms outside of her home.

Then we have the bigger twist. Last week we were properly introduced to the Essex hot boy with tender nips named Jack who was claimed by the fancy European gays, led by Quentin, as Quentin’s nephew. Jack has been off sexing it up with Portia and not paying for food because he “forgot” his wallet at home. Classic f-boy behavior. When he and Portia return home from a night of fun, Jack says he needs to help his uncle with something. Tanya hears noises at night and heads into a bedroom where she sees Jack having sex with Quentin.

Now, unless HBO is going full-on with the “it’s okay to sex your uncle” theme following House of the Dragon, I think we can infer that Jack is actually not Quentin’s nephew. He is a sex worker who is into all genders. Which is pretty dope. Of course the question is why is it a secret? Everyone has already guessed that Quentin and his group are pulling a scam, but why does that include hiding Jack’s true purpose on the trip?

Right now, if I was going to guess who was marked for death, I’d say it is most likely Ethan and Albie or Dominic. Ethan because I think that someone from their group is going to die and if it were Cameron, then Daphne would have had a different reaction when she found the body in the season premiere’s cold open. Albie because with the introduction of Lucia maybe having a pimp, it puts him in danger. As for Dominic, I think he is looking for atonement and seeing it constantly so out of reach might push him to extremes. But that’s just my theory.

What did you think of “That’s Amore” and who do you think is going to die?

(image: HBO)