Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus season three, episode seven.

It’s fight night on The White Lotus. The penultimate episode begins with the muay thai fight, Rick and Frank speaking with the Hollingers, and some ominous Buddhist teachings by Luang Por Teera.

“Remember this: Every one of us has the capacity to kill. Buddhist scripture condemns violence in every form,” the monk says over a montage of clips of characters preparing for the evening. “Violence, aggression, anger stem from same sauce: Fear. The only good faith response is to sit with your feelings. Violence does spiritual harm to victim and to perpetrator. Buddhists believe always nonviolence.”

A lecture on killing and violence stemming from fear? What a way to kick off the second-to-last episode of The White Lotus season three, in which the tension continues to build. As always, let’s break down what happened in the episode based on character group:

Timothy & Victoria

Victoria wasn’t a big presence in this episode. Fabio Lovino/HBO

Saxon, Victoria, and Timothy (who is still taking his wife’s lorazepams) head to Chloe’s fête. “Not the boat people!” Victoria says, before she agrees to join because she’s already “all dolled up.” At the party, Victoria is talking to one of the young women she met previously. “You’re young, you’re beautiful, why are you with this middle-aged weirdo? Does he have a lot of money?” she asks.

Saxon, finally, clocks that something is up with his dad and pulls him aside. “You can’t help,” Timothy tells his son. Saxon says his career is completely tied up in Timothy’s, “so if something bad is happening, it’s happening to both of us. And I’ll always be seen by everyone as Timothy Ratliff’s son, and I’m okay with that. I am, as long as everything at work is going good.”

He continues, in a rare vulnerable moment, “I don’t have anything else but this. I don’t have any interests, I don’t have any hobbies. If I’m not a success, then I’m nothing. And I can’t handle being nothing. I’ve put my whole life into this basket—into your basket, Dad. So if something’s up…” Despite multiple opportunities to tell his son the truth, Timothy doubles down that everything is all good. And, dare I say: This is a rare moment where the audience feels deeply sympathetic for Saxon.

Back in their room, Timothy (in a Duke t-shirt again; Duke is not going to be happy) and Victoria are in bed. “I’m praying for Piper to be miserable in that temple tonight. Maybe Jesus will save her from those Buddhists,” she tells her husband before going to sleep. Timothy gets out of bed, and stares at the cabinet where he hid the gun, thinking about his wife’s “uncomfortable life” and his son telling him “I can’t handle being nothing.” He fantasizes about killing his wife and son, and killing himself.

But when he seemingly goes to do the deed, the gun is gone. (Gaitok, of course, having found and reclaimed it.) A desperate and suicidal Timothy is setting up a worrisome ending to his storyline.

The Girls Trip

The night is not going well for these old friends. Fabio Lovino/HBO

After Jacyln and Laurie fought in the last episode, the tension between the trio is palpable as they arrive for dinner at the resort. (Side note: Fabien telling Kate he has “a lot of feelings” is such a great line.) Jaclyn confronts Laurie directly, asking why she’s so bothered. “It makes me not trust you,” Laurie replies, but soon Jaclyn and Kate start saying that it’s not about Valentin; rather, maybe she’s unhappy with her life and is taking it out on her friends. “If you always choose the short stick, is it bad luck? Are you life’s victim, or are you doing it to yourself?” Jaclyn says to Laurie. Kate adds that she’s always disappointed. Laurie loses it, calling Kate “fake” and Jaclyn “vain and selfish.”

She decides to go to the muay thai fight solo, and joins Valentin and his friends ringside. Back at the villa, Kate worries that Laurie isn’t responding to her texts, and wonders why Jaclyn doesn’t feel bad. “I’ll be the bad guy, I’m used to it,” Jaclyn says before heading to bed.

Meanwhile, Laurie is living her life, and goes home with Aleksi. At his apartment, they sleep together. He tells her it’s his dream to go to New York City, and that he’s overstayed his Thai visa, but he wants to get his mother from Vladisvostok. He needs $10,000, he tells Laurie, and begins to pressure her for the cash. (Watching this moment, I audibly said, “Oh no, Laurie.”) As his girlfriend (?) appears and begins banging on his door, Laurie darts away, and sees the snake choker that was stolen. She escapes out the window as Aleksi girlfriend begins slapping her. Laurie walks alone down an alley, gets in a taxi, but ominous music plays. Is she going to be okay?

Rick, Frank, & the Hollingers

Rick and Frank arriving at the Hollingers’ house in Bangkok. HBO

Picking up right where episode six ended, Jim Hollinger (played by Scott Glenn) walks down the stairs, Rick is stunned into silence. They head to drinks on the Hollingers’ terrace, and talk about how actress Jaclyn Lemon is staying at their White Lotus hotel. Frank starts bullshitting about his fictional movie: “It’s a fun caper! It’s like a thriller, it’s got everything—killings, double crossings, action, all the stuff people like.” And after ordering a tea, Frank, who had just told Rick all about his sobriety journey, asks for a whiskey as he tries to convince Sritala he’s a director.

Rick proposes that he and Jim go into another room to discuss “business in Thailand.” When Jim agrees, they head into his den. As they talk, Rick says, “The secret to life is knowing when to stop.” Rick tells him his life story, saying he first learned about Jim when he was 10 years old and his mother was dying. “I have fantasized about this moment a thousand times,” he says. “Gloria Hatchett: Name ring a bell? Seems like you should remember. She had a husband. You had him killed over some land deal, or some shit. You don’t fucking remember that? He was my father. He was a good man. And I never got to meet him because you’re a fucking piece of shit.” Then, Rick pulls out the gun. “You ruined my fucking life. You may not remember, but you sure as fuck are gonna remember me.” He does not pull the trigger, but pushes Jim over, and runs out.

Meanwhile, Frank and Sritala are watching old videos of her performing, seemingly having a blast, until Rick quickly interrupts. The duo make a quick exit, and Rick tells the bodyguards that the “old man fell” and they better help him. They hop in the boat, and get away.

Later, Rick ditches the gun, and tells Frank that he built Jim up in his mind, but he’s just a “pathetic, frail, old man… I couldn’t even hit him!” He says he got closure, and Frank says, “That’s a huge monkey off your back.”

Chelsea & Chloe & Saxon

Chelsea explains her love for Rick. Fabio Lovino/HBO

At the party, Chelsea is sad, sitting on the couch, texting Rick. When Saxon comes to talk to her, he comments on all the old men with their hot girlfriends. “That’s gonna be you in 30 years,” she tells him. Saxon replies, “Why are you so mean to me?” Chelsea says she’s not trying to be mean, and explains that it’s justthe vibe he gives off. Saxon asks why she’s dating Rick, then, and Chelsea says she’s with him because “the first day we met, he told me his whole life story, and I just knew we were meant to be together… He has this sadness, it really touches me. I want to heal him. It’s like we’re in this yin and yang battle, and I’m hope and Rick is pain, and eventually, one of us will win.”

Later, Chloe tells Chelsea about her conversation with Greg, saying that he told her about his ex-wife, his sex life, and how Greg used to watch his parents have sex. “It would make Gary feel this mixture of disgust and jealousy, but at the same time, excitement,” she explains, and then when he got older he was paranoid his girlfriends were cheating on him, and he’d go into jealous rages. “And one day, he realized, he kind of hoped they were having sex behind his back. So he could find them doing it…his worst nightmare was actually his erotic fantasy.” (Once again, Chelsea’s reaction faces are pure gold.) Saxon says it’s “demented,” but Chloe quickly propositions him to stay and sleep with her in front of Greg. “He wouldn’t even touch you! He just wants to creep up on us,” she says. Saxon, again, says no.

Walking back to the White Lotus, Saxon tells Chelsea that she has the wrong impression of him. “I’m not just one thing. I could be somebody else if I wanted,” he says, saying he’d even connect with her on a spiritual level. They’re back in her room, and Chelsea starts to teach Saxon how to meditate. When he reaches out to hold her hands, she jumps away, throwing books at him and saying he has to leave.

Belinda & Zion & Greg

Belinda does not want to accept Greg’s bribe. Fabio Lovino/HBO

Belinda’s still very shaken by Greg telling her that they need to talk, and Zion says they should go to his party and find out what he wants. “If you don’t go tonight, he’s just going to come looking for you again,” Zion tells his mom. “I say we just get it over with.”

Belinda and Zion do go, and at the party, Greg quickly pulls Belinda aside. “You know who I am,” he begins, “and I’m sure you also know something very tragic happened to my wife, Tanya. I had nothing to do with it, just to make that clear. But it was getting very complicated back home, and I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life dealing with legal shit and lawyers and people making assumptions.” He adds that he wants to live the rest of his life in Thailand, and doesn’t want any more “headaches.” He then mentions that Tanya used to talk about Belinda, and she felt guilty that she didn’t help her. So, he says, he’s going to give Belinda $100,000. “Tanya would’ve wanted that,” he says. “And I know she would’ve wanted me to spend the rest of my years in peace. Maybe in exchange… You can honor that.” Belinda says it’s very generous, but she needs to think about it.

She quickly goes to find Zion, saying they need to leave. “I want to get the fuck up out of her,” she tells her son. Back in their hotel room, Zion tells his mom she’s crazy for not taking the money, but Belinda says that would make her an accomplice to murder. “If you don’t come to terms with him, he’s gonna come after you. And they’re gonna find your body in the Gulf of Thailand. Shit, maybe mine too!”

Piper & Lochlan

Lochlan doesn’t want to go home, he tells his sister. Fabio Lovino/HBO

There’s not much plot movement from the other two Ratliffs, as Piper and Lochlan are staying at the meditation center. At the silent dinner, Piper encourages her brother to eat the food, and then is disgusted by his manners. They later discuss the monk, and Lochlan tells his sister that he doesn’t want “to give in to my dark shit,” and wants to join her on the year Piper’s planning to spend studying Buddhism in Thailand. Piper is taken aback by her brother’s enthusiasm, and leaves him to go to sleep.

Mook & Gaitok

Mook thinks Gaitok is a different man than he is. Fabio Lovino/HBO

Mook and Gaitok go on their first date. Gaitok tells Mook how he’s not getting a promotion, and how he didn’t want to fight when the robbers arrived. “I never want to hurt people,” he tells her. “I will never feel good about that.” Mook compliments his strong morals, but tells him to be realistic and is clearly disappointed he isn’t more ambitious. This is by far the least interesting plotline, however, so, sorry to the new couple. Also, it feels like it’s setting Gaitok up to shoot someone to impress Mook.

Later, at the muay thai fight, Mook is trying to tell Gaitok “It’s human to fight!” when Gaitok spots Valentin’s friends and realizes they’re the men who robbed the White Lotus.

Lingering Questions

Fabien gets over his stage fright. Fabio Lovino/HBO

I have a lot of questions as we head into the finale:

• Is Jim Hollinger going to come after Rick? Based on everything Rick has previously said about Jim, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be able to threaten him and walk away unscathed.
• What’s with the Fabien singing subplot? I am just wondering what the point is, White Lotus…
• Is what Greg told Chloe about his sexual fantasies true? Or was it some weird ploy to hurt Saxon? What is going on!
• What’s Gaitok going to do with his new revelation about the robbers? Is he going to try to impress Mook? Gaitok realizes he knows who robbed the hotel, but what he does with this information remains to be seen.
• Are we Team Zion or Team Belinda? Would you take the $100,000 from Greg? I understand both arguments, to be honest.
• Why is Mook so bloodthirsty? Why does she want Gaitok to be violent so badly?

And then a series of worries…

• Will Frank be okay after breaking his sobriety? He declares he and Rick are going to “paint this town red” after Rick gets closure from Jim. He’s doing drugs, partying, and I can’t stop thinking about everything he said in episode five.
• Is Saxon going to figure out what’s happening? His efforts at self-improvement, albeit slight ones, make it feel like he’s getting more sympathetic just for him to maybe (I said maybe!) be the victim.
• Is Laurie going to be okay? Her getting into the taxi on the abandoned street didn’t give off the best safety vibes.
• Also: Will Chelsea be okay?! I fear because she’s my favorite character, something bad is going to happen to her. I don’t want to jinx it…!

If you or someone you know is needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to 741741 to message with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free.

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