WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The White Lotus season 3, episode 6.
The Ratliff brothers, Lochlan and Saxon, really didthatinThe White Lotusseason 3, episode 6, “Denials”. Although their incestuous vibe was suggested throughoutThe White Lotusseason 3 from the very first episode, episode 6 reaches a completely new level afterLochlan and Saxon party with Chloe and Chelseaduring the Full Moon Party. The drug-induced festivities continued on Greg’s, aka Gary’s, yacht, where things get weird and wild as the night goes on. Although Chelsea is there, she fortunately does not participate since she is in a relationship withWalton Goggins' Rick.
Many viewers have been askingwhat the hell is going on with the Ratliff kidssince the beginning ofThe White Lotusseason 3. Now that we’ve reached a point of no return in the series, it’s worth contemplating what creator Mike White intended by making this incestuous dynamic such a definitive part of Lochlan and Saxon’s story. At the start of their vacation, Saxon was fueling Lochlan with tropes of toxic masculinity and how to “pick up chicks.” Now, after their first WTF moment at the end of episode 1 with Lochlan checking out his naked brother,The White Lotusseason 3, episode 6 reallywent there.
The Disturbing Reality Crashes In On A Hungover Saxon
Image via Max
Saxon wakes up in a bed next to his younger brother, Lochlan, inThe White Lotusseason 3, episode 6. Naked and confused, Saxon tries to piece together what happened the night before following his strangely long kiss with Lochlan, which left him stunned. As reality and the hangover kick in, Saxon remembers one version of the night’s events, with Lochlan having sex with Chloe as he masturbated with eyes closed next to them. Later, whenChloe talks about their “threesome”, Saxon remembers the horrific truth. He was not masturbating but rather, Lochlan was giving him a handjob while getting with Chloe.
Once Saxon remembers the disturbing truth, he is literally sickened to the point of vomiting, although the hangover might have also had something to do with it. Lochlan claims that he blacked out and doesn’t remember anything that happened the night before, which seems to be true but could just be his way of avoiding the strange subject.AsThe White Lotusseason 3, episode 6 plays out, Saxon can’t even bring himself to look at Lochlan, which confirms that although he’s been pretty creepy throughout the season, he was never attracted to his little brother.
Episode 6 Suggests Lochlan Is Deeply Confused About Sex
The most unsettling part of Lochlan’s attraction towards Saxon is the fact that they are truly biological brothers. Earlier in the season, some theories suggested that Lochlan was not biologically related to Piper or Saxon, which I suppose could still turn out to be true. Judging by Saxon’s horrified reaction inThe White Lotusseason 3, episode 6 and the fact that such a theory has yet to be confirmed in the show,Lochlan is almost certainly blood-related to his family. Still, Lochlan had sex with Chloe, suggesting that he was either bisexual or deeply confused about sex.
Why Victoria Is So Opposed To Piper Staying In Thailand After The White Lotus Season 3
Victoria Ratliff is strongly against her daughter Piper staying behind on their family vacation in Thailand in The White Lotus season 3, episode 5.
There have been various signs that Lochlan was attracted to Saxon and potentially Piper as well, starting with the episode 1 bathroom scene and continuing with his crude comments to Piper about her sex life. The elongated kiss with Saxon in episode 5 was a bit too passionate to chalk up to intoxication alone.
All signs point to Lochlan truly having some sexual attraction to his siblings, which suggests that he is harboring some confusion and complicated feelings about his sexuality.
Ultimately, all signs point to Lochlan truly having some sexual attraction to his siblings, which suggests that he is harboring some confusion and complicated feelings about his sexuality.This should open up a larger conversation by the end ofThe White Lotusseason 3unless Saxon is simply unable to cope and takes drastic measures.
Saxon Is Clearly Disgusted & Horrified By Lochlan’s Actions
Saxon has been rather obsessed with sex throughout his stay at The White Lotus Thai Resort, from his episode 1 masturbation to his attempts at hitting on Chelsea, Chloe, and even Jaclyn. While Saxon is problematic and utterly clueless, the Lochlan situation completely upends him and makes him lose his grasp on his identity and reality. Saxon tried to be a typical big brother to Lochlan, teaching him all those valuable secrets to being an “alpha” male with multiple sexual partners. There may be an understandable core rooted in Lochlan’s sexual confusion butsomething like this could irrecoverably change Saxon for the rest of his life.
Saxon May Never Be Able To Look At Lochlan The Same
I’d be shocked if Saxon even speaks to Lochlan during the final two episodes ofThe White Lotusseason 3. It would be highly entertaining to watch Saxon confront his brother about it, even more so if he tries to get his parents involved by tattling to get Lochlan in trouble.Piper should be disgusted and will want to stay in Thailandno matter what. GivenTim’s money-laundering situation, he may not have the capacity to deal with such a bizarre and complex scenario. Victoria, too, does not seem to be built to handle this, so the truth may never come out.
Why Fabian Refuses To Help Belinda With Greg In The White Lotus Season 3
Resort manager Fabian shockingly doesn’t help Belinda after she confides in him about Greg’s dark past in The White Lotus season 3, episode 5.
Another likely scenario is that Saxon tries to bury the experience but can’t.Chloe is also cooking up something with Greg, who wants Saxon and Lochlan to come to his party. This could be fatal for both Chloe and Lochlan if Greg tries to enact revenge, which may inspire a complicated decision for Saxon to make.
Saxon may mentally disown Lochlan as his brother as a method of survival.
Saxon is very focused on his image andmay see the benefit of having both Chloe and Lochlan killed by Gregsince Saxon’s secret would die with them. Saxon may mentally disown Lochlan as his brother as a method of survival. Of course, Saxon could also end things for himself or be the one who starts the shooting.
Why The White Lotus Really Depicts Incest
It Reveals Deeply Rooted Dysfunction In A “Has It All” Family
The White Lotusseason 3 isn’t the first installment to suggest an incestuous relationship between its characters.Season 2’s Quentin has sex with his “nephew” Jack, who later turns out to not actually be his nephew. This was much more of an incestuous close call than season 3’s Lochlan and Saxon dynamic.
After such a shocking moment, which could very well be the most appalling out of all previous episodes ofThe White Lotus, there will have to be a major payoff or setup coming out of it. Given the series' history of cultural criticism about the ultra-wealthy and privileged, surely White has his reasons.
