Somehow, The White Lotus’ most obvious plot point was still among its most shocking.
In Sunday night’s episode, a storyline that’s been bubbling under the surface all season finally came to a head: brothers Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) shared a kiss. Two kisses. A kiss and makeout sesh.
Since the first episode, fans have been wondering why there’s so much tension between the Ratliff brothers. From Lochlan staring at Saxon sleeping naked, to Saxon’s strange obsessions with getting Lochlan laid and making him buff, the foreshadowing all seemed to point to a more-than-familial relationship between the two. But would series creator Mike White really go there?
Well, yes. During a drug-fueled night out under the full moon, that squirm-inducing sexual tension was finally released. While trying to seduce Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), the two are dared to kiss each other. It’s just a peck at first — but then Lochlan goes in for more, grabbing Saxon by the face and leaving no doubt that Lochlan is thinking some very un-brotherly thoughts.
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The gay internet, for one, isn’t sure how to feel. Some folks are titillated, some are disgusted, and some were left wanting more — but at the very least, everyone’s intrigued. “Whole timeline cheering for incest it’s like house of the dragon is back on,” one user quipped.
Even scarier than the kiss itself is the sneak preview for next week’s episode, which shows Saxon getting steamy with an unseen partner. Could it be — please don’t let it be — his own brother joining him in bed?
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Meanwhile, plenty of gay antics are occurring outside the Ratliff clan, too. In Bangkok, Rick (Walton Goggins) met up with his old friend Frank (Sam Rockwell), who told him a story that left both Rick and the audience jaw-dropped. Basically, Frank’s been on a gay (and possibly trans?) awakening journey in Thailand, discovering that he wants to be an “Asian girl” and living out the fantasy by having hookup after hookup with men around his own age, while hiring Thai women to sit in the corner and watch. If that sounds like a lot to process, it’s because it was — and Goggins’ face journey during Rockwell’s monologue was one for the ages.
And on a meta level, gay viewers got plenty of eye candy thanks to a stripped-down scene from Arnas Fedaravicius, who plays Valentin, the health mentor assigned to the show’s chaotic trio of female friends. That includes Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), who secretly hooked up with Valentin at the end of the episode, leading yet another male nude scene for The White Lotus. Of course, we’re not complaining.
To see where all this season’s queer storylines could go next, we’ll have to tune into new episodes of The White Lotus, which premiere Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. Check out the season trailer below.
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