Why Gaitok Did THAT To Rick & What His White Lotus Season 3 Ending Means

WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for The White Lotus’ season 3 finale!Among the most complex endings in The White Lotus season 3 is Gaitok’s, with his difficult choice to shoot and kill Rick being rewarded with a new job under Sritala. Throughout season 3, Gaitok’s story has largely surrounded his reservations about his security guard career, as his stance on anti-violence contrasts with the harm and aggression that often comes with such a position. His dilemma is finally put to the test in The White Lotus season 3’s ending when he’s forced to either maintain his anti-violence stance or shoot Rick, who had just killed Jim Hollinger and two bodyguards.

Ultimately, Gaitok abandons his non-violent principles and kills Rick, marking the fifth and final death in The White Lotus’ season 3 finale. Rather than panicking from his decision, Gaitok makes peace with what he’s done, and is greatly rewarded by obeying Sritala’s command to kill Jim’s murderer. Gaitok’s final scenes show that he’s been promoted to the position of Sritala’s driver, perhaps also a bodyguard given the death of her two previous guards, and seems to be in a happy relationship with Mook. However, whether Gaitok’s ending is actually “happy” is a more complicated matter.

Gaitok Really Killed Rick Because Of Mook

Gaitok Needed To Prove Himself To Mook By Taking Out Rick

When he had Rick in his line of sight, Gaitok still hesitated before pulling the trigger twice. In that moment of hesitation, he was weighing whether to go against his principles and listen to the preaching of Mook and those around him who advised that violence is sometimes necessary and part of life. Ultimately, it was his love for Mook and her words about strength, defense, and ambition still in his head from The White Lotus’ Muay Thai fight that inspired him to pull the trigger and kill Rick.

Earlier in The White Lotus’ season 3 finale, Gaitok felt Mook’s disappointment when he told her that he was considering quitting his job because he couldn’t stand the harm and violence that it entailed. Gaitok worried that Mook thought less of him and would never love him if he didn’t prove that he had the potential to use violence when necessary, especially if it meant protecting her, their boss, and other innocent people.

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Rather than lose Mook, Gaitok chose to prove himself to her by shooting a man who had just killed three people, as he had no way of knowing whether Rick would go after more. By killing Rick, Gaitok also proved himself to Sritala, who he had already been hoping would eventually hire him as a bodyguard. If Gaitok hadn’t shot Rick, he would have lost Mook and his job in one fell swoop. In that brief moment before pulling the trigger on Rick, Gaitok decided that losing Mook would have been worse than losing his morals.

Gaitok Killing Rick Worked For Him

Gaitok Got Mook & The Job He Wanted

Gaitok took the risk of killing Rick only hoping that things would work out in his favor after pulling the trigger. However, it ultimately did result in Gaitok getting everything he had been dreaming of. After killing Rick, Gaitok ended up cementing his relationship with Mook, leaving his unfulfilling security guard position, getting a more ambitious job as Sritala’s driver, and earning the respect from others that he had long been wishing for.

The harsh truth is that betraying his morals ended up benefiting Tayme Thapthimthong’s The White Lotus season 3 character, and he wouldn’t have gotten the girl, the job, and his respect if he hadn’t killed someone. Gaitok will have to live with the fact that he killed a man and went against what he stood for the rest of his life, but he will continue to justify it with the rewards that he’s reaped.

The Meaning Of Gaitok’s Ending In The White Lotus

Was It Worth It To Sell His Morals For “Happiness”?

The real meaning of Gaitok’s The White Lotus season 3 ending falls in line with the complicated sacrifices and moral conflicts of Belinda’s deal with Greg and even Timothy’s crimes and decisions with his family. In these stories, The White Lotus creator Mike White explores the cost of selling yourself in exchange for wealth, material benefits, or perceived happiness. Is it better to have the comforts of wealth, love, power, and societal respect if it means having to abandon a crucial part of your morals and beliefs?

To achieve these things, Gaitok has to sell his innocence and morality. He reaps the benefits now, but will he be able to live with that decision down the road? It’s comparable to Belinda going against her morals by taking the money from Greg instead of going to the police and bringing him to justice for his role in Tanya’s death. Meanwhile, Timothy had to weigh the choice of letting his family die “happy” in the comforts of their wealth or live unhappily after losing everything, following his decision to join a money laundering scheme in exchange for more wealth.

In each case, The White Lotus’ characters immediately see the benefits of their wealth, comfort, and the happiness of those around them. But they have to sell part of their soul and risk losing who they are and believe they should be. Tim abandoned his scruples by operating his business illegally, putting his family in danger despite granting them more wealth and power short term. Belinda has more money than she ever dreamed of, but she made a deal with the devil to get it. Gaitok has Mook and a new job, but his religious belief system is compromised.

The White Lotus

9/10

Release Date

July 11, 2021

Network

HBO

Showrunner

Mike White

Directors

Mike White

Writers

Mike White