No, 'The White Lotus' Season 3 Finale Isn't a Happy Ending for Gaitok -

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The White Lotus Season 3 finale.The third season of The White Lotus delivered one heck of a finale. Between Rick (Walton Goggins) and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) dying, and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) almost dying because of his desperate father, Timothy (Jason Isaacs), there was no shortage of edge-of-your-seat thrills. Mike White rarely disappoints, and he even managed to find a way to work our favorite Thai security guard, Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), into the madness as a pivotal player in how things were resolved. But something felt a little off in his character’s arc, and we need to examine it further. Should we have been happy to see Gaitok get his dream girl, Mook (Lalisa Manobal), and be promoted to security guard for Sritala Hollinger (Lek Patravadi)? Did Gaitok pay too steep a price for the things that would make him happy in the short term at the expense of something much more important over the long haul?

How Did Gaitok Factor Into the Finale?

Rick just couldn’t get over the disrespect Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn) showed him in the finale’s third act, could he? It didn’t matter if it was true or not, and it was enough to send a psychologically fragile man into a homicidal rage that led to him shooting Jim to death and engaging in a gun battle with his bodyguards. As with all things Rick Hatchett-related, his plan was half-cocked and ultimately led to the shooting death of the show’s most inspirational and loving character, Chelsea. But when he tries to carry her to get emergency aid, Gaitok has already grabbed his gun and has Rick in his sights.

We have seen how committed Gaitok is to his peaceful nature and pacifism throughout the season, but his new relationship with Mook, combined with his dire situation, forces him to make a split-second decision that goes against everything he believes. As Sritala is barking at him to shoot Rick with her dead husband in her arms, he hesitates, but there isn’t enough time to make an informed decision, and he kills Rick by shooting him twice in the back before he and Chelsea fall lifeless into the shallow river below.

Jon Gries as Greg/Gary from The White Lotus with a name tag on

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We Shouldn’t Feel Happy About the New Chapter in His Life

Gaitok (Tayme Thapthipthong) on his scooter in Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' (2025) — Image via HBO

It’s a curious turn for Gaitok, who is beginning to see that he is in the wrong line of work and is contemplating quitting by the beginning of the finale, adhering to his steadfast Buddhist beliefs.

Mook’s toxic presence
and dismissive reaction to his true feelings and religious ideals, combined with the impossible situation he finds himself in, is enough to cloud his judgment and betray his spirituality. The most disappointing aspect of White’s resolution to Gaitok and how he is compromised should make us feel bad. He was a religious man who had to sacrifice his principles and embrace violence. The things that he gets in the short term will be far outweighed by the trauma of having shot a man in the back, regardless of the reason, not to mention the long-term regret he will undoubtedly carry with him after the high of his promotion wears off.

A man who is forced to betray his beliefs is nothing to cheer for. It’s possibly the biggest loss in Season 3, watching Gaitok give up everything he holds sacred for rewards that are ultimately ephemeral in nature. Whether you are religious or not, witnessing any character cede a lifelong commitment to a peaceful life is depressing. It was disheartening to see White and the showrunners frame his arc as his shooting Rick as positive — or at least sandwiched between positive things — when it really isn’t. The sheepish smile on his face as Mook lovingly smiles and waves him off as he begins his stint as Sritala’s bodyguard in the closing montage couldn’t have felt more out of character. While Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), the Ratliff family, and the three blonde besties were all given various degrees of uplifting send-offs as they left the hotel (heck, even Frank found his way back on the wagon), Gaitok got the shortest end of the stick and a future that hints at more morally grey decisions for a once innocent character.

All episodes of Season 3 of The White Lotus are available to stream on Max in the U.S.