The White Lotus Season 3 Debunks A Fun Theory Connected To A Great Season 2 Character

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The White Lotus season 3, episode 2.

After The White Lotus season 3’s premiere, a theory was crafted linked to one of season 2’s characters, but episode 2 of the former has debunked this. Initially, The White Lotus season 1’s ending was supposed to be the end of the show that was conceived of as a limited series. However, I was happy to hear that the popularity of the HBO show led to its expansion, leading to another two seasons and the planned story of The White Lotus season 4, primarily due to the addictive nature of Mike White’s stories.

With the show’s evolution came more links between each season and The White Lotus‘ cast of characters, be it Greg’s continued return in each installment of The White Lotus to season 3’s return of Belinda. To further this, audiences became convinced by a specific theory that linked a character from The White Lotus season 3, episode 1 to a fan-favorite from its predecessor. However, by the time of The White Lotus season 3, episode 2’s ending, this theory was debunked, removing another possible throughline from Mike White’s many anthology stories.

The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 2 Debunks The Theory That Laurie’s Daughter Is Haley Lu Richardson’s Portia

Laurie’s Daughter Is Another Person Entirely

The theory in question stemmed from the conversation in The White Lotus season 3, episode 1 about Carrie Coon’s Laurie. The ending of The White Lotus season 3, episode 1 saw Laurie crying in her room after talking with her friends, with this conversation featuring mention of Laurie’s daughter. Little information was revealed about the daughter, leading to a fan-crafted theory that she would turn out to be Haley Lu Richardson’s Portia from The White Lotus season 2.

Portia was the assistant to Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya in The White Lotus season 2, who ended the story by reuniting with another character named Albie after Tanya’s death. I will admit that the potential connection between Laurie and Portia was tenuous at best, but it likely derived from other unlikely links between The White Lotus‘ characters, alongside the physical similarities between Carrie Coon and Haley Lu Richardson. However, The White Lotus season 3, episode 2 debunked the theory.

The beginning of the episode showed Leslie Bibb’s Kate and Michelle Monaghan’s Jaclyn talking further about Laurie. The duo mentions Laurie’s daughter again, this time by name and age, revealing her to be a high-school student called Ellie. This puts to bed the potential connection between Laurie and Portia from The White Lotus season 2, which may turn out to be for the best.

The White Lotus Season 3 Already Has Too Many Tanya Connections

Any Others May Seem Too Implausible

As alluded to, The White Lotus season 3 including another connection to Tanya via Portia could have proved one too many. The return of Belinda had already provided one, with her and Tanya sharing a strong connection in The White Lotus season 1 before the latter departed Hawaii with Greg. Speaking of Greg, his return in The White Lotus season 3 and the all-but-inevitable confrontation between him and Belinda means Tanya’s character lingers over the show despite her death last season.

If Portia was revealed to be the daughter of Laurie, the show would risk overdoing it with the Tanya connections. Although Tanya has long been one of The White Lotus‘ most iconic characters, the show’s third season is finding strong ways to move beyond her, all while easing the transition through Belinda and Greg. Portia’s potential return would only put further emphasis on Tanya, meaning this specific theory being debunked by The White Lotus season 3, episode 2 is good news narratively.