WARNING: Includes MASSIVE SPOILERS for The White Lotus season 3’s finale.
Greg and Belinda’s tense story in The White Lotus season 3 ended with a deal being made, and it’s worth breaking down everything that transpired. The White Lotus season 3’s cast is primarily filled with talented actors playing new characters, living up to the HBO dramedy’s name as an anthology series, where each season tells a new tale. However, Greg has been a supporting character in all three seasons, and Belinda returned to the series after being a main character in season 1. Their arc addresses events from season 2 surrounding Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya.
We knew from earlier in the show that Tanya was worth $500 million, which was passed down to Greg after her untimely death (which we know to be by his hands). The White Lotus season 3’s story involved Belinda discovering Greg’s involvement in Tanya’s death, and he pursued her to silence her on the matter. Since the season premiere opened with Belinda’s son Zion trekking through the water to help his mother, one could easily have anticipated Greg silencing her with murder, but surprisingly, none of The White Lotus season 3’s deaths revolved around this story.
Greg Gives Belinda $5 Million To Keep Quiet About Tanya’s Death
Belinda Took The Hush Money To Let Greg Live In Peace
The White Lotus season 3 saw Belinda receiving an offer of $100,000 from Greg, a number that caused her to go back and forth on the matter. After discussing it with Zion, Belinda’s son convinced her that, rather than taking the $100,000, they should negotiate for even more. The two returned to Greg’s house near the hotel in the season 3 finale, where Zion attempted to use his charm and MBA to extort Greg for a grander number, a choice that could have easily backfired.
Zion provided Greg with Belinda’s bank account and routing number, which allowed him to make the transfer. When Belinda checked her computer the next day, her balance displayed $5 million, showing that he was willing to come to an agreement. Belinda spoke with him on the phone shortly afterward and fully agreed to keep her mouth shut, allowing Greg to live out his days in peace as he asked for. She shares in the profit of Tanya’s murder, and he gets to remain free from the law.
Why Greg Agrees To Give Belinda More Money In The White Lotus’ Season 3 Ending
Greg Has New Reasons To Avoid Legal Issues About Tanya’s Death
Greg is a villainous character in The White Lotus, but he’s also complicated. As exhibited by his young girlfriend, Chloe, he has unique sexual desires that he’s just beginning to discover. Because he’s finally starting to fulfill this crucial aspect of his life, which seems to have been neglected since his youth, he appears to be in better spirits, prompting him to agree to generous terms. Of course, there are logistical reasons as well, but it can’t be understated how much this development would have affected his choice.
Greg may be terrible, but Chloe has just provided him with a reason to live, and he can spare $5 million to play it safe.
Considering the practical reasons, it would have been challenging to completely silence Belinda. Even if he had killed her and Zion, she could quickly have passed the information on, and cutting a deal was the safer choice. Greg may be terrible, but Chloe has just provided him with a reason to live, and he can spare $5 million to play it safe. As odd as it might be to think, Greg might finally be genuinely happy.
Why Belinda Accepts Greg’s Money & Agrees To Not Tell Anyone About Tanya’s Murder
It’s Hard To Say No To A Giant Paycheck
Belinda was on the fence at first about taking blood money, as she’s shown to be one of the most principled characters in the series. However, her actions following the collection of her new wealth indicate something about why she took it. Show creator Mike White has been fond of Belinda as a character, but he seems to be posing that no one is immune to the allure of wealth. Belinda might not have been born to it like Saxon Ratliff, but she’d still choose money over justice if given the opportunity.
This is indicated by the fact that, when finally granted money, Belinda no longer wishes to pursue her passion project business. As viewers, we can and should be happy that Belinda has finally caught a break, but what’s thematically important to The White Lotus is how quickly it changes her standards and desires. This week in Thailand has changed her life drastically, and it’s not just about the additional $5 million that’s now sitting in her bank account.
