WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The White Lotus season 3, episode 3.
The circumstances surrounding Tanya’s death in The White Lotus remain a mystery to season 1’s returning character Belinda, who believes that she died by suicide. Tanya McQuoid, played by the incomparable Jennifer Coolidge, was essentially the face of Mike White’s acclaimed HBO series until her shocking death in The White Lotus season 2 finale. Tanya’s absence is very much felt in The White Lotus season 3 but she is not forgotten thanks to Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda Lindsey.
After spotting him in earlier episodes, Belinda finally confronts Tanya’s ex-husband, Greg, who changed his name to Gary, in The White Lotus season 3, episode 3, “The Meaning of Dreams.” Belinda is nearly certain that it’s Greg Hunt, approaching him at dinner with “Gary’s” girlfriend Chloe in attendance, looking on with a confused expression. Despite Belinda’s persistent inquiries, Gary lies to Belinda’s face, denying that he’s actually the Greg she speaks of. While this moment blows Belinda’s mind, it will likely not be the end of her interest in Greg and discovering why he’s living under an alias in Thailand.
Tanya McQuoid Accidentally Died Falling Off A Yacht While Evading People Trying To Kill Her In The White Lotus Season 2
Greg Plotted To Have Tanya Killed & Inherit Her Fortune
Those who watched The White Lotus season 2 will know that Tanya’s death wasn’t actually by suicide like Belinda says in season 3, episode 3. Tanya was on a yacht owned by Quentin, who is revealed to be one of Greg’s longtime friends. Tanya discovers a plot orchestrated by Greg to have Quentin and his friends on the yacht kill her so that Greg would inherit her money. This is actually what ends up happening in The White Lotus season 3, as Greg appears to be living off of Tanya’s wealth as a homeowner in a luxurious area of Thailand.
Related
What All The Monkeys In The White Lotus Season 3 Really Mean
The recurring appearance of monkeys in The White Lotus season 3 is intentional and symbolic and may even be a foreshadowing of future events.
Tanya, however, isn’t killed by Quentin and instead kills him and his associates after finding a bag with a gun, rope, and duct tape inside. Even though Tanya has been known to be quite aloof in certain scenarios in the first two seasons of The White Lotus, she picked up on what was going down on Quentin’s yacht.
After killing Quentin and his friends, Tanya tried to access the smaller boat attached to the yacht, fell over the railing, and fatally hit her head.
After killing her would-be murderers, it appeared that Tanya was going to miraculously make it out alive. That is, until she rather foolishly tried to access the smaller boat attached to the yacht, fell over the railing, and fatally hit her head. Somehow, word got around that her death was a suicide, which is a bald-faced lie.
Why Tanya’s Death Was Written Off As A Suicide After The White Lotus Season 2
Greg Likley Convinced The Police It Was A Suicide
After the first three episodes of The White Lotus season 3, it’s not entirely clear why Belinda believed that Tanya died by suicide, although all signs point to Greg being the one who created and spread the lie. Tanya was the daughter of a wealthy magnate in the shipping industry who owned a vast amount of real estate in San Francisco.
Interestingly, Tanya’s father died by suicide, which is how Tanya came to inherit all of his wealth in the first place.
Interestingly, Tanya’s father died by suicide, which is how Tanya came to inherit all of his wealth in the first place. It seems plausible that Greg created Tanya’s suicide narrative since there was already a documented family history, which would make it easier to believe.
Since Tanya’s death was an accidental fall, it could also be seen as a suicide, especially since there were no eyewitnesses around. However, there are still several unanswered questions surrounding how Greg got away with the attempted murder scheme, even though Quentin and his friends – the only people who knew about it – died with their secret.
Related
What Crime Jason Isaacs’ Timothy Ratliff & Kenny Committed In The White Lotus Season 3 Explained
Timothy Ratliff in The White Lotus season 3 is facing an impending legal issue based on a shady fund he helped set up with an old business associate.
If the police investigated Quentin’s yacht, they would have found the gun, duct tape, and rope. Perhaps Greg framed Tanya’s death as a murder-suicide, in which case he probably lied about Tanya’s behavior leading up to the day she passed to build a convincing story.
Tanya’s Death Is Still Important In The White Lotus Season 3 Due To Belinda & Greg’s Returns
Tanya Still Remains In The White Lotus Story After Her Death
Belinda remains one of the few people who can connect Greg to Tanya. Her arrival in Thailand certainly raised concerns for “Gary”, who chillingly lies without remorse about his identity. Tanya planned to fund Belinda’s wellness spa in season 1 before she reneged on the offer because she didn’t want to engage in a “transactional” relationship. It wasn’t until season 2 that Greg married Tanya and set the plot to acquire her wealth in motion. Even though Tanya is no longer with us in The White Lotus, Belinda has her eye on Greg and may uncover the truth about her death.
The White Lotus
9/10
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2021
- Network
-
HBO
- Showrunner
-
Mike White
- Directors
-
Mike White
- Writers
-
Mike White