The White Lotus Hid A Subtle Clue About Season 3's Murder In Episode 1

Spoiler alert: This post will discuss events in Episode 1 of The White Lotus Season 3.

The White Lotus is a show that will always zig when you expect it to zag, which is why most superfans of the murder mystery series aren’t buying into what seems to be the obvious conclusion about Season 3’s big death after the premiere. The opening scene showed Belinda’s son Zion fleeing from gunshots at the Thai resort, praying to any higher power who would listen to protect his mother. Before the show flashes back a week to when all the guests arrive, Zion sees a dead body floating by him in the water.

The suggestion, of course, is that this is Belinda’s corpse, which would explain Zion’s intense distress. But let’s be real — he’d probably be freaking out to see any body in the midst of all the gunfire. While it’s still up in the air who might end up in a coffin this season, the first episode did include a telling clue about how this person might perish. Instead of biting the bullet, it’s sounding like the unlucky vacationer or staff member may have actually bit something else.

The moment in question occurs when White Lotus employee Pam is explaining the rules to the Ratliff family. As Saxon picks up one of the nearby fruit, Pam cations him not to eat it. “That is the fruit of the might pong-pong tree, and the seeds of the fruit are toxic,” she says.

An intrigued Saxon (with an alarming grin) then asks, “Could it kill you?” And Pam reaffirms how dangerous the fruit is: “Yeah, it could actually. It’s very poisonous.”

As quickly as the pong-pong discourse began, the conversation suddenly moved on — but there must be some reason that warning was included. The pong-pong tree is a real tree species native to Southeast Asia, which is also colloquially known as the “suicide tree” due to the potent poison in its fruit.

Because such attention was brought to the deadly delicacy, it does seem plausible that the body Zion saw in the water may not have been shot, but poisoned. This type of end also seems like it may better fit into the show’s trend of the final deaths being accidental, as opposed to a gunshot.

So, as new episodes of The White Lotus Season 3 come out on Sunday nights, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the pong-pong fruit.