Tamal Kundu
Romance is not the most important trope in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus.’ Creator Mike White (‘Enlightened’) and his writing staff use it as a medium to inflict brutal and relentless satire on society. This especially holds with the relationship between newlyweds Shane (Jake Lacy) and Rachel (Alexandra Daddario), who arrive at the eponymous hotel in Hawaii, and things immediately start to go wrong. If you are wondering whether Shane and Rachel are still together at the end of ‘The White Lotus,’ this is what you need to know.
Are Shane and Rachel Still Together?
Yes, Shane and Rachel are still together when the inaugural season of ‘The White Lotus’ concludes. According to Rachel, the two of them met when she was in a “weird place.” Her last relationship ended around the same time, and she was stuck in a dead-end career. After meeting Shane, the world apparently opened up for her. Shane belongs to a wealthy family and is professionally much more successful than her. Rachel claims that she got washed away by the glitzy life he was promising.
After only a few months of dating, they tied the knot and came to Hawaii for their honeymoon. It is only after coming to the White Lotus that Rachel starts to think that she might have made a mistake. Shane begins a feud with Armond (Murray Bartlett), the hotel’s manager, that becomes progressively pettier and worse. He is extremely dismissive of Rachel’s professional plans. Whenever her career comes up during their conversations, he always manages to let her know that he thinks that it’s going nowhere. And it only gets worse after his mother’s arrival.
In the season finale, Rachel decides to speak out. She tells Shane that she refuses to be a trophy wife and that it was a mistake for her to marry him. She even takes all the blames for their failing relationship. However, when Shane calls her a child during a petulant tantrum, she reminds him that he is the one who needs to be constantly coddled by his mother. Rachel then moves to a different room.
Despite this, Rachel ultimately decides to go back to him and accept that she will forever be known as her husband’s wife. In the time away from him, she has the chance to reflect on what is happening. She tries to seek help from Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), but the latter is busy dealing with her own issues at the time.
Rachel desperately wants independence and professional success but eventually realizes that she might never achieve either of those things. On the other hand, Shane can give her financial and emotional security. He can give her a life of luxury and leisure. And she ultimately chooses that. In the final scenes of season 1, Rachel shows up at the airport and reunites with Shane. She tells him that everything is fine and that she is happy. However, although Shane doesn’t see it, Rachel seems to be holding back tears as they embrace. She knows that she has made a bargain and chosen security over independence. Now, she will have to live with that choice.
Another possible reason for Rachel’s return is that she has heard about what happened to Armond and feels that she needs to be at Shane’s side at this moment. Just a day ago, Armond broke into Shane and Rachel’s room and defecated inside Shane’s luggage. Shane discovered that there was another person inside the room and ended up accidentally stabbing and killing Armond. Rachel goes back to him to help him deal with this situation. She knows that the next few months will be hell for Shane. If she helps him now and actively supports him, it will be easier for her to end the relationship at a future date when everything has calmed down. So, although Shane thinks that he has gotten his wife back for good, the reality could be completely different.
Read More: Is the White Lotus a True Story?
