Patrick Schwarzenneger’s The White Lotus Season 3 Role Puts A Big Spin On An Annoying Season 1 Character

Patrick Schwarzenegger’s character inThe White Lotus season 3 is reminiscent of a season 1 character but with a strange twist. Showrunner Mike White’s luxury hotel-set dark comedy/drama is back with a third season, and The White Lotus season 3 cast includes some of the most exciting actors to appear in the show so far. That includes Patrick Schwarzenegger, son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s carving out his own place as one of Hollywood’s most charismatic young stars. His character, Saxon, is significantly less charismatic, as the show’s new comedically repulsive figure.

The White Lotus season 3’s story is set in Thailand, adding a fish-out-of-water element for its main characters. This seems especially apparent for the Ratliffs, a family from North Carolina. The patriarch, Timothy (Jason Isaacs), is a wealthy financier, and the mother, Victoria (Parker Posey), is used to socializing with those of her own social class, creating a disconnect between them and the White Lotus staff. This disconnect is a vital part of the dynamics in each season, but Mike White continuously finds compelling, fresh ways to portray it.

Patrick Schwarzenneger's Saxon Is Very Similar To Jake Lacy's Shane From The White Lotus Season 1

The White Lotus Always Provides At Least 1 Example Of Toxic Masculinity

Patrick Schwarzenegger’s character, Saxon Ratliff, is Timothy and Victoria’s oldest son, a young man who works for his father’s company. He’s been coddled by wealthy parents and given everything he could want throughout his life, and what’s resulted is an egotistical menace who lacks any authentic respect for women. That draws immediate comparisons to Shane (Jake Lacy) from The White Lotus season 1, who made a disaster out of his honeymoon by being a spoiled brat the entire time.

Mike White sets up parallels between the two characters by giving them similar scenes at the hotel’s pool. In season 1, Shane flirted with young women despite being at the White Lotus with his new wife. In season 3, Saxon attempts to flirt with every woman at the pool, failing in an embarrassing way, though he’s still smug enough to shake it off and call it a “numbers game.” However, the main twist with Saxon seems to be that he has a discomforting sexual dynamic with his two younger siblings, while Shane's problems were with his mother.

Patrick Schwarzenneger, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola from The White Lotus season 3

What The Hell Is Going On With The Ratliff Family's Kids In The White Lotus Season 3?

The weird incestuous dynamic between the three Ratliff kids, Piper, Lochlan & Saxon, in The White Lotus season 3 premiere is alarmingly strange.

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Saxon & Shane's Similarities Make It Unlikely That Patrick Schwarzenneger Is The White Lotus Season 3's Victim

The White Lotus Will Likely Explore New Themes & Ideas

Mike White has managed to create two acclaimed seasons of The White Lotus so far that both explore similar themes and similar dynamics yet have drastically different stakes and outcomes. While it'd be impossible to determine a pattern from just two seasons, it doesn't seem likely that The White Lotus season 3 will end with a twist that's too similar to either of the previous ones. Since Shane was integral to the original season's end crime, Saxon probably won't be directly involved in season 3's eventual moment of violence.