Warning! SPOILERS for season 2 of The White Lotus!
While many characters changed and grew in The White Lotus season 2, Mia (Beatrice Grannò) and Lucia (Simona Tabasco) were certainly the real, most concrete winners of the season. This was especially notable given how "winning" manifested in many different outcomes, especially for a morally complex show such as The White Lotus. A character’s victory could range from personal development to a revitalized relationship to simply ending with the most money and power. Any of these successes embodied the most important themes of season 2.
The White Lotus season 2 created several complicated, imbalanced dynamics between its characters, offering the possibility for conflict and shifting power struggles. For Mia and Lucia, this meant that they began The White Lotus season 2 with arguably the least influence and control, as they were not as affluent as the rich vacationers at the resort. They didn't they have secure, safe jobs like Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore). As an aspiring musician and a sex worker, respectively, Mia and Lucia were in the most vulnerable position at the beginning of The White Lotus, giving them both the greatest potential to change their status throughout the season.
Mia & Lucia Conned Everyone In The White Lotus Season 2
Mia and Lucia were the undisputed winners of the intrigue in The White Lotus season 2. At the beginning of the season, neither woman was allowed on the hotel’s property, but by the end, each had achieved exactly what they wanted with little to no repercussions, both materially and in establishing their power over those wealthier than them. In a season where lies, schemes, and manipulation were rampant, this was particularly key because The White Lotus season 2 finale showcased how Mia and Lucia beat the affluent vacationers at their own intrigue. Lucia conned the Di Grassos out of $50,000 and Mia formed a powerful transactional relationship with Valentina.
However, not only did the two women win by outfoxing the other characters in The White Lotus, but they also succeeded in achieving their personal goals. For Lucia, this meant exercising her status as a sex worker, which several of the men at the resort thought gave them power over her, to access money and the hotel’s lavish amenities which were usually denied to her. For Mia, while she also was able to enjoy the resort, she achieved a breakout gig as a pianist and singer at the hotel. In the end, both Lucia and Mia achieved the kind of riches that the other characters, such as Greg (Jon Gries), were willing to kill for without spilling any blood.
Did Lucia Ever Really Care About Albie?
The White Lotus season 2 never questioned whether Lucia physically hurt anyone on her path to success. However she did do emotional (and financial) harm to the Di Grassos, particularly Albie (Adam DiMarco). This might have tarnished Lucia’s "win" in the season because she manipulated one of the few decent characters at the resort.
However, she was well within her rights to treat Albie as a mark. Lucia did not have the luxury of forming attachments with her victim. Her unrepentant manipulation of Albie suggested that she never truly cared about him. However, it’s plausible that while Lucia ultimately chose the con over Albie, she might have still cared about him due to the vulnerability she expressed to him. While there were many fascinating characters in The White Lotus season 2, it was satisfying to watch underdogs such as Mia and Lucia succeed. Their success fed into the themes of sex and money by showing how they use the traditionally overlooked power of the former to achieve the latter.