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TL;DR:

  • Bert references the tale of Hades and Persephone in The White Lotus Season 2.
  • Some fans believe Bert’s story teases what’s to come for The White Lotus characters.
  • Hades and Persephone’s tale could relate to Harper and Cameron or Portia and Albie.

The White Lotus Season 2 is raising lots of questions in its early episodes, and fans are dissecting even the smallest details in the hopes of guessing who dies and how. Mike White’s HBO series is known for dropping subtle hints about its characters and plot. And some fans believe Bert Di Grasso’s (F. Murray Abraham) comments about Hades and Persephone in The White Lotus Season 2 foreshadow what will happen later on.

[Warning: Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 2, “Italian Dream.”]

F. Murray Abraham as Bert Di Grasso in 'The White Lotus' Season 2 for our article about his Hades and Persephone comment. He's sitting in a restaurant and wearing a white shirt, grey suit, and pink tie around his shoulders.
F. Murray Abraham in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2 | Fabio Lovino/HBO

Bert Di Grasso references Hades and Persephone in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2

The White Lotus tends to hide clues in unexpected places, and season 2 sees Bert Di Grasso telling the tale of Hades and Persephone — an odd inclusion if it doesn’t have any deeper meaning.

While the Di Grasso family is sightseeing with Portia (Haley Lu Richardson), Bert asks yet again where his daughter-in-law and granddaughter are. He doesn’t understand why they’re so angry with Dominic (Michael Imperioli). He notes that even the Greek goddess Demeter forgave Hades for raping and kidnapping her daughter, Persephone. And he uses this to downplay whatever Dominic did to his wife. His comments go ignored by those around him, but some fans believe they’re teasing what’s to come.

Fans think Bert’s story might tease what’s to come for ‘The White Lotus’ characters

Bert Di Grasso’s comments about Hades and Persephone seem oddly placed, even for a show like The White Lotus. As such, fans believe they have a deeper meaning.

Perhaps the story of Hades and Persephone is being used to foreshadow what will happen at the end of The White Lotus Season 2. That’s what one fan suggested in a Reddit thread discussing “Italian Dream.”

“…[T]he grandpa tells a story of Hades dragging down and raping Persephone, but her father [forgives] him,” they wrote. “The literal very next scene is Cameron (Theo James) dragging down Harper (Aubrey plaza) underwater. If that story is foreshadowing, maybe Cameron and Harper’s story will be the same.”

It certainly is an interesting placement for these moments, and fans already think Cameron wants to seduce Harper. If he fails, he may not be above forcing himself on her. With The White Lotus Season 2 focusing heavily on sexual relationships, it could comment on assault. There’s plenty to say about the impact wealth and privilege have on such situations, especially when it comes to consequences.

The Redditor added that Ethan could side with his old friend, driving an irreparable rift between him and his wife. The two already feel like they’re on thin ice, and things promise to go further downhill as their vacation continues.

Of course, Cameron and Harper aren’t the only characters who might be connected to Bert’s mythology lesson. Albie and Portia are hitting it off for now, but things could take a turn later on.

Could the Hades and Persephone story be connected to Albie and Portia?

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While Cameron and Harper seem the most likely characters to mirror the story of Hades and Persephone, Bert’s comments could foreshadow the future of Albie (Adam DiMarco) and Portia’s relationship.

Albie claims to be a “nice guy” in The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 2, something viewers believe is a huge red flag. He boasts an attraction to “wounded birds,” an odd sentiment that hints at a sadistic side of the character. Albie’s also overlooked whatever his father did to earn the rest of his family’s fury. Perhaps he’ll turn out more like his old man than he thinks.

If something happens to Portia, Dominic or even Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) could help cover it up. After all, The White Lotus tends to highlight how working people are harmed by the wealthy, who often face few consequences for their actions. If the show expands upon that theme, Albie could be forgiven for hurting Portia — just like Hades got away with what he did to Persephone.

New episodes of The White Lotus Season 2 air every Sunday on HBO.

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