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TL;DR:

  • The White Lotus Season 2’s opening finds Daphne discovering a body in the ocean.
  • The first scene may contain clues about who dies in The White Lotus Season 2.
  • Daphne’s introduction parallels Shane’s in The White Lotus Season 1.

The White Lotus Season 2 presents its central mystery during its very first scene, taking notes from the first season of the HBO series and leaving viewers to wonder who’s dead and why. The opening moments of the second outing find Daphne (Meghann Fahy) — who isn’t officially introduced until later — discovering a body in the ocean. And fans believe that the opening scene of The White Lotus Season 2 may contain clues about who’s dead and why.

[Warning: Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 1, “Ciao.”]

Meghann Fahy as Daphne in the opening scene of 'The White Lotus' Season 2. She's wearing a yellow floral bathing suit and sitting on a beach chair.
Meghann Fahy in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2 | Fabio Lovino/HBO

Daphne finds a body in the opening scene of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2

The White Lotus Season 2 kicks off in a similar fashion to season 1, with Daphne (who is later revealed as one of the main characters) conversing with two women who have just arrived at the White Lotus resort in Sicily. She talks up the place, telling them that they’re in for a great time. And she uses some seriously ominous language, stating, “You’re gonna die. They’re gonna have to drag you out of here.”

Moments later, Daphne wades into the ocean for a swim — and bumps into a dead body floating in the water. She seems genuinely disturbed by the surprise, rushing to land and calling for help. But some fans believe her earlier choice of words is a little too coincidental, especially right before that discovery.

Judging by the first scene, Daphne may know something about those dead bodies in The White Lotus Season 2. And even if she doesn’t, her reaction may offer clues about who they are.

The opening moments may offer clues about who dies in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2

Such an ominous opening leaves an impression, and fans are scouring the first scene of The White Lotus Season 2 for hints about who’s dead.

In a Reddit thread discussing the first episode, one fan returned to Daphne’s opening scene, connecting it to a moment later, when she mentions spousal murder. They posited that she might know a little something about the body floating in the water. Perhaps it even belongs to her husband.

“Daphne is on the beach by herself in the first scene,” one Redditor noted. “Then she talks about husbands killing their wives on vacation… then finds a dead body… could it be her husband?”

However, while Daphne responds to the dead body with shock and fear, one Redditor notes that she’s probably too calm to be looking at someone she knows and loves.

“Her reaction tells me it’s not,” they said. “She just runs away. I don’t think that would be my reaction to finding a loved one dead in the water.”

Of course, as another fan points out, it’s possible Daphne isn’t emotional because she’s responsible for Cameron’s (Theo James) death.

“What if she’s the one that killed him, and this is just to act like she’s innocent?” they wondered. “Probably a stretch, but she gave me weird vibes.”

With the preview for The White Lotus Season 2 teasing cheating, it’s possible we could see a spousal feud gone wrong. And Daphne’s introduction does parallel that of season 1’s killer — though that could be a red herring.

Daphne’s introduction parallels Shane’s in season 1

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In addition to the context clues we get from the opening of The White Lotus Season 2, it’s worth noting that Daphne’s introduction parallels Shane’s (Jake Lacy) in season 1. When we meet them, both characters are talking to strangers at the end of their vacation. Daphne seems noticeably more upbeat than Shane, who’s reeling from his actions at the end of season 1. However, if Daphne is season 2’s killer, this would be a smart way to tie both outings together.

Of course, The White Lotus loves throwing red herrings our way, so we’ll have to keep watching to learn Daphne’s role in all of this. Perhaps the second installment will offer more hints about who’s body she finds and why.

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

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