The White Lotus: This seemingly toxic couple might just be the strangest healthy relationship on the HBO show

The White Lotus has never shied away from messy characters. In Season 2, though, it gives us a couple that seems to spiral and yet somehow is possibly the most stable duo of the bunch.

Daphne and Cameron in Season 2 of The White Lotus appear to be perfect on the surface but turn out to be the complete opposite when more about their relationship is revealed. They talk behind each other’s backs and flirt with emotional sabotage. To us, it feels toxic. Yet, somehow, they continue to ride out the mess together.

A deeper dive into the layers reveal a truth that is hard to swallow. It could just be one of the healthiest weird relationships you have ever binge-watched.

They never fight properly. They don’t communicate on a deeper level. They cheat but never really admit it. There is a bizarre internal setup that keeps them together. They are in sync in a way most couples can only dream of.

They play a game of chess with their emotions but remain mutually understanding at the same time. How is that even possible?

Let us find out.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

The White Lotus: Why Daphne and Cameron are weirdly perfect together

Despite all the mess, what works for them is the fact that they both know the rules. Even if those rules are unspoken. In an interview with InStyle Australia, Meghann Fahy (Daphne) explained that her chemistry with Theo James’s Cameron in The White Lotus is built on mutual game-playing:

“Their [relationship] might be a little less conventional than your average couple, but they truly have happiness and love in their relationship. Their relationship is ruled in one way by these games they play with each other. They both kind of get off on it, and they both know how to push the other person's buttons and when the other person is pushing the button and why. So they're both very much a part of what they're doing to each other.”

She also explained that Daphne is no victim, saying:

“I think Daphne is one of the most aware people in the room. She sees and hears everything, and she makes really specific choices about how she wants to engage with people. I think that her ability to do that is probably why she's able to find happiness unconventionally, because she has a relationship with her own sadness, she acknowledges it.”

She added:

“I think that [Daphne] does have an understanding of who Cameron is. And I think that the thing that makes the relationship so successful is that the thing that comes easily for Daphne to give is the thing that Cameron craves to have in a partner. And I think she enjoys the way that he is. They're really suited to each other because of that. Mike [White] wants people to think about, ‘OK, from the outside, maybe this looks unconventional or toxic — but is it?’”

Fahy went on to say in a Vanity Fair interview that Daphne has exceptional control over her emotions, adding that

“She makes a very active choice about what she will and will not be affected by”, which she demonstrates time and again with Cameron, Harper, and even Ethan.

At The White Lotus Season 2 finale’s beach scene, when Ethan confronts Daphne about Cameron and Harper, Fahy’s expression says it all. There is sadness but what follows is an almost serene acceptance.

In one of The White Lotus scenes, we see Daphne talking about how love is not dependent on whether you know someone in their entirety or not. She is unbothered by anything that Cameron does because she knows that his world has a part in it that is independent of her. She is aware of this, which is why she has created her world accordingly too.

They cheat without consequences. They go through emotional withdrawal but when there is a return to intimacy, everything seems quite genuine between them.

The White Lotus challenges the traditional marriage rules. But they aren’t toxic because they are unaware of one another’s actions. They function through secrets. They both understand their marriage, even if outsiders see only mess.

Trending

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more updates and detailed coverage.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback