[This story contains major spoilers fromThe White Lotusseason three finale, Amor Fati.]

The first thing White Lotus creator Mike White knew about season three was how it was going to end.

The ending was kinda the first thing I really thought of Belinda leaving with money and leaving somebody in the same way she got left [in the first season], said White, who wrote and directed season three finale Amor Fati, on the The White Lotus Official Podcast after the episode released Sunday night. The supersized 90-minute season ender brought Natasha Rothwells character full circle, as she essentially becomes Tanya, the deceased fan-favorite character played by Jennifer Coolidge. Or does she become Greg, Tanyas ex-husband who orchestrated the murder (played by returning star Jon Gries)? Rothwell was asked that question in a separate interview for the HBO shows official podcast that also released after Sunday nights finale.

Maybe shes a little bit of both, admits Rothwell.

In the end, Greg gave Belinda $5 million in exchange for her and son Zions (Nicholas Duvernay) silence over the suspicious death of his late wife. Back in season one, White Lotus: Hawaii staffer Belinda and wealthy guest Tanya forged a friendship and planned to go into business together before Tanya disappeared (she tragically died in season two on a boat in Italy, after defending herself from a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by Greg, and her death was covered up).

After taking the money, Belindas final act at the White Lotus: Thailand, where season three takes place, is to then do to staffer, and lover, Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul) what Tanya did to her. Belinda scraps her and Pornchais plans to go into business together, and the Thailand saga ends with Belinda and Zion heading out on a jetboat, $5 million richer, as the victors of season three.

I think that moment [of Belinda leaving with the money] will feel like deja vu to the audience because of what happened to her, says Rothwell of the Tanya comparison, but I think if they look at it closely, youll see shes departing with kindness. She reiterates multiple times some things have changed and she just needs to wrap her head around those things, because her life just got really big.

Rothwell calls the final exchange between her and Pornchai heartbreaking, but she stops short of drawing a clean line from Belinda to Tanya, the latter who chose her life with Greg over her plans with Belinda. I think theres more grief on Belindas part than perhaps Tanyas part, she says. Tanyas about to go get dick. So shes like, Bye girl. I gotta go. Belindas a little bit more heartbroken and she doesnt say no. Shes just like, Right now, I have to get my bearings And I do think that maybe shed circle back [to Pornchai].

Rothwell explains that if Belinda had brought Pornchai along for the ride, it would be like her getting another dependent in this moment of freedom from financial burden. She even says to Zion, Cant I just be rich for five minutes? Right now, no one is asking anything of me, Rothwell explains, citing her early days as a working actor as being able to relate to Belindas never-ending dread about money. Shes like, Lets just pump the brakes and sit in the space where Im not doing something for someone else, and Im not making plans. Im just enjoying the comfort of security. I think thats why she doesnt bring Pornchai on the journey for this next chapter, because she doesnt know who she is outside of trying to work. I think shes taking care of herself.

Natasha Rothwells Belinda and Nicholas Duvernays Zion making a deal with Jon Gries as Greg in season three. Max That line of Belinda asking her son Cant I just be rich for five minutes? goes back to Whites full-circle ending for season three.

There was some criticism, White admitted on the after-show podcast about Belindas season one ending. She was the Black character; she was the dutiful put-upon worker; and then she got this very sad ending where shes consigned to work there forever, while everybodys riding off into the sunset. And some people thought that was accurate. Some people thought that was too depressing or whatever.

He added, There was a lot of conversation about that part of it.

So after the sadness over his decision to kill Tanya which meant the departure of his close friend, Emmy winner Coolidge White went back to the drawing board to ask, What could be something happy that comes out of it?

He said of Belindas choice: Its easy to be virtuous and have certain kinds of ideals when you have no money and dont have to really put your money where your mouth is. Its one thing to be, Oh yeah, Im gonna do this spa for women, whatever her sort of fantasy was but she needs someone to bankroll it. And then youve got the money, and its like, Can I just be rich for like five minutes? I just feel like thats very honest. You know what, just let me enjoy this for a second.

When White imagines now what Belindas future looks like, he said, Maybe she will go and do something meaningful. And I think people do Im not that cynical. That was actually an anchoring idea, that she would go and have this kind of Stella-gets-her-groove-back kind of thing with somebody there and is maybe fantasizing about maybe starting a business with this person, and then this windfall comes and its like, Im outta here. Sorry.

He continued, And we love her because we are with her. We get it. But at the same time, it feels very human and doesnt make it the end of some 80s comedy where you see them put up the sign of their spa for less fortunate people and giving massages to housekeepers or something.

Rothwell, for her part, says she collaborated with White to contribute scenes that felt authentic through the lens of Belinda being a Black woman, citing the look she gives to another Black couple at the White Lotus: Thailand as an example. I pitched him the scene and that came out of us talking [about] when I see Black people when I travel. It doesnt matter where in the world I am, Im gonna go up and say something if were in a really homogenous space, because I want that person to feel seen and 10 times out of 10 they they love being seen and want to feel seen by me, she says, adding of White, Its just a dream to be able to collaborate with someone at his level who sees value in my ideas.

As for her vision for Belinda now, Rothwell says she believes her character is likely headed for a new life, not too dissimilar to Greg becoming Gary in Thailand.

I think shes trying to adjust into this upper echelon of society, she says, imagining her future. You get out of Dodge pretty quick. Shes worried about being pursued by Greg, and so I think she wants to go off grid perhaps. Maybe shell go by her middle name.

The ending also could open up both her and Gries to return for the already renewed fourth season of HBO and Maxs Emmy-winning hit. Selfishly, I wanna come back. I dont know if I will be, but who knows? she says.

Gries, meanwhile, also didnt rule out a return. You never know, he told The Hollywood Reporter in his finale interview. Theres no trying to predict anything Mike White does. I never presumed Id be in season two. Same for season three. Everything he does has an element of surprise to it. Yes, I would love to come back. But does the book on Greg seem like its complete? I cant tell you.

In the end, Rothwell sees Belinda as a conduit for the audience into The White Lotus or at least, she was, until she got rich. I think thats why audiences are so drawn to Belinda, she says. She has such real, relatable reactions [like], Im gonna die. Lets call all the police. Shes trying to stay alive and shes gripping her purse like shes a nanny on a bus. Shes having really human, authentic reactions, which is just a joy to play because [in] the world of Mike White, its adding something that we dont get to see through the other characters.

White Lotus season two is now streaming on Max. Head here for all ofTHRs season three interviews and coverage,including ouruncensored oral history with White and the cast,breakdown of the finale and finale interview with Jon Gries.