Few things bring our nation together quite like a hit show on HBO MAX, and The White Lotus has been filling the Game of Thrones-sized hole in our hearts for a good three years now. It seems like, for one hour every Sunday, everyone you know is tuning in to watch the same thing at the same time. It’s beautiful, really—poetic, if you think about it—that is, until you realize that everyone from your boyfriend’s mother to your boss has tuned in and watched that scene. Then, it becomes something very, very weird. But leave it to Mike White to craft a season finale with so many emotional highs and lows that we can all move on from whatever that was. So, let’s pack our proverbial bags, get the hell out of Thailand, and unpack this finale, shall we?

In the final episode of The White Lotus‘ third installment, we said goodbye to the—and I speak on behalf of the nation here—most beloved character since Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge): Chelsea, played by the brilliant Aimee Lou Wood. If you haven’t binged all of Sex Education on Netflix, I highly recommend doing so while you mourn the effervescent and lovely Chelsea.

Rick finally let the trauma from his sordid childhood get the best of him when he shot Jim Hollinger in an attempt to avenge his father’s death. Sritala reveals to Rick—and to us—that Jim actually is his father. In one devastating moment, Rick is responsible for the death of his own Dad, his partner, and ultimately, himself, when he too is taken out by Gaitok in the final 10 minutes of the season. Between Rick’s storyline and Timothy Ratliff’s, if this season taught us anything, it’s that torturing yourself gets you nowhere. In fact, you might even end up killing your Dad—or almost killing your son.

The Ratliff family made us feel a lot of things this season: contempt, anxiety, disgust—but they also might have made us laugh the most. Watching this out-of-touch, waspy family through the lens of Timothy Ratliff and their impending doom provided comedic relief at every turn. Parker Posey gave a Jennifer Coolidge-level performance as Victoria Ratliff, the unaware, lorazepam’d-up matriarch of the family.

My favorite scene of the entire series just might have been in this finale when Piper returns from her night at the monastery, breaking apart at the seams from the inorganic food she had to eat and the stained mattress she had to sleep on. This is much to Tim’s despair—and much to Victoria’s delight. The viewing experience of this was pure comedic genius.

In the end, we see the Ratliffs leave their vacation a changed family, even though we never see the fallout of their financial demise. Timothy learns, after almost doing the unthinkable, that family is more important than money. Saxon learns there’s more to life—and love—than Muscle Milk and sex. Lachlan sees God and we can only hope he’ll stop people-pleasing his life away. Piper has a “come-to-Jesus” moment, realizing she is indeed no deeper than a spoiled brat. And Victoria… well, Victoria stays the same, and we can all be grateful for that. Keep the laughs coming. I, for one, would love to see how this story continues for the Ratliffs in season 4.

Our three favorite ladies—Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb, and Carrie Coon—represented a dynamic that, up until the finale, was the real, consistent comedic relief of the season, even though they didn’t get much airtime in this last episode. However, Carrie Coon delivered an Emmy-worthy monologue that shone a light on the complexity of life, getting older, and the importance of friendship. This trio exemplified what it’s like to be a woman walking through life. It’s impossible not to compare and compete with each other because it’s been ingrained in us that there isn’t enough room at the top. Ultimately, the snide comments made behind each other’s backs are merely a reflection of their dissatisfaction within their own lives. You can see in their final scenes together the real love and admiration they truly have for each other.

Last, but not least, this story ends with Belinda and her son, Zion, boating away $5 million richer, leaving Pornchai in the dust. Remember when I said watching The White Lotus was a poetic experience? Belinda doing the same thing to Pornchai that Tanya did to her… now that’s poetic… and painful. Greg/Gary leaves yet another season scot-free, but just like Tanya’s decision to leave The White Lotus for love ultimately sealed her fate, I’m curious: will the $5 million seal Belinda’s in season 4? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Until then, we’ll all have to find something else to come together about.

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Michelle Aguilar is a UW–Madison School of Journalism grad, pop culture enthusiast, and NYC-based salesperson. Follow her on Twitter @ItsMichAguilar and Instagram @michiaguilar.