Killer Instinct

Rick and Frank pose as a film producer and director and travel to a Thai home to meet Sritala and Jim Hollinger. They outline a Hollywood project that would feature Sritala in a leading role, and the meeting unfolds in a tense, businesslike mood. Rick asks Jim to step aside for a private discussion about forging the deal in Thailand, signaling hidden stakes beneath the surface.

Jim's office becomes the setting for a more intimate negotiation, moving from film ambitions to the personal stakes behind their long-standing ties to the locale. The conversation reveals past troubles and the price of making the project happen. The room hums with careful negotiation as both men measure ambition against history.

At a lively villa party, Saxon socializes with his parents while scenes of privilege mask deeper tensions. He crosses paths with Chelsea, who pushes back against stereotypes about staying with an older, wealthier man for comfort. Chelsea asserts that she and Rick are soulmates, injecting a personal belief into the night.

Back at the villa, Timothy's troubling pattern resurfaces as he abuses his wife's lorazepam and mutters dark fantasies about killing her and himself. When Saxon confronts him, Timothy denies anything serious is wrong and avoids confrontation. The confrontation leaves a chill that unsettles the family dynamics.

In a monastery nearby, Lochlan confides to Piper that he wants to stay for a full year, signaling a hunger for independence. Piper's reaction reveals uncertainty about his plan, hinting at mentorship and the pull of different life choices. The moment threads into the film's broader questions about paths forward.

Chloe reveals to Saxon that 'Gary' tolerates her infidelity because he used to watch his parents’ sexual history, a claim that unsettles him. The disclosure deepens the moral ambiguity of their relationships and pushes Saxon to reconsider his boundaries. The exchange adds emotional weight to the night.

After that, Saxon escorts Chelsea to her room and tries to show that he isn’t as one-note as she imagines, asking for her help to evolve spiritually. Chelsea offers a few self-help books and remains cautious as the flirtation grows more apparent. The moment blends a desire for growth with wary boundaries.

Greg privately meets Belinda at the resort and claims he isn’t implicated in Tanya’s death, offering $100,000 to open a wellness center in his name. Belinda is frightened and asks for time to consider, then leaves with her son Zion. Zion’s quiet push for acceptance reveals how money and loyalty press on safety and family.

Zion's subtle insistence for acceptance adds pressure to Belinda and Greg, highlighting the influence of money and loyalties on family safety. The moment subtly shifts the power dynamics within the resort circle. Tension builds as financial interests intersect with personal risk.

During a tense dinner back at the resort, Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie wrestle with judgment and past choices, sparking discomfort that drives Laurie to withdraw. She seeks tension relief by watching a Muay Thai fight with Valentin, Aleksei, and Vlad. The chaotic energy of the fight stirs buried resentments and unsettles the group.

On a separate date, Gaitok and Mook discuss futures as Gaitok, a Buddhist who adheres to non-violence, offers a measured, idealistic view that clashes with Mook’s ambition. Their evening leads to a Muay Thai event where Gaitok recognizes Aleksei and Vlad as the same men who robbed a boutique earlier, tying honor, risk, and consequence together. Valentin’s distraction at the gate helps the men carry out their plan.

In Bangkok, Rick confronts Jim over a decades-old murder connected to a land deal, a confrontation that pushes Jim to acknowledge the name of Rick’s mother without admitting culpability. Rick, unable to shoot, disarms the moment by knocking over Jim’s chair and walking away. The two dispose of the gun downtown and later celebrate by entering a nightclub, where Frank drinks while Rick remains sober and offers a quiet, contented smile.

After the fight, Laurie seeks solace with Aleksei at his home, where they share a moment of intimacy until Aleksei’s girlfriend returns and interrupts. Laurie escapes through a window, leaving behind questions about trust and desire in their circle. The scene underscores the precarious boundaries of their connections.

Timothy's disturbing fantasies resurface, now targeting Victoria and Saxon. He searches for the gun he had stashed in the villa, only to find it missing, a final, unsettling twist. The missing weapon signals unresolved danger and the potential for violence to erupt.