After a controversial eight-episode run, Euphoria season 2 has come to a close. The HBO teen drama created by Sam Levinson has experienced wild success in its sophomore outing, more than doubling its viewership over season 1, which first aired in 2019. The cast of Euphoria has also experienced massive success since the show originally premiered and audiences were highly anticipating the return of the show. Euphoria season 2 proved to be quite the divisive season of television, though, with both rumored behind-the-scenes drama and a story that confused audiences.
Euphoria season 2 picks up with the East Highland high schoolers at the dawn of the New Year. Zendaya's character Rue has relapsed and she and Jules are estranged. While the characters come together briefly for a New Year's Eve party, they spend the majority of the rest of the season separated as they worked through their own various issues. This came at the expense of several major players, with Euphoria season 2 giving barely any screentime to Kat (Barbie Ferrera), Jules (Hunter Schafer), or Elliot (Dominic Fike), a new character introduced to viewers in episode 1.
The Euphoria season 2 ending tried to weave all these disparate plotlines together to varying degrees of success. As Lexi's play "Our Life" continues, the episode once again moves in and out of this increasingly baffling storytelling device, blurring the line between what's real and what's not. This leads to a quieter finale than what many may have been expecting, with some explosive moments punctuating muted character development in a way that still leaves many plot threads dangling.
Will Cassie & Nate Get Back Together?
The love triangle between Cassie, Maddy, and Nate was one of Euphoria season 2's biggest and most-talked-about storylines and it ultimately became its most glaring failure. Stretched out over the last four episodes of the season, Maddy finds out about her best friend Cassie sleeping with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Nate Jacobs in episode 5. It isn't until the final two episodes that Maddy's true feelings about the situation are revealed. Spreading it out over four episodes dilutes the impact of Maddy's very real emotions surrounding the situation and although Cassie and Nate break up in the penultimate episode, it seems like they may end up getting back together.
After Cassie and Maddy get into a physical altercation on stage in the middle of Lexi's play, the pair run off into the halls of East Highland High and find themselves in the pink-tiled bathroom that has been the sight of many conversations this season. When Cassie admits that Nate broke up with her before her breakdown, Maddy says, "This is just the beginning." It's almost as if Alexa Demie's character is giving Cassie a stamp of approval 0r at least admitting that she won't be helping her friend navigate Nate's increasingly toxic and abusive behavior the same way Cassie did for her. In the end, Cassie may have destroyed every relationship in her life for a boy.
Did Fez Die In The Euphoria Season 2 Finale?
Fez's fate is left unknown at the end of Euphoria season 2. East Highland's resident drug dealer is left wounded after a SWAT team descends on his house, with Ashtray facing off against the cops in a fatal gunfight as a fading Fez watches on. This should put to rest any theories about Ashtray being the third Jacobs son that Euphoria has hinted at, but it also brings to light one of the finale's most baffling decisions—why on earth is the pre-teen Ashtray so willing to go toe-to-toe with the police? The character had already displayed a propensity for violence in his willingness to quickly kill Mouse and Custer, the latter of whom is knifed in the neck by Ashtray in the finale, but Ashtray's death seems like a way to serve Fez's story more than anything. With Fez left alive, Angus Cloud's character will have to deal with the fact that one of the only people he's ever cared for has died and while this sets up an interesting story for him in Euphoria season 3, it still doesn't quite make sense.
Why Did Nate Turn His Father Cal Into The Police?
The saga of Cal Jacobs and his family was front-and-center in Euphoria season 2 and it proved to be one of the most divisive aspects of the eight-episode season. After Cal's explosive breakdown, Eric Dane's Jacobs patriarch returns as Nate turns him into the police for sex crimes, another confounding choice for Euphoria season 2's ending. Mere episodes ago, Rue's voiceover revealed that Nate didn't want his father's crimes exposed. So why the change of heart? It seems like Euphoria is hellbent on redeeming Nate Jacobs, although to what end remains unclear. Nate as a hero isn't exactly convincing. The character has done some truly deplorable things in just sixteen episodes and it will take more than just turning in his father to make him into someone who the audience actually wants to root for—if it's even possible.
What's Next For Rue; Are Rue & Jules Done For Good?
"Rules" a.k.a. Rue and Jules, the relationship at the center of Euphoria, was irrevocably changed in season 2. After Jules participated in Rue's intervention in episode 5, Rue said some truly horrible things to Jules and Hunter Schafer's character was largely sidelined for the rest of the season, something that is indicative of a larger pattern with several characters. With Jules being so integral to Rue's journey, though, this seemed particularly egregious. Towards the end of Euphoria season 2's finale, the pair finally sit down together after the conclusion of Lexi's play, and Jules expresses that she still loves Rue.
Despite mending fences with Elliot (Dominic Fike), who also participated in Rue's intervention in episode 5, it may take longer for Rue to forgive Jules. The pair don't seem primed for an immediate reconciliation akin to the one at the beginning of season 2, but it's possible that they could revisit their relationship down the road. This all depends on Rue's sobriety, though. Although the Euphoria season 2 ending provides a hopeful conclusion for Zendaya's character, her journey in season 3 remains unclear as of now. Will the show provide a path to redemption for Rue or will it send her spiraling once again? It doesn't seem as if the show has an answer for this yet.
Why Euphoria Season 2's Ending Ultimately Falls Flat
In many ways, Euphoria is one of the best shows on HBO because it feels inherently confident in its storytelling. From the way it whiplashes between timelines and character arcs to its visual and musical style that adds a dimension that many other shows lack, the teen drama feels as if it knows where it's going and what it's doing. That doesn't mean it actually does, though, which is why Euphoria season 2 can't stick the landing.
Levinson, who writes and directs every episode and also serves as an executive producer on the show, isn't brave enough to go where he teases Euphoria will go - i.e. killing Fez or exploring Nate Jacobs in any meaningful way. Nor is the show smart enough to subvert these expectations in a way that is surprising or even exciting. Instead, it's just confusing. From Ashtray inexplicably wanting a shootout with the police to Nate turning in his father to the police, Levinson is constantly second-guessing his own creative choices. The one thing that Euphoria has in its arsenal, though, is Zendaya's earth-shattering performance as Rue.
Levinson can't rely on Zendaya forever, though, and there is a future for the show beyond her character. The disproportionate storytelling this season highlights just how necessary characters like Kat, Maddy, Cassie, and Jules are to the story overall and Euphoria season 3 needs to rectify the slights against these characters when it returns in 2024. As Maddy says towards the end of Euphoria season 2, "It's just the beginning." In a way, it really is for the show. Season 2 showed just how much potential there is in the series, but it also showed what can happen when there isn't a clear direction or when character arcs aren't fully thought out. Prioritizing style over substance has long been one of the show's biggest faults. Hopefully, it can learn from its mistakes.