Although they are the main couple of Euphoria, Rue and Jules' relationship is one mired in complications, proving they shouldn't be together. Euphoria follows a varied group of characters, most of whom go to East Highland High School. In season 1, Hunter Schafer's Jules is introduced as the new girl in town and Rue, played by Zendaya, is instantly attracted to her. The pair strike up a relationship and it's Rue's love for Jules that inspires her to get sober. The end of Euphoria season 1 saw Jules and Rue planning to skip town, but when Rue realizes just how bad of an idea this is, Jules leaves her behind and Rue relapses.
The premiere of Euphoria season 2 quickly solves this cliffhanger (after two bottle episodes dove into the characters of Rue and Jules on their own). At a New Year's Eve party, Rue and Jules reconcile after Rue cruelly blames Jules for her relapse. Shortly after, the couple continues on as if nothing has happened, but Euphoria season 2, episode 2 begins to show the cracks in their relationship. Rue is still on drugs and she has made a new friend in Dominic Fike's Elliott, someone who is equally as into drugs as Rue. Jules and Rue spend much of the episode apart and this seems to portend tragedy for the couple in upcoming episodes.
It's clear that Rue is not in a place where she is able to be in a healthy relationship and give Jules the kind of love she deserves. Rue's relapse puts her in a position where she is constantly lying to those she loves and this, coupled with Rue's newfound relationship with Elliott, will only send Rue further down a darker path. This isn't to say Rue, wonderfully portrayed by a great acting performance from Zendaya, won't one day be capable of being in a loving and healthy relationship, but it is widely believed by addiction recovery specialists that those in the early stages of getting sober should steer clear of romantic relationships until they are more secure in their sobriety.
Rue's internal battle is communicated masterfully by Zendaya in Euphoria. Her conflicted emotions are laid bare as she navigates her friendship with Elliott, her care for Jules, and her desire to not let her mother and sister see the worst in her. Unfortunately, all of that hiding and deflecting will only lead to the people around her getting hurt and Jules will be one of the first. Although Schafer's character is much more confident in her own skin, Jules is dealing with her own feelings for Rue and the awareness that her relationship with Zendaya's character is not healthy.
Euphoria, one of the best shows on HBO Max right now, has long made it seem as if Rue and Jules are an endgame couple and they might be. There is a future where Rue gets sober and develops the ability to navigate interpersonal relationships with the honesty they deserve, but at this point in her life and her journey to recovery, Rue is not in the position to give a romantic partner what they need. These complicated dynamics are what make Euphoria one of the best shows on HBO right now despite the fact that there are some otherwise weak spots in season 2's storytelling. The relationship between Jules and Rue is played with brutal honesty and although audiences may be rooting for them to work out, it can't work right now.