While Kat Hernandez had an integral role in Euphoria season 1, her appearance in Euphoria season 2 seemed watered down, and her disappearance from Euphoria season 3 may cause issues for the HBO hit. As a character, Kat represented a unique perspective among her friend group, and her storylines often included themes of sexual freedom and expression. However, with the news that Barbie Ferreira is leaving the show, Euphoria showrunners will have their work cut out for them trying to explain her loss.
Despite the drastic change in Euphoria season 2, Barbie Ferriera's Kat began as a stand-out character in Euphoria season 1 because of her particularly daring storylines involving sex. She writes erotic fanfiction, and then starts making sexual videos, leading to her relationship with a man on the internet who pays her to video chat with him. While she starts Euphoria season 1 feeling self-conscious and inexperienced with sex, she ends it with more confidence and ability to express who she is. Unfortunately, this progress breaks entirely in Euphoria season 2 and Kat's happiness and importance seem to hit the back burner in favor of other storylines.
Kat's Exit Makes Her Euphoria Season 2 Story Worse
Barbie Ferreira's decision to exit Euphoria season 3 makes Kat's season 2 arc much worse because it permanently leaves her character underused. As Euphoria season 2 premiered week after week, Kat seemed to be drawn further and further into the background. Not only did her story lack the excitement of the past, but it also paled in comparison to other events happening in the series. This change didn't bode well for viewers because of how beloved Kat became in season 1 and now, with her complete absence, Kat's story will remain sparse and unappreciated without the chance of redemption.
Another problem with Kat's exit is that it leaves her plot completely open and unsolved. Although she had a more minimal plot line throughout season 2, Kat still struggled with self-esteem issues and the crisis that her sex work from season 1 caused. With a full exit in Euphoria season 3, her character loses any chance of recovering from her existential problems and leaves on a particularly negative and sad note. Plus, any sense of satisfaction in regard to her character arc becomes impossible with her leaving.
How Euphoria Season 3 Can Explain Kat's Absence
Despite the problems it causes, Kat's absence from season 3 is now inevitable and must be handled by Euphoria creators. It's possible that the writers may explain her exit by writing that she transferred schools due to her emotional distress or dropped out altogether. For Euphoria viewers it may be better to give her a more interesting reason to leave that aligns with her personality and history, such as following her track of internet fame, although this would be difficult to sell.
Euphoria wasted Kat, an interesting and lovable character, when they decreased her story in season 2. By dampening down her "out there" nature in season 2, they made her complete loss that much worse, because she would never get the chance to properly return to the series in season 3. The best option for Euphoria writers now is to give Kat a unique reason to leave that gives credit to the effect she had on the show and its audience.