Warning: Spoilers for the season finale of Euphoria ahead.
The curtain closed Sunday on the second season of Euphoria (and on Lexi's extravagant high school play) and I'm still reeling from that brutal scene at Fezco's house. Yep, you know the one.
But in case you didn't see the finale and you've somehow been able to dodge spoilers, stick around. The season finale offered updates on the Cassie-Maddy drama, Rue's recovery, and, of course, why Fezco didn't make it to Lexi's play.
There's a lot to unpack from the finale, but let's start from the top.
What happened to Fezco?
The season 2 finale wasted no time in addressing the foremost question on everyone's mind from the penultimate episode -- why Fez didn't make it to Lexi's play. The episode starts with Fez announcing he's going to leave for the play, as we saw in episode 7. He then gets stopped by Custer.
We know Custer is helping the police take down Fez and Ashtray for Mouse's murder, and Faye also knows. When Custer begins to talk about Mouse, Faye drops a glass, which shatters on the floor. Then -- in an amazing, crowd-pleasing move -- she puts a finger to her mouth, indicating Fez should stay quiet.
Faye begins to say that drug dealer Laurie murdered Mouse. But just as odds seem to be turning against Custer, Ashtray fatally stabs him in the neck. Fez tells Ashtray he's taking the fall for the murder when the police come. But Ashtray doesn't listen and winds up locking himself in the bathroom with firearms and ammunition.
The events at Fezco's house play out in between other Euphoria scenes. Soon, we arrive at that brutal one. Fez still can't get Ashtray to open the door. The police burst in, and Fez begs them not to shoot, pleading that Ashtray is just a kid. Ash fires the first bullets through the door, and one of them hits Fez in the gut. While he lies on the floor bleeding, Fez continues to scream for the officers to stop. The end only comes when Ash shoots a policeman at close range, then Ash is shot off-screen.
The roughly four-minute ordeal is excruciating. I might go out on a limb and say the heaviest stuff on a teen show maybe ever? (Though I admittedly haven't been keeping up with Riverdale lately.) An hour later, my head was still pounding.
What does Cassie do after being dumped by Nate?
Cassie, freshly dumped by Nate, makes her way on stage and starts berating Lexi. She claims Lexi put on the play to humiliate her, and starts to pick a fight with a cast member. Then a long-awaited moment comes to fruition. Maddy still hadn't truly been able to have it out with Cassie after learning she and Nate were sleeping together. In a scene set to comedic circus music, Maddy runs on stage and slaps Cassie, then chases her off.
Do Maddy and Cassie reconcile?
Unfortunately not. In a later scene in a bathroom, a scuffed-up Cassie tells Maddy that she and Nate broke up. "Don't Worry," Maddy replies. "This is just the beginning."
Does Rue continue to recover?
At the very end of the episode, Rue reveals she's stayed sober throughout the rest of the school year. We also learn through a flashback that Rue has made amends with Elliot, but not Jules. The scene gifts us a full-length song performed by Elliot, who's portrayed by musician Dominic Fike.
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Do Rue and Jules make up?
Rue and Jules have a short and unrevealing conversation near the end of the episode. Jules tells Rue she loves her. Rue kisses Jules on the forehead and leaves. In a voiceover, Rue says Jules was her first love. It's unclear whether that is a definitive "was," but I'm willing to bet it's not the end for these two.
Do we see Cal again?
Indeed, it's another dark part of the episode. We see Nate walking up to his dad's business with a gun. Nate reveals to Cal he found videos of Cal having sex with prostitutes when he was just 11. Cal opens up to his son, saying that he loves Nate and regrets not keeping him safe. But Nate says he doesn't want an apology, just revenge. He pulls out a flash drive that has "everything" on it. We see police car lights appear outside, and Cal is arrested.
What else happens in Lexi's play?
The drama stirred up by Cassie puts Lexi in low spirits, but after a crowd-cheer started by Rue, she returns to the stage and the play resumes. Lexi also quotes something Fez said to her regarding upsetting people with her show: "Sometimes people need to get their feelings hurt."
The play features flashbacks with Rue at her father's funeral and Lexi at her father's bedside. We also get a rare scene in which the pair have a heart-to-heart. That interaction between the two appears to happen in the future, after Lexi's play, but somehow is still a part of the play. Rue tells Lexi that seeing the play meant the world to her, and that the play was the first time she was able to look at her life and not hate herself. They talk about losing their dads, and how it's affected them.
How did Mouse die?
In the very first episode of the season, a continuation of a scene from the season 1 finale, money was changing hands between Fez and Mouse. Ash charged in with a hammer and hit Mouse square in the head, leaving a pretty gross, gaping hole. That was the end of Mouse.
Given that Mouse was a pretty irredeemable character, (remember when he forced Rue to take fentanyl in season 1?) we weren't sad to see him go.
Will Euphoria get a season 3?
Yep. Earlier this month, HBO renewed the showfor a third season. Euphoria is now the second most watched show on HBO since 2004, trailing only behind Game of Thrones, according to Variety.
Stray observations:
- In between the opening scene at Fez's house and Lexi's play, we see a flashback to an undeniably sweet Fexi moment, which makes everything that much harder to bear. What is Lexi going to do when she finds out what happened? I'm a mess.
- We get a funny reaction from Rue to a furious Cassie breathing on glass like the velociraptor from Jurassic Park.
- What happens with Kat and Ethan? She and Ethan broke things off back in episode 6. Ethan's impressive performance in Our Life's workout musical number was a show-stopper, and a reminder of how this unproblematic and frankly awesome character deserves better from Kat. (C'mon, they don't have to get back together, but the guy at least deserves an apology for that fake brain disorder spiel.)
- Some other unresolved bits: We still have creepy Laurie to worry about. Rue owes her money, so unfortunately, we likely aren't free of this unsettling teacher turned drug dealer yet. Also, I'm still wondering about that camera we saw in Samantha's house. Something weird is definitely afoot.
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FAQs
What does the ending of Euphoria season 2 explain? ›
As the finale draws to a close, Rue lets us know that she stayed sober throughout the rest of the school year. Her parting words are actually something she recalled Ali saying: that the mere idea of being a good person is what can actually move you to become a good person.
What did Laurie do to Rue? ›To help with the withdrawal, Laurie injects Rue with morphine. According to Medline Plus, morphine is an opiate that is typically used to relieve severe pain that cannot be controlled by the use of other pain medications.
What happens at the end of Euphoria season 2 episode 8? ›After Bobbi's encouraging words, Lexi's play resumes and the episode ends with some bittersweet confrontations we've been waiting for throughout the season. Rue is clean and making amends with people she's hurt and people who have hurt her.
Is Euphoria season 2 ending good? ›Rue revealed in the final moments of Season 2, she managed to stay clean the rest of her school year, and the finale showed she managed to make amends with several people in her life, minus Jules.
Can someone explain the ending of Euphoria? ›In a voiceover, Rue explains that Jules was her first love and wants to remember her in that positive light, suggesting they don't get back together. The voiceover continues with Rue revealing she stayed sober through the end of the school year.
Was Nate in love with Jules? ›The Clue You Missed. In season two, episode three of "Euphoria", it was finally revealed to Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane) that his son, Nate (Jacob Elordi), is "in love" with Jules (Hunter Schafer).
Why did Laurie give Rue so much morphine? ›According to Medline Plus, morphine is an opiate that is typically used to relieve severe pain that cannot be controlled by the use of other pain medications. It seems that Laurie took advantage of Rue by giving her another highly addictive opiate to ease her withdrawal symptoms and knock her out.
What did Laurie do to Rue in the bathtub? ›Laurie offers Rue morphine to "help", and then tells her to get undressed so she can get in the bath. After Laurie injects Rue, she drifts off to sleep in the bath and wakes up hours later locked inside Laurie's house.
Why did Laurie lock Rue in her apartment? ›A few people on Reddit recalled situations where drug dealers would lock up addicts who owe them money until their debts were paid off. Plus, Laurie tells Rue she always gets her money back. If Rue doesn't pay, she may find herself locked up in Laurie's apartment until her debts are settled.
Why did Ashtray do that? ›Ashtray decided to do his own thing, because he wanted what was best for him in that moment. And that was selfish of him. At the end of the day, he's a kid, you know? A lot of people see him as this adult, but he's very vulnerable.
Why did Ashtray lock himself in the bathroom? ›
Why did Ashtray lock himself in the bathroom? Fez pleads with Ashtray to let him take the fall because they know the police are literally on their way. Ashtray refuses, and he grabs a bunch of guns and barricades himself in the bathroom.
Who killed Ashtray? ›Unfortunately, and inexplicably, the young kid instead locks himself in the bathroom with all the guns he has in the house for one final stand-off. Ashtray ends up shooting a police officer, Fezco gets caught in the middle, and Ashtray then gets shot and killed himself.
What did Nate's dad do to him Euphoria? ›Season 1 revealed that a young Nate found out about his father Cal's extramarital affairs when he discovered his extensive collection of personal sex tapes. Cal was having aggressive sexual encounters with various individuals, mainly young men.
Did Maddie beat up Cassie? ›Maddy Beats up Cassie in Front of Hundreds of People (FULL SCENE) EUPHORIA S2 E8. Your browser can't play this video.
What was the plot twist in Euphoria? ›A shootout ensues, and Ash, the youngest character in the show, is killed after shooting and injuring numerous cops. In the process, Fez gets shot in the stomach, and despite his injury, we last see him being handcuffed and taken away by police officers.
What did Nate do at the end of Euphoria? ›In the finale, we see Nate turn Cal in to the police for child pornography, and he tells his father that he's choosing revenge.
What happens to Cal at the end of Euphoria? ›During the season 2 finale of Euphoria, which aired on Sunday, Cal was arrested after his son Nate (Jacob Elordi) turned him in to the police for his past crimes. The moment happened after a tense confrontation between the father and son, in which Cal finally faced his wrongdoings as a father.
What surgery did Cassie get at the end of Euphoria? ›With the support of her mom and sister, Cassie decides to go through with having an abortion after realizing she's pregnant with McKay's baby. Although her boyfriend is nowhere to be found during the whole process, Cassie admits to her mom that she feels much better after having the procedure.
Why did Nate hold a gun to Maddy? ›As an attempt to get his dad Cal's disc back, Nate broke into Maddy's house and threatened her with a gun and a game of Russian Roulette. “It was an incredibly difficult scene not only because of the gun to my head, but because it was choreographed in a really specific way,” Demie told Entertainment Weekly.
Why do Fez and Nate have beef? ›So Fez beat up Nate in retaliation for putting his drug dealing business, livelihood, and life on the line.
Did McKay get assaulted? ›
In one harrowing episode toward the end of the season, McKay is sexually assaulted by his fraternity brothers, which also complicates his connection with Cassie.
Why couldn't Rue open the Jolly Rancher? ›Why was Rue having trouble opening the Jolly Rancher? We learn later in the episode that she was given medication to combat opiate withdrawals and has since been fighting to stay clean. She can barely open the candy wrapper.
What did Rue tell Laurie her name was? ›What did Rue tell Laurie her name was? But when Rue shows up to Laurie's house, she calls her Ruby Bennett. It was definitely a shock to hear, for a couple reasons.
Why did Laurie bruise Rue? ›Instead, Laurie "helped" Rue by shooting her up with morphine — despite the fact that Rue insisted she never took drugs intravenously and didn't want to. Rue woke up days later with an intense bruise on the vein where Laurie injected her with morphine, only to find that Laurie had locked her in the house.
How does Rue pay for her drugs? ›For those who need a refresher, Rue convinced eerily calm drug lord Laurie to give her a suitcase filled with $10K worth of drugs, under the guise that she'd sell them and give Laurie her profit.
Did Rue pay Laurie back? ›Suddenly, the suitcase holding $10,000 worth of drugs Laurie (Martha Kelly) gave Rue to sell is gone. Rue spends most of the episode on the run trying to evade another stint in rehab. Ultimately, she ends up stealing jewelry and $2,000 from someone in the neighborhood to pay Laurie back.
Is Laurie setting Rue up? ›Laurie then opens up about her own history of OxyContin abuse and ends up lecturing Rue about the dangers of prolonged drug use. Her compassion is unsettling.
What does the parrot symbolize in euphoria? ›You may have noticed that when Rue wakes up in another bedroom after taking morphine, there's a new, blue bird in there with her. More symbolically, there's another theory that believes the birds represent pretty, young people who are stuck in cages—seemingly symbolising the women trapped in Laurie's possession.
What about the money Rue owes laurie? ›How much money did Rue give Laurie? In total, this means Rue owes Laurie $13,000. She then warns Rue she needs to “pay up and re-up” in a month and warns Rue that if she “screws” her, she'll have her “kidnapped and sold to some real sick people. I always find a way to make my money back.
Is Laurie evil euphoria? ›Type of Villain
Laurie is the main antagonist of the HBO series Euphoria, serving as the unseen overarching antagonist of the first season and the secondary antagonist of the second season.
Is Ashtray going to be in season 3? ›
As we now know, Ashtray will not be reappearing for season three, as he was gunned down by police in a brutal shootout scene. Fez was taken away in handcuffs while still battling gun wound injuries, but Angus Cloud is listed among the cast for season three, so we can sleep easy knowing Fez will make it through.
Is Ashtray Nate's Brother? ›Nate's Brother Is Ashtray
In episode 1 of Euphoria, season 2 it was revealed Ash and Fez were not biologically related but were both raised by Fez's grandmother (Kathrine Narducci). Ash had been dropped off at her home and his mother and father never returned to collect him.
In an explosive scene involving a S.W.A.T. raid, Fezco (Angus Cloud) is accidentally shot by Ashtray (Javon Walton), which leads Ash to his apparent death.
Is Ashtray Laurie's kid? ›Is Ashtray Laurie's son? Even if Fez doesn't know that Laurie is Ashtray's mother, Laurie may know that Ashtray is her son. In fact, it may be the reason why Laurie is keen to trust Fez in the first place: She knows that Fez took good care of Ashtray, and therefore is willing to deal with someone as young as Fez.
What did Ashtray do to mouse? ›Euphoria Season 2, Episode 1: Ashtray Kills Mouse With a Hammer.
Why did Ash stab Custer? ›After Fez tried to settle Mouse for the drugs that he had to flush down the toilet by stealing the money from an unethical doctor, Ashtray, terrified that he may try to hurt Fezco, attacked both him and his partner, Custer, with a hammer, breaking Custer's nose, and killing Mouse in the process by hitting him in the .. ...
Does Fezco get killed? ›The episode ends there with Fezco, showing him in dire straits—but, thankfully, alive. Though it would have had temporary shock value, killing Fez off would have been a narratively frustrating move in retrospect.
Is Ashtray confirmed? ›Despite Ashtray's death occurring off-screen, leading some fans to share the hope that he may have survived, Javon admitted that his last scene was his "last time on set".
Will Fezco be in season 3? ›Angus Cloud's Fezco was left in a precarious situation but alive after being shot in the stomach in the finale so will likely be back in the third season - even if he is in prison after being taken into police custody in the second season finale.
Does Nate know Jules slept with his dad? ›Back in Season 1, Nate started catfishing Jules on a dating app, when he found out that she slept with his dad.
Why did Nate do that to Jules? ›
Worried Jules will report his father to the police and ruin his life, Nate starts flirting with Jules through a dating app in order to get nude photos to blackmail her with.
Why did Nate bring a gun to Cal? ›While it's unclear exactly why Nate pulled a gun on Cal (since he never ends up using it), it could have been a physical display of power he never feels he has over his dad up until this point. In all the ways Cal traumatizes, intimidates, and hurts Nate, he wants to do the same to his dad.
What did Nate do to Maddy? ›Nate and Maddy get into a fight after she embarrassed his family at the town's carnival during season 1, episode 5. During their confrontation, Nate violently choked Maddy, leaving bruises on her neck. Maddy refused to press charges against her boyfriend after the injuries were revealed.
What did Cassie gift Maddy? ›Then, Nate arrives. He barely gives Cassie the time of day and gifts Maddy a Tiffany necklace.
Why did Maddy say this is just the beginning? ›Nate breaking up with Cassie before interrupting Lexi's play may have seemed bad, but Maddy knows that's just child's play compared to what he'll do later on. Maddy saying “this is just the beginning” is also an apt summary of how Euphoria will progress in its future seasons.
Why was the girl in the bathtub Euphoria? ›Desperate to pee, Maddy knocks on the bathroom door at a party, not knowing that her ex-boyfriend Nate and best friend Cassie are having sex on the other side of it. The intense moment leads to Cassie hiding in a bathtub to avoid being discovered by Maddy and the scene is truly like something out of a thriller movie.
Can ashtray still be alive? ›Despite Ashtray's death occurring off-screen, leading some fans to share the hope that he may have survived, Javon admitted that his last scene was his "last time on set".
Did Fezco go to jail? ›Yes, Fez is arrested in the Euphoria Season 2 finale.
What happens in the Euphoria finale? ›The episode picks up where the last one left off, showing Fezco still at home, late to Lexi's play because he senses Custer might be up to something. Just as he starts to figure it out, Ashtray (Javon “Wanna” Walton), who's spent the season becoming increasingly violent, stabs Custer in the neck and kills him.
What happened to Rue and Jules at the end of Season 2? ›I miss you so much.” Rue gets emotional after hearing those words. But she doesn't say it back to Jules. She gives a forehead kiss to Jules and walks away. So to answer, Rue and Jules don't get back together in HBO's Euphoria Season 2 Finale.
Does Rue overdose at the end of Season 2? ›
Contrary to numerous fan theories, Rue makes it out alive, heading back home to safety, but not out of the woods.
What did the ending of euphoria Season 2 episode 4 mean? ›Cassie apologized to Nate while she was taken away. Even though Cassie did not understand what Nate wanted, she loved him nevertheless. She could not believe herself when she heard Maddy talk about how Nate wanted to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her.
What did Rue snort at the end of Euphoria? ›It's not pretty. Rue takes the powerful opioid fentanyl, injects morphine, and drags around a suitcase filled with thousands of dollars worth of drugs (a stash she can't resist dipping into).
Was Rue trafficked Euphoria? ›*It's important to note that in the show Rue is 17 years old. Legally, she cannot consent to engaging in commercial sex so the presence of force, fraud, and coercion would not be necessary to classify her as a victim of trafficking, even though some of those elements were present.
Did Rue and Jules sleep together? ›In Season 2's fourth episode, “You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can,” Rue narrates that her love for Jules is so intense, it is hard to verbally explain. So, while the two have sex, the scene moves to a montage of Rue and Jules reenacting various famous lovers of movies and pop culture.
Why did Rue keep yawning? ›Why does Rue keep yawning in 'Euphoria'? Now without drugs and currently on the run from her family, Rue begins to experience the effects of opioid withdrawal. There are several symptoms associated with the condition, but one of the most common is excessive yawning.
Does Rue pay Laurie back? ›Suddenly, the suitcase holding $10,000 worth of drugs Laurie (Martha Kelly) gave Rue to sell is gone. Rue spends most of the episode on the run trying to evade another stint in rehab. Ultimately, she ends up stealing jewelry and $2,000 from someone in the neighborhood to pay Laurie back.
What does the flower scene in Cassie mean? ›As Cassie is seen surrounded by hanging roses, roses function to symbolize very powerful emotions such as love and courage.
Why was Rue holding her bladder in Euphoria? ›Rue is so depressed she doesn't even want to go to the bathroom. I've done that before but more like I'm so lazy I don't even want to get up, so a little different, or a lot different… Because when you are depressed you can't stop yourself from feeling worse as Rue puts it.
Why was Rue in the bathtub? ›In episode 5, Rue ends up going back to Laurie's house while experiencing severe withdrawal. Laurie offers Rue morphine to "help", and then tells her to get undressed so she can get in the bath. After Laurie injects Rue, she drifts off to sleep in the bath and wakes up hours later locked inside Laurie's house.
Why is Nate Cal's biggest regret? ›
So, this is farewell." The whole monologue is a lot to take in, but the line about Nate being Cal's biggest regret is very striking since his older brother, Aaron, was the baby who prevented him from being with his first love, Derek.