Despite Its Flaws, the Euphoria Series Finale Still Landed an Emotional Punch Thanks to Powerful Acting

All season long, there have been questions about whether Euphoria Season 3 would conclude the HBO hit.

Truthfully, I figured the show would remain alive for another season with a new generation of characters, allowing it to return to high school.

But now that I’ve watched Euphoria Season 3 Episode 8 and had some time to process it, it makes sense that the show’s fate wasn’t revealed before the finale aired.

Despite being one of the most unrealistic series in TV history, I came to terms with it back on Euphoria Season 1 that Rue likely wouldn’t survive the series.

Her battle with addiction was raw and honest in those early seasons, and statistically speaking, many people succumb to addiction.

Zendaya has single-handedly delivered award-worthy performances throughout the show’s run. Even when the writing flatlined, she elevated the material with an emotionally gripping performance.

Sam Levinson’s comments about wanting to give Rue the most honest ending possible seemed a bit contradictory to me, given that the final season wasn’t exactly rooted in reality. Even so, Rue’s fate always felt inevitable.

I figured Rue would already be dead when Ali woke up that morning, so I was pleasantly surprised to find her watching TV and preparing to flee with Fez. Initially, I bought into the fantasy that they could actually escape together.

But Rue’s erratic driving immediately raised red flags.

Her behavior aligned with the impulsive character we’ve come to know over the last seven years, yet there was such a heavy sense of regression in those scenes that it became clear something was very wrong.

Rue had endured so much hardship over the course of the series, so watching her slip away after reconnecting with the people who mattered most to her was devastating.

You always want people to overcome their demons, but Euphoria never pretended addiction had easy outcomes, and Rue often felt like she was fighting a losing battle.

The biggest surprise is that she died so early in the 93-minute finale.

Two Original Characters Died With No Funerals on the Euphoria Finale

I’m also struggling to understand why there was no funeral for her. Heck, even Nate, who was brutally killed off on Euphoria Season 3 Episode 7, didn’t get any real goodbye either.

I know Cassie and Maddy confessing the truth about what happened that night would open the door to many questions, including what happened to Naz.

Given how the finale ended, it feels like HBO intentionally left room for a continuation if the show ever returns in another form.

After years spent at odds with one another, Cassie and Maddy were forced to work together to pay off their debt to Alamo, creating an interesting dynamic.

Sadly, Sydney Sweeney wasn’t given much of an acting showcase in the finale itself, but she had plenty of huge moments earlier in the season.

Alongside Zendaya, Colman Domingo carried Euphoria Season 3 Episode 8.

Ali wasn’t given much to do for most of the season, but the increased focus on his past over the final stretch made it clear he would play a pivotal role in the endgame.

Still, the last thing I expected was for him to storm into the Silver Slipper and open fire, brutally slaying Alamo in the process.

His final scenes, healing with the family that helped Rue back on Euphoria Season 3 Episode 1, served as a poignant farewell.

The look on the father’s and daughter’s faces when they realized Rue had died said everything.

They were heartbroken, but they were also willing to welcome Ali into their home and begin the healing process together.

For a show that featured Cassie traversing Los Angeles as a giant earlier in the season and pushing her breasts through a window, it was a surprisingly grounded farewell.

One of the biggest gripes I have with it is that Jules only got a mere minute or two of screentime. I’ve already said I feel like Hunter Schafer’s scenes were filmed in a single day.

Jules felt so out of the loop regarding the story, and it’s an absolute travesty that her final meeting with Rue was so violent.

What did we really learn about Jules this season? Not much at all, and even worse, we don’t really have any sense of where she’s heading in life.

That’s such an oversight from a writing perspective, and one that’s flat-out unforgivable.

I’m still trying to make sense of why certain actors signed on for the season when some of the storylines felt so hollow.

Barbie Ferreira had the right idea by walking away after Euphoria Season 2 because I dread to think what would have become of Kat.

What are your thoughts on the series finale of Euphoria? Do you think the acting was stellar? What’s your take on Rue’s demise?

And finally, do you think the episode functioned as an adequate endpoint?

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
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