Euphoria season 2 finale review: An intense, jaw-dropping finale with loose ends 

Still from HBO Max's Euphoria season 2 finale - Lexi's play (Image via HBO Max)
Still from HBO Max's Euphoria season 2 finale - Lexi's play (Image via HBO Max)

The season finale of Euphoria left every fan stunned with its balance of intensity and drama.

Directed and written by Sam Levinson, the episode dealt with Lexi's ongoing play and its effects on the people portrayed. The series also tried to tie up loose ends but only ended up giving more cliffhangers and what-ifs.

Let's dive in and dissect the finale of season 2.

Note: This article contains spoilers.


Analyzing Euphoria season 2 episode 8

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Season 2 of Euphoria aired its final episode on HBO on Sunday, February 27, and left several questions on a cliffhanger. The episode went from act II of Lexi's play, to a flashback of Rue's father's funeral, to a heartbreaking showdown at Ashtray and Fez's apartment, to Nate seeking revenge on Cal, all of which felt like a rollercoaster ride.

Towards the end of the episode, viewers learned that Rue had stayed sober throughout the rest of the school year and her parting words were something Ali had shared with her. She expressed,

"The mere idea of being a good person is what can actually move you to become a good person."

The entire finale of Euphoria was no less than crazy with tons of drama. Fez's looming imprisonment and Ashtray's death seem to have changed the narrative for the two drug dealers. Not to forget Nate, who waltzed into a confrontation with his dad and got him arrested.

The series is beloved and loathed alike for being heavy and intense, but the season finale left viewers stunned. While it resonated emotionally, it lacked resolution. Some ends were tied loosely, while others were completely forgotten.

Fez, who has been the highlight this entire season, had his dreams crushed. The upcoming season might focus on him coming to terms with Ashtray's death, the only person he couldn't protect. As for the show, the finale had just the right amount of craziness, with Maddy smacking Cassie, Suze stopping Cassie from killing her sister, and Elliot singing a song to Rue instead of apologizing.

Another thing that set a possible basis for the upcoming season was Nate pulling a 180. He went from protecting his father for the sake of his own future to getting Cal arrested and threatening him with a copy of his tapes. He has definitely gone down a self-destructive path and season 3 might just see the true downfall of Nate Jacobs.

Rue, who is on her road to recovery, shared a beautiful moment of reconciliation with Lexi. In their lowest moments, Rue and Lexi failed to find solace in one another and had instead retreated into themselves. But after a cathartic conversation in Lexi's bedroom, the two became friends again.

By the end of Euphoria's season finale, Jules had become a remnant Rue referred to in the past tense. She spoke of Jules saying, "Jules was my first love. I’d like to remember it that way."

It's clear how being around Jules was not healthy for Rue and this time she really wishes to focus on becoming a good person. This surely was a tidy ending for Rue, but in terms of Euphoria, the finale felt unfulfilling, especially since everything else was left hanging in the air.

Fans can catch the season 2 finale of Euphoria on HBO Max.

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