It’s a wrap as the Euphoria series finale sends shockwaves through the fandom after three seasons of exploring sensitive themes of addiction, love, identity crises, mental health struggles, and how childhood trauma can lead to dark realities of adolescence. Season 3 centers on Rue’s (Zendaya) messy journey to recovery from addiction and her involvement with deadly drug cartels. The show ended on a clean note, wrapping up the main and supporting character arcs in an 88-minute episode, “In God We Trust.” The penultimate episode set the tone for shocking deaths, starting with Nate Jacobs’ (Jacob Elordi) gruesome demise.
For the most part, the Euphoria series finale is everything one would expect from the chaotic world the characters lived in. Nevertheless, some of the twists sparked fresh online backlash, with creator Sam Levinson at the receiving end. According to fans, Rue didn’t get a deserving ending after all she’s been through, but it appears Levinson has his reasons. From Rue to Nate, here’s how the story ends for the Euphoria characters you love and hate.
Rue Took Her Final Bow in a Tragic Twist Ending
Considering she lived most of her life on the edge as a struggling drug addict, it only makes sense that Rue Bennett should die of an overdose. Sadly, what eventually claimed her life was beyond that. After playing a crucial role in dismantling Laurie’s (Martha Kelly) illegal substance business, Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) rewards Rue with some cash and pain medication for the injuries she sustained. While resting in her sponsor Ali’s (Colman Domingo) place, Rue took the pills Alamo gave her for the pain, but it didn’t seem like she actually abused the drug.
The next morning, Ali discovers Rue died while sleeping on his couch. Turns out Alamo intentionally gave her painkillers laced with lethal fentanyl. Apparently, although Rue overdosed, she was actually murdered. If you blink, you might miss Rue’s final moments, which were visions of her past life, featuring family and friends like Fezco (Angus Cloud), who allegedly escaped from prison. Rue’s tragic end, drifting away in her sleep after a fentanyl overdose, references Cloud’s real-life situation. The late actor died in July 2023 after a multiple drug overdose, involving fentanyl and others. Rue’s death sparked an online frenzy with fans saying she deserves a better ending, perhaps a chance at redemption.
Maddy Made It Out Alive and Free
Alexa Demie‘s Maddy Perez is probably the luckiest of them all. For most of the final season, Maddy put herself in dangerous situations. She got so deep with her dealings with the dangerous drug lord Alamo that he practically owned her. And just when it seemed Maddy’s fate was sealed, Ali swoops in and frees her by killing Alamo. In the end, she walked away with no debts, stepping into a promising future ahead.
Nate Died Many Times Over
Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs paid the high price for messing with a ruthless loan shark. To motivate his wife, Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), to clear Nate’s debt, Naz (Jack Topalian) buried Nate alive in the Jacobs’ construction site. With only a small hole in the coffin so he could survive long enough for Cassie to come up with the money, a venomous snake found its way into Nate’s prison. As such, Nate’s final moments began with fear of asphyxiation before a bite from a rattlesnake fast-tracked the process. By the time Cassie dug him up, he was long dead and swollen from the snake’s venom.
Cassie Might Hide Behind a Facade For the Rest of Her Life
A widowed Cassie mourns her husband Nate in secret while putting up a strong front for people around. Cassie didn’t tell anyone (except Maddy, who witnessed it) about Nate’s death, giving her sister Lexi (Maude Apatow) the impression that he disappeared without a word. She now lives with Maddy in the house she shared with her late husband. Cassie is also revamping her OnlyFans career and plans to use her house as a boarding house for content creators.
Jules Was Barely in the Finale
Jules (Hunter Schafer) is one of the characters whose potential the Euphoria series finale ignored. She barely left her home. After learning about Rue’s death, Jules dedicated a painting to her, and that was the last the audience saw of her. Although her fate is not fully disclosed, it appears she has continued her illicit relationship with a married man.
Lexi Will Probably Submit to Christianity
In the lead-up to the final scene, Lexi rejects her sister Cassie’s offer to work with her on her new entrepreneurial venture. She’s also mourning her dear friend Rue, left with regrets about how she left things with her. Interestingly, Rue left her one gift – a Bible. Lexi has been reading the Bible for the first time, and she’s surprised at how fascinating it’s been.
Alamo Brown Died as He Lived
After gaining an edge over Laurie in the drug business, Alamo is on top of his game. He is also pursuing his love interest in Maddy. In the midst of it all, he met a tragic end at the hands of Rue’s friend and sponsor, Ali, during his revenge mission. Ali had a little help from Alamo’s right-hand man, Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson), who secretly empties Alamo’s gun, giving Ali an edge to kill the drug mogul.
Laurie Chose Death Over Prison
When cops raided her hideout, Laurie killed herself by hanging from the roof of her house. The unnervingly calm drug boss finally let viewers into her mind to reveal that her greatest fear is losing her freedom. Apparently, she would rather die than go to jail. The story also didn’t end well for her crew. However, Wayne (Toby Wallace) and Faye (Chloe Cherry) escaped to meet an undisclosed fate.
Ali Muhammed is The Punisher in the End
Played by multi-Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, Ali became the light at the end of the tunnel in the final moments of the series. After losing Rue, one of the most treasured addicts he has helped through the storm, Ali puts on his ‘Punisher’ hat and goes on a full rampage. He stormed Alamo’s club with a shotgun and blew three large holes in his body for killing Rue. He later travels to meet a religious family Rue talked about and introduced himself as her father, using his Christian name, Martin McQueen. Ali’s character arc took an interesting turn as he went from barely appearing to ultimately being the most important person in the finale.
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