The hit show “Euphoria” first premiered on Max in 2019 and its long-awaited third season created high expectations before the Season 3 finale aired on June 1. The latest installment jumps five years into the future of the lives of the high school group we all fell in love with. It is quickly revealed that the main character, Rue, played by Zendaya, has become a drug mule, Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, an OnlyFans model and Jules, played by Hunter Schafer, a sugar baby of a married man. The lifestyles of each character moved them away from the young lingo and absurdity that the characters had earlier on and places them in a moment where everything is more real, including consequences of their earlier actions. Despite its popularity and ability to create intensity, this season reaffirmed the show’s failure to produce a resolution, relying too much on shock value and violence, leaving confusing plot holes that make the show narratively overwhelming.
Warning: This review contains spoilers.
When Rue dies of a fentanyl overdose in the finale, her story ends in the way addicts and their loved ones all fear, establishing the series as a story about addiction. She chases redemption throughout the entirety of the season, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel through her work with the DEA, but her death refuses to romanticize addiction. While I was disappointed to see Rue die, especially in such a disorienting manner, I admired the unseen footage of her and Fezco and her internal reflections on the tribulations of her childhood. After watching her battle with herself for three seasons, seeing her find peace was a better ending than other options may have offered. Her death strengthens the finale thematically, but makes the season harder to process as satisfying, as closure is found through tragedy rather than survival.
Relating to Rue’s death and journey was a heavy emphasis on religion, specifically in the last few episodes of Season 3. We have seen Rue in mania, depression and now a sort of religious pathway that feels heightened, and at times, unreliable. The religious imagery, like the burning tree, use of phrases like “nailing them to the cross” in regards to arresting Laurie’s team, and the final line being “May God bless us all,” all reflect this. Religion is often used as a guiding force in addiction recovery, but the finale complicates that idea through Ali, played by Colman Domingo, whose attempt to redeem Rue ultimately pushes him away from his own moral code and back toward violence. Although the religious underpinnings were controversial, the beautiful imagery that came from them brought a layer of enchanting expression to a show that often felt too heavy and disturbing to continue watching.
Another thematic difference from earlier seasons was the change from the eclectic, new wave aesthetic to the old-timey Western theme. One of the major reasons fans fell in love with “Euphoria” was its out-of-this-world visuals, but this season often seemed disconnected from the present, revealing grainy or orange hues instead of the purple darkness of earlier seasons, and countless references to the Western films that dominated the mid 20th century. This change, though it was surely intentional, didn’t align with any aspect of the storyline; it is likely that this season would’ve received more praise had it been better at holding onto its previous aesthetic.
“Euphoria,” specifically this season, is incredibly anxiety-inducing and all-around difficult to watch thanks to its disturbing themes and more importantly, their presentation. Despite my belief that there was far too much gore and intensity, the DEA raid in the finale was one scene that deserved the stress and discomfort it brought, leaving me feeling satisfied at the revenge. It was deep, stressful and powerful. Apart from the raid, the only other shocking part of the finale was the death of Alamo Brown, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, by Ali in an act of settling Rue’s debt. After being a mentor and low-stakes character that represented good moral fiber, he became a driving force of violence in the finale, ultimately saving many people by killing Alamo, but leading us to question what being a good person truly is. In the end, he reverts back to his gentle self, giving us the reconciliation for Rue that her death lacked, when he visited the “homestead” that embodies her redemption.
As for the other characters, there was a consistent and overt grotesqueness throughout the show that rarely created true dimension for their roles — from Nate’s five minute long torture scenes to Cassie’s uncomfortable over-sexualization. As a season one icon, I expected more from Nate’s character, played by Jacob Elordi, than a gore-filled scene each week. On the other hand, Cassie was beyond hated in the past, but despite her over-sexualization by production, her character this season almost served as a form of comedic relief at points, playing into the fact that she is not a morally redeeming character. I believe the finale showcased some of Maddy’s, played by Alexa Demie, best acting, specifically when she is shown smiling at Alamo’s death. As for Jules, her lack of importance in this season left a hole in my heart. When Rue died, Jules should’ve been the most largely affected, being that she was the love of Rue’s tragically short life, and yet she was only seen with a small, ambiguous scene — what a time to choose to lack intensity.
Multiple areas of the finale were confusing: The raid, Bishop’s loyalty, Alamo’s plan, the drug-mule setup and the reality shifts. This episode was jam-packed with deaths, shootouts and religious imagery, but did not make clear what message viewers were meant to leave with. Was the finale asking us to believe in God, destroy evil or understand that not all suffering can be neatly resolved? This season truly took a turn away from the show’s previous expectations, avoiding the glittery chaos of the previous seasons. While this disappointed fans, it may have been just what we needed, forcing us to look at true cruelties that dominate darker corners of our country: greed, extortion, addiction and evil. The finale may not have been what I wanted, but it did open me up to truths that should not be ignored.
3.5/5
