Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers and key details from the season finale of the series ‘Euphoria’. Reader discretion is advised if you haven’t watched it yet.‘Euphoria’ is known for its intense drama, complex characters, and willingness to push narrative boundaries with shocking plot developments. The series has built a reputation for delivering emotionally devastating moments that leave viewers reeling. Now, the show’s penultimate episode delivers one of its most unexpected turns yet, with a major character’s demise and multiple storylines reaching critical junctures.Once again, Rue Bennett ends an episode of ‘Euphoria’ in peril, but one of her high-school classmates is even worse off. Zendaya’s character has had a rough season, recently narrowly avoiding having her head clubbed off with a polo mallet. Now, though, she’s at risk of being discovered attempting to rob a drug cartel, after Faye (Chloe Cherry), who’d been attempting to help Rue after being advised that Wayne (Toby Wallace) wants Rue passed away, flips on her and screams to wake everyone up.
Nate Jacobs’ tragic end in ‘Euphoria’ Episode 7
It’s Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) who ends the episode actually passed away, seemingly incontrovertibly, as we watch his wife Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) weeping over his body. Nate Jacobs has changed a lot since high school. The character who, in the show’s first two seasons, generates much of the show’s intrigue and menace thanks to his barely controllable rage, has been brought low by life. His failures in business and his debt to loan sharks give him a weakened, sorrowful resignedness.The loan sharks, who’ve been holding Nate hostage over a $1 million debt, have buried him in a shallow grave with a small vent to the outside world, giving Cassie three days to come up with the money to buy his freedom. Once Cassie wriggles her way out of it, she asks Maddy (Alexa Demie), who asks Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who shows up at the drop site and shoots one of the loan sharks, the standoff ends. However, a rattlesnake comes through the vent and bites Nate before Cassie can reunite with him, making the whole endeavor pointless.
Cassie’s transformation in ‘Euphoria’
One might wonder at the fact that Maddy helps Cassie at all, the latter’s rash decision in the previous episode to quit OnlyFans in pursuit of a legitimate acting career cuts off a vital flow of income to her aspiring manager. Cassie is fired from “L.A. Nights” after the production decides it doesn’t want the hassle of explaining its star’s past work.Cassie executes a clever scheme with Dylan Reed (Homer Gere), the actor who’d shared scenes with her before her firing. On a date with Dylan, she gets him drunk, has sex with him and while he’s in a postcoital haze, steals his phone to post from his Instagram that Cassie is remarkable in bed. All the while, a morbid reminder of suffering plays out elsewhere: Nate’s frozen finger sits in Dylan’s ice water, unnoticed.
Ali’s journey toward redemption in ‘Euphoria’
In a signature ‘Euphoria’ Rue-narrated flashback, we see Ali (Colman Domingo) during his journey to finding sobriety. After an explosive fight with his wife, Ali hangs out in a flophouse with a character played by Natasha Lyonne. Later, as he works the steps, we see him attempting to sponsor other addicts, especially during the dark days of COVID when in-person meetings go away.Ali is now trying to do the same, once again, for Rue, although he seems to have the sense that this is going to be an increasingly challenging battle.
Rue’s spiritual awakening threatens her survival
Rue, after seeing a burning bush as a sign, tells Ali she has heard the voice of God, telling her, “I heard your cries, I feel your pain; have faith and I will take you from Egypt and I will lead you to the Promised Land.” In her connection to faith, Rue seems to have a new sense that anything is possible.This newfound confidence may account for why Rue plays an increasingly complex game between two rival cartels, now working to convince Laurie (Martha Kelly) that Alamo distrusts her because he knows her true loyalty lies with Laurie. To reward Rue’s professed desire to swap sides, the cartel threatens her with violence before slicing her palm open with a knife. Rue attempts her robbery, with Faye’s help, in the middle of the night, but the state of the safe, containing only IDs, no money, convinces Faye that Rue has been lying the whole time. Her scream alerts everyone, putting Rue in immediate peril as the season reaches its endgame.
