Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for “Euphoria” Season 2, Episode 8.

Just eight weeks ago, “Euphoria” returned from its three-year-long hiatus for season two. Sam Levinson’s Emmy-winning series is now HBO’s second most watched show after Game of Thrones. 

Just like last season, the camera work, performances and color schemes were incredible. However, since its return, fans have been waiting for just one plot line to reach a conclusion.

Sunday night’s season finale was perhaps the only episode that provided a mildly satisfying arc (besides the mountain of loose ends that Levinson has yet to tie up). 

Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) shattered the fourth wall of Lexi’s (Maude Apatow) play as she marched on stage after Nate (Jacob Elordi) broke up with her. Cassie berates Lexi on stage, telling her and the audience that her sister is simply a bystander to humiliate her. 

Suze (Alanna Ubach), their mother, intervenes attempting to scold the girls for their language and actions and direct attention away by congratulating Ethan (Austin Abrams) for his portrayal as her in the play.

Maddy (Alexa Demie) puts the icing on the cake by marching up on stage and chasing Cassie off stage and into the school’s hallways. Just as promised, Maddy gave Cassie a well deserved slap before throwing her into a wall.

Although the last scene we see is of the girls sitting in the bathroom, fans know Maddy and Cassie are far from reconciling. In fact, after Cassie confesses to Maddy that Nate and her broke up, Maddy says, “Don’t worry, this is just the beginning.”

After Nate walks out on Cassie he visits his dad Cal’s (Eric Dane) business, with a gun. Nate reveals to Cal that he not only knows about the videos his dad has taken, but he also has them saved on a flash drive. While demanding an apology from his father, we see police lights appear, and Cal is arrested.

When the scene returns back to the play, Rue (Zendaya) begins a chant for Lexi to encourage the show to go on. Lexi goes to the center of the stage and addresses the crowd, quoting what Fez had said to her about her play potentially upsetting people: “Sometimes people need to get their feelings hurt.”

The play reveals flashbacks to Rue during her father’s funeral, some scenes which fans have seen previously in the show, but we also get to witness Lexi and Rue sharing some special heart-to-heart moments, both in the past and future. 

In one scene, we see Lexi look for Rue at her father’s funeral. Upon finding her, she shares with her a touching poem that she had saved just for Rue in this moment, “Let This Darkness Be A Bell Tower,” by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Following the poem, Rue passes out on her bed. Lexi takes Rue’s pills from her pockets as she leaves while explaining to the audience how in that moment she realized how drugs were becoming a better crutch to her friend than Lexi herself.

In another scene, we see an interaction between Lexi and Rue that looks to take place in the future. Rue explains how the play meant the world to her, particularly being able to see herself without hating it. They finish by having a heart-to-heart conversation about losing their fathers and their deaths’ impact on them. 

In between scenes of the play, we learn about Fezco’s (Angus Cloud) whereabouts. 

As Fez gets ready for Lexi’s play, Custer (Tyler Chase) attempts to pin Mouse’s (Meeko) murder of Fez and Ashtray (Javon “Wanna” Walton).

Mid-conversation, Faye “accidentally” shatters a glass on the floor, as she picks up the glass, she signals to Fez to stay quiet. Not only that, but she follows up by insisting to Custer that Laurie (Martha Kelly) was the murderer, throwing him off his course. 

While realizing Custer is trying to frame them, Ashtray impulsively stabs Custer in the neck.

As police begin to raid the home, Fez puts Custer’s phone in water, then takes Ashtray’s knife and puts his finger prints on the blade; he tells Ash he is taking responsibility for Custer’s murder. 

Ashtray does not accept this and ends up locking himself in the bathroom. Eventually, we see Fez attempting to get Ashtray to open the door. 

As police rush into the house, Fez begs for them not to shoot, explaining that Ashtray is just a kid — a stark contrast to when Fez previously reassured Laurie that Ashtray, “Isn’t just a kid, he is my (Fez’s) business partner.”

Ashtray begins firing bullets at the door while police run down the hallway. In the crossfire between the police and Ashtray, one of the bullets eventually hits Fez. While laying on the floor, Fez pleads for the officers to stop. 

The shooting comes to an end as one of the officers gets shot by Ashtray at close range. We then see a red laser come to Ashtray’s head, and he is shot off-screen. 

Not much is wrapped up in regards to the love triangle between Rue, Jules (Hunter Schafer) and Elliot (Dominic Fike).

Elliot sings Rue a four-minute song, which fans are divided about online. Some feel it was irrelevant and simply a waste of time in the episode, while others feel it was touching and beautiful.

Jules and Rue have a quick and unrevealing conversation at the end of the play as the audience is walking out. Jules tells Rue once again that she loves her. Rue responds by kissing her forehead and walking away in silence (similar to how Jules abandoned Rue at the end of season one). 

As the episode comes to an end, Rue narrates the storyline again. She says that she remained clean until the end of the school year (keyword, “until”). However, there was no mention about the status between Laurie and Rue. Now that Rue is sober, what is Laurie going to do about the money Rue still owes her?

Although the finale brought some conclusions, many questions remain.

For example, what about the other bug that Custer planted in the living room? Will Ashtray get a funeral? Will Fez still be able to take responsibility for Custer’s murder? What will happen to Faye? What did Fez write in that letter to Lexi? 

Besides Fezco and Ashtray, what about the characters we heard nothing about in the finale?

How is that brain tumor, Kat (Barbie Ferreira)? Will Kat apologize to Ethan? How is Gia (Storm Reid) holding up? Where is Ali (Colman Domingo) at?

Questions for season include: What is Nate going to do next? How does the rest of Cal’s family react to his arrest? Does Rue fall back to old habits when school ends? Where is Laurie? What was the deal with Maddy and the babysitting? Will Cassie get therapy? What will happen with Lexi and Fex?

Fingers crossed that Levinson will tie up these loose ends in season three, which was announced to premiere sometime in 2024 on HBO. 

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