Euphoria fans left in shock after major character killed off in season three finale
Heads up that this article contains major spoilers for the final episode Euphoria season three
Euphoria fans have been left reeling after a major character was killed off during tonight's season three finale.
The third season is confirmed to be the last for the hit HBO series, and it’s safe to say it went out with one hell of a bang.
Earlier in the season we already saw Nate Jacobs (played by Jacob Elordi) meet his untimely end after being bitten by a rattlesnake.
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And now, the hit HBO show has killed off another major character, much to the surprise of some viewers.
Final warning: Spoilers ahead
During tonight’s episode, fans were left shocked when Rue (played by Zendaya) was killed by Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) after he learnt that she had been working undercover to take him down.
Only half-way into the episode, Alamo gave Rue some painkillers, which were laced with fentanyl, causing her to overdose.
Ali (played by Colman Domingo) then found Rue dead on his couch, and set out on a revenge mission.
Although viewers had expected tonight’s episode to be a big one, some were still blind-sided at the decision to kill-off a major character.
“Rue is …dead oh god this can’t be true,” one wrote on X.
“I’m about to throw up, you can’t do this to Rue,” someone else said.
“I can’t believe that Rue died, at least she died in peace, but it’s still very sad,” a third wrote.
Another said the heart-wrenching death scene had 'absolutely shattered' them.
However, not all fans were surprised.
In fact, some had been expecting an exit for Rue after Zendaya confirmed that the show was coming to an end for good.
When asked on The Drew Barrymore Show if this was the last season, she replied: “I think so, yeah.”
And when questioned what sort of ‘mindset’ viewers should have when watching the last few episodes, she revealed that ‘closure is coming’.
“Euphoria cracked my heart open,” Zendaya continued.
“Rue taught me so much about life … that crew has also seen me grow up. I owe so much to that show. Rue taught me so much about empathy and about redemption. She taught me a lot, and I’m very grateful for all of it.”
Meanwhile, creator Sam Levinson told Variety that he had ‘no plans’ for a fourth season, but also admitted that he ‘writes every season like it’s the last’.
So, whether it returns or not remains to be seen, but one thing we do know is that Rue won’t be back.
All of the sex trends featured on Euphoria this season
This season of Euphoria has been notable for featuring a whole host of niche kinks, leaving baffled viewers Googling to confirm that yes, that is a real thing.
Macrophilia
In episode five, a fantasy sequence saw Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) grow to outlandish proportions, turning into a giant who terrorises LA.
Macrophilia is a fetish involving giants, and giantesses, or an extreme size difference.
Sex therapist Courtney Boyer told Metro: “Giantess fantasies tend to fixate on a permanently large female figure and the power dynamic that comes with that, while growth eroticises the change.
“It’s primarily imagination-led. Think consensual roleplay, guided dirty talk, camera perspective play (making someone appear larger than they are), or animation. It’s less about the physical reality and more about immersing yourself in a shared fantasy.”
Sploshing
Episode two saw Cassie dipping her toe into creating OnlyFans content. One video saw her holding a melting ice cream while topless, with the drips running down her breasts.
This is a fetish called sploshing, also known as WAM (wet and messy). It involves the eroticisation of food.
Sex psychotherapist Gigi Engle for SexToys.co.uk, told Metro: “Dripping chocolate over somebody is very popular and the other popular thing is filling a bath with jelly and getting in it and feeling the squishiness.”
Mummification
In episode three, Jules (Hunter Schafer) finds herself having extreme sex with her sugar daddy Ellis, who at one point wraps her in clingfilm.
This is an example of a mummification fetish, where cling film, duct tape or bandages are used to restrict movement.
Dominatrix Melissa Todd told LADbible: “You want to be out of control and it's a kind of bondage that you do without any sort of pain really. You know, [the sub who is mummified is] literally tucked away and you can't wriggle a single inch.”
The episode aired weeks before real-life OnlyFans model Michaela Rylaarsdam pleaded guilty to accidentally killing her client, who died of asphyxiation after he asked her to wrap him in cling film.
Age play
The Euphoria scene which caused the most controversy came in episode two, when Cassie posed with pigtails and a dummy, with underwear which resembled a nappy.
Sex therapist Dr Nazanin Moali explained to Mashable that age play ‘is a type of consensual adult role play in which individuals experiment with being in a different age/role than their current developmental phase’.
Ironically, posting that kind of content could have got Cassie banned from OnlyFans in the real world.
The site’s rules prohibit any ‘iillegal activity, including actual, claimed, or role-played: exploitation, abuse, or harm of individuals under the age of 18’.
Pup play
Cast your mind all the way back to episode one, which saw Cassie don puppy ears and a dog collar for a video. Seems pretty tame after everything we’ve seen since, doesn’t it?
LGBTQ+ outlet Them explained that pup play ‘is all about tapping into your primal self as a pup and engaging in an authentic type of play’.
It went on: “Think rolling around on the ground, playing fetch, and generally releasing the stress of human existence in exchange for the euphoria and full-body experience of being a pup.”
Topics: Euphoria, TV and Film
Claire Reid