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Let's Unpack Euphoria’s Absolutely Wild Season 2 Finale

From Cassie and Maddy’s fight to a police raid on Fezco’s house.

HBO's 'Euphoria' Season 2 Finale Ending, Explained. Photo via Eddy Chen/HBO
Eddy Chen/HBO

Spoilers ahead for the Euphoria Season 2 finale.

Euphoria viewers had many theories about what was about to go down in the Season 2 finale, which aired Feb. 27, but no one could predict the explosive episode’s actual events. Episode 7 left off in the middle of the school play Lexi wrote and directed about her classmates, aka the series’ core characters, who each had their own drama brewing. Rue seemingly hadn’t spoken to Elliot or Jules since their ill-fated intervention about her drug use, and Maddy was on bad terms with Cassie after finding out she’d been hooking up with Nate. Meanwhile, Nate’s home life was in shambles after his dad, Cal, drunkenly admitted he cheats on his wife and walked out on their family. And Custer told Faye he’d informed the police about Mouse’s murder by Fezco’s little brother, Ashtray, meaning the feds could knock on his door any second. Here’s everything you need to know about what happened on the Euphoria Season 2 finale.

Fezco & Ashtray’s Fates

The episode opens with Fezco getting ready to go to Lexi’s play, which he’s late for, when Custer tells him they need to discuss what to tell the police about Mouse’s murder. Knowing Custer’s been working with the police, Faye attempts to circumvent the conversation and claim Laurie’s responsible for Mouse’s murder before Ashtray stabs Custer in the neck with a knife and kills him.

Knowing the cops could show up any second, Fezco instructs Ashtray to surrender and let him take the blame, as Ashtray’s a minor. But Ashtray instead grabs a bunch of guns and locks himself in the bathroom away from Fezco, while Faye realizes the police have arrived. Several officers break down the door and begin a violent drug raid, shooting Fezco in the stomach while he tries to get Ashtray to leave the bathroom. Ashtray fires back at police through the bathroom door, eventually killing an officer, which prompts another to shoot Ashtray in the head and kill him.

If you’re still wondering — no, Fezco never showed up to Lexi’s play. But Fezco appears to be alive, and Ashtray is seemingly dead. Faye’s fate is unclear.

Nate & Cal Get The Police Involved

After leaving Lexi’s play following a scene about him in Episode 7, Nate is seen in the season finale loading a gun, getting behind the wheel of a car, and driving to a gay bar where Cal’s hanging out. Nate pours himself a glass of vodka and starts talking to Cal, who reveals he’s been living at the bar and claims to be happy, which his son doesn’t think is fair considering how much Cal hurt their family. Then, Nate tells the people surrounding Cal about finding videos of his father having sex during his childhood, prompting them to leave the two alone to chat privately.

Cal admits his faults and says he loves Nate, who pulls out a gun and says he wants revenge, not an apology, before showing his father a USB drive containing the private videos. After begging Nate not to shoot him, Cal is approached by police, put in handcuffs, and arrested.

Maddy & Cassie Are Still On The Rocks

Following her dramatic exit from Lexi’s play in Episode 7, Cassie returns to the school theater, walks onstage, and interrupts the play to publicly air her grievances, criticizing Lexi’s decision to write and direct a show about their life, claiming her sister is jealous of her popularity. After Cassie suggests the play would address her hookups with Nate, Maddy storms the stage against Kat’s discouragement, chases Cassie out of the theater, and slaps her in the face before throwing her body against a brick wall.

Later, Maddy and Cassie are seen in the school bathroom decompressing after the heated fight. Cassie admits Nate broke up with her prior to leaving Lexi’s play, to which Maddy ominously replies, “Don’t worry. This is just the beginning,” before walking out of the bathroom.

Elliott & Rue Make Peace

Rue spots Elliot in the audience of Lexi’s play and flashes back to meeting up with him a few days prior at his home. After jokingly telling him to “go f*ck himself” for informing Jules about her relapse, Rue forgives Elliot and says his actions might’ve actually saved her from dying. Rue lets Elliot know she hasn’t been taking drugs, and Elliot tells her he’s still been using before asking if she’s spoken to Jules, which she hasn’t.

Elliot then picks up his guitar and plays Rue a song seemingly titled “Little Star,” featuring lyrics about their friendship and his feelings toward enabling her drug usage. “Little star, feels like you fell right on my head. Gave you away to the wind, I hope it was worth it in the end,” sings Elliot, as Rue tears up. “You and my guitar, I think you may be my only friend. I gave it all to see you shine again, I hope it was worth it in the end.” Once he’s finished, Elliot asks if they can still be friends. Rue reminds him of the time he said they’re bad for each other, and Elliot says he agrees.

Rue & Jules Reconcile, But Not Romantically

After Lexi’s play ends, Jules nervously comes up to Rue and sits next to her. “I know you’re probably still really angry at me, but I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and I miss you so much,” says Jules. Without replying verbally, Rue turns and kisses Jules on the head before walking out of the theater, leaving Jules to cry.

“Jules was my first love. I’d like to remember it that way. I don’t know if that’s actually true, though. I think I was high for too much of it,” Rue says in a voiceover narration at the end of the episode while leaving the school and smiling. Finally, she lets viewers know she stayed sober throughout the rest of the school year, though she doesn’t know if it was a conscious decision or merely easier than returning to drugs. “I don’t know if this feeling will last forever, but I am trying. I remember Ali said, ‘The thought of maybe being a good person is what keeps me trying to be a good person.’ Maybe there’s something to that.”