Note: This story contains spoilers from “Euphoria” Season 3, Episode 8.
The “Euphoria” Season 3 finale took an even darker turn as it killed off its series lead, Zendaya’s Rue Bennett.
Picking up right where Episode 7 left off, Rue managed to escape Laurie’s with the contents of Wayne’s safe, but not without getting a fair amount of a beating herself, especially after being lassoed and drug through the mud by Harley.
Despite her escape, the harm had been done, with Rue’s hand majorly injured, leading her to consider cranking into the bottle of Percocet Alamo gave her. She eventually gives in while staying with Ali (Colman Domingo), leading to a drug-fueled haze of a dream where she imagines that Fezco (Angus Cloud) broke out from prison. It’s clear it’s a dream, however, when Rue struggles to reach out and touch her mother in her childhood home. Ultimately, Rue can’t reach her.
Ali wakes up the next morning to find Rue dead on his couch with the bottle of pills on the coffee table. He tests the pills for fentanyl and, sure enough, it’s positive. He writes Rue’s name in his book and makes some calls.
At this point in the finale, however, the show had already killed off another major character, with Laurie (Martha Kelly) also choosing to preempt her fate when the DEA catches the bus from Mexico headed to Laurie’s. Faye (Chloe Cherry) and Wayne escaped after figuring out the drugs were swapped with laxatives, but the rest of the crew (including one of Alamo’s guys) is captured.
Laurie, however, takes her fate into her own hands. She’s seen on the roof securing a noose before jumping off the roof and falling to her death.
After Rue’s death, the show moves forward several months, with Jules and the girls grieving Rue while Ali makes it his mission to help out in a bigger way than just being a sponsor, leading to a revenge arc that closes out the season.
Read the most shocking moments from the “Euphoria” Season 3 finale below.
Cassie starts a content house
In the wake of Nate’s death, Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) put on her entrepreneurial hat and turns their home into a content house for OnlyFans creators. By now, she’s made enough to pay off Nate’s debts, and hands it over to Maddy (Alexa Demie) to give to Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje).
Lexi finds God
After sending Maddy off, Lexi and Cassie discuss Nate — whom Lexi thinks disappeared — Rue and the bible, which she read after Rue left it in her apartment. She calls it “incredible” and explains it has helped her find peace after Rue’s death.
Alamo proposes a future with Maddy
By the time Maddy gets there, she’s prepared to even the score with Alamo, even if it means getting physical. Alamo has a bigger proposal, however, suggesting the pair could get married and have kids.
Ali gets his revenge
They are interrupted when Ali comes into the club — armed and in uniform — asking for Alamo Brown, opening fire until he appears and shooting G, as promised, in the genitals.
Ali and Alamo have an old fashioned shootout, though a betrayal seals Alamo’s fate. It turns out, Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson) took out the bullets in Alamo’s gun, enabling Ali to deliver several fatal shots that leave Alamo dead.
“May God have mercy,” Bishop tells Ali before Ali walks out of the club. Bishop gives Maddy a ride home and Kitty (Anna Van Patten) follows.
All roads lead to Texas
The Season 3 finale closes with Ali heading to the Texas home that Rue stumbled upon in the season’s premiere episode. After telling the family that Rue is in a better place, he joins them for a meal, where he imagines Rue smiling at the head of the table.
“Euphoria” Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on HBO Max.
