Euphoria Creator Sam Levinson Breaks Down Tragic Season 3 Finale: 'People F*** Up'

Spoiler Alert

Euphoria ended its third season with one of the darkest and most emotional episodes the show has ever released. The finale shocked viewers after Rue Bennet, played by Zendaya, met a tragic fate. The episode picked up right after last week's tense cliffhanger, where Rue is seen escaping from Laurie's dangerous compound after pulling off a risky betrayal.

At first, it looked like she had finally made it back to safety, but the situation became even more complicated, leading to a tragic end for her character. The final episode was packed with chaos, emotional moments and unexpected twists.

In the season finale, Rue managed to escape Laurie's house and took the money she had stolen back to Alamo. After noticing that she was badly injured, Alamo gave her painkillers. Rue thought about taking them but decided to wait. Later, she went to a hospital, where she received treatment for her injuries and then returned to Ali's house to rest.

Rue then woke up, learned that Fez had escaped from prison, reunited with him and even shared a touching moment with her mother. However, it was later revealed that none of it was real. The scenes were part of a dream and Rue had died from a drug overdose while sleeping on Ali's couch.

After finding the pills, Ali tested them and discovered they contained fentanyl. The revelation suggested that Alamo knowingly gave Rue dangerous drugs. The show also indicated that he wanted to get rid of her after learning she was helping the DEA investigate his operation.

Following the episode, the makers released a behind-the-scenes video where the Euphoria creator Sam Levinson said that Rue's ending felt “honest”. 

He said, “I think in the end, I wanted to tell an honest story about addiction. I also wanted to tell a story about grief and the emotional turmoil that it can create. I've always been against utopian storytelling. What we've been known for on this show is not pulling any punches.”

“People relapse. They f*** up. They're not ready to get clean. And they weren't dying like they are now with the influx of fentanyl into this country. I can say with absolute certainty that if I was going through what I went through when I was younger now, I wouldn't be here either. There's no reason to sugarcoat it. I wanted to tell the story for Angus and for people who weren't granted a second chance. Feels like a great ending to a great finale.”

In the closing moments of the Euphoria finale, Ali spends time with Rue's family and joins them for dinner. Before the episode ends, he remembers Rue at the dinner table. During the emotional scene, Rue is shown sitting across, smiling, which creates a touching moment that suggests she is being remembered by the people who cared about her.