ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: “Euphoria” Season Two Finale Takes Elmhurst University Viewers on a Rollercoaster of Emotions

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Despite many fan theories simmering ahead of the “Euphoria” season two finale, no amount of speculation could have prepared viewers for the chaos that went down once the episode was released on Feb. 27.

Any attempt at emotional preparation was in vain, as Lexi’s play and the police raid at Fez’s place left viewers in shock.

During the last 15 minutes of the episode, Ashtray’s final moments marked some of the highest points of tension in the eight episodes, leaving Elmhurst University audiences reeling.

Ashtray died in a police shootout after killing an officer who raided his home.  Fez pleaded with him to surrender, wanting to take the blame for killing Custer to prevent 13-year-old Ashtray from going to jail.

“I was thinking about how Ashtray was raised in that type of environment,” said Hannah Jaros, EU junior. “It was so sad, he was a kid, and he didn’t realize it was wrong. What got me was the laser on his forehead and Fez screaming, ‘He’s just a kid!’”

The scene hit harder after the effort season two made to elaborate on the relationships in Fez’s household. Though Fez and Ash had no blood relation, they were one of the only healthy family dynamics displayed throughout the season.  

Another highlight of Fez’s story is his budding relationship with Lexi. The romance shared by this unlikely duo is one of the most tender in the series, with many rooting for their eventual happy ending.

“Lexi and Fez were my favorite characters this season,” Jaros continued. “Especially the last episode on the phone. She brought out his sweet parts. And I mean, he is sweet, but they brought out the best in each other.”

Their healthy interactions broke away from Cassie, Nate, and Maddie’s feuding. Cassie’s on-stage ambush in the middle of Lexi’s play marked another high point in the episode, showing her breakdown into desperation. 

During this sequence, the highly-anticipated fight (dubbed as “the Euphoria Bowl”) between Cassie and Maddie happened, and Cassie did not escape unscathed. 

Cassie began fighting the actress who was playing her on stage, which prompted Maddie to leap from her seat, taking her shoes off and saying “oh, this bitch needs to be put down.” She then began beating her up. The only disappointing part was that it did not go on longer with closer shots.

“I was so ready to watch the Maddie slap scene,” said Carrie Ostergard, EU Senior. “I was in shock throughout the whole thing.”

The riot was an example of the overwhelming amount of tone shifts occurring within the play. It would go from being a comical parody of the characters’ lives one minute to exploring their deepest vulnerabilities the next.

Both aspects were the subject of analysis, with viewers pointing out parallels between Rue’s and Lexi’s trauma. 

“Personally my favorite part was Lexi’s character development where they compare her trauma with her dad to Rue’s trauma of losing her father,” Ostergard said. “It shows the ways that everyone is different. Like obviously they’re different people, but they still shared similar traumas.”

Even with the highlights of the episode, there were mixed feelings. A prominent source of frustration was Elliot’s three-minute serenade to Rue which cut into the time of other fast-paced scenes.

“I thought it was unnecessary,” said Ostergard. “It was like ten minutes.”

The finale episode only ran for 59 minutes, which is short for “Euphoria.” After the episode aired, online conversations showed disdain for how many plotlines were left unanswered. Like Elliot’s serenade, some unnecessary sequences prevented more pressing storylines from closing off. 

“It was eating into the time of the episode,” added Jaros.

Audiences also wished that Kat had gotten the character development she deserved. Season one set her up to be a strong character in the second season, yet her storyline became dominated by self-hatred, sabotage of her relationship, and one-liners every other episode. 

“The biggest disappointment was the amount of time they took away from Kat. She had so much potential,” Ostergard said. “I heard it was because of differences between Barbie Ferreira and Sam Levinson [the director].”

Many of the issues with season two reflect problems that occurred while filming. With shoots that could last up to 15 hours a day and disagreements on the direction of the story, there was no doubt some of it would bleed onto the screen.

The EU campus looks forward to seeing what’s in store for season three, which has no set air date. 

Questions remain about whether Lexi found out about the police raid at Fez’s, Rue’s recent sobriety, and what will happen between Cassie and Nate.

There is hope for more of Ethan, who remains a favorite after his breakup with Kat.

“Ethan as the mom and Ethan as Nate?” Ostergard said. “He carried.”