‘Euphoria’ Fans Divided After Emotional and Controversial Series Finale

After three seasons of addiction, trauma, heartbreak, and self-destruction, Euphoria officially came to an end Sunday night with a finale that left fans stunned, devastated, and deeply divided.

The final episode, titled “In God We Trust,” concluded the HBO drama’s run with the death of its central character, Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya. The shocking moment arrived midway through the feature-length finale, which ran approximately 90 minutes, bringing an end to a storyline that had anchored the series since its debut in 2019.

While Rue’s fate surprised many viewers, others argued that the character’s death had been foreshadowed for years. Throughout the series, Rue battled addiction, relapse, and mounting personal struggles while finding herself increasingly entangled in dangerous situations. By the final season, she was caught between law enforcement pressure and the growing threat posed by crime boss Alamo, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, setting the stage for a tragic conclusion.

The episode’s most emotional sequence came during Rue’s final moments, when she experienced a dreamlike reunion with her mother. The scene quickly became one of the most discussed moments on social media, with viewers praising Zendaya’s performance and the emotional weight of the character’s goodbye.

“Yeah, this ending absolutely broke me,” one fan wrote online shortly after the episode aired.

Others focused on Zendaya’s performance, with one viewer describing the sequence as “the best TV death of all time.” Another moment that resonated strongly with audiences involved Rue’s reunion with Fez during the same dream sequence. The character, originally portrayed by Angus Cloud, held a special significance for viewers following the actor’s death from an accidental overdose in 2023. Rather than writing Fez out through death, the series had established that he remained incarcerated, making his appearance in Rue’s final vision especially emotional for longtime fans. “The Fez and Rue flashback made me sob,” one viewer wrote, while countless others shared similar reactions across social media.

Despite the emotional response generated by Rue’s death, many fans expressed frustration with aspects of the finale, particularly the way the series handled the aftermath. Critics of the episode argued that major characters were given little opportunity to react to Rue’s death, leaving some of the show's most important relationships unresolved.

One of the most common complaints centered on Jules, played by Hunter Schafer, whose relationship with Rue served as one of the emotional foundations of the series. Viewers noted that Jules appeared only briefly during the finale and was given no dialogue during key moments surrounding Rue’s death.

“Killing off Rue was bad enough, but why did we barely get any of the longtime characters’ reactions to it?” one fan wrote. “Jules had one scene with zero dialogue.”

Others questioned the absence of meaningful closure involving Rue’s mother, Leslie, and her sister Gia, relationships that had been central to the show since the first season.

The finale also reignited criticism of creator Sam Levinson, who has faced increasing scrutiny throughout the show's later seasons. Many viewers accused the writer-director of prioritizing shocking moments over character development and emotional resolution. Social media platforms were flooded with criticism from fans who felt the finale left too many storylines unfinished.

Another major point of discussion involved the absence of composer Labrinth, whose music helped define the identity of Euphoria during its first two seasons. Fans noticed that Rue’s death scene unfolded without one of the sweeping musical moments that had become synonymous with the series. “Rue Bennett’s dying scene has me sobbing, and the fact that we didn’t get Labrinth's music in that scene is crazy,” one viewer wrote.

Labrinth was not involved in the show's third season. Earlier this year, he addressed his departure on social media, suggesting creative tensions contributed to his exit.

Despite the criticism, the finale generated exactly the kind of passionate response that has followed Euphoria throughout its entire run. Supporters praised the episode’s emotional ambition and willingness to take risks, while detractors argued the ending prioritized shock value over narrative satisfaction.