Euphoria season 3 ending explained: Who lived, who died, and who found salvation?

Well, there we have it.

After a wait of more than four years following season two, Euphoria has concluded its third season, which sparked a lot of discussion and differing opinions.

The season finale of the hit drama, In God We Trust, wrapped up the show’s third season. It aired immediately after a shocking episode that featured the death of a key character.

The episode began with Rue Bennett (Zendaya) reeling from a betrayal by Faye Valentine (Chloe Cherry). Rue had tried to play both Laurie (Martha Kelly) and Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), two dangerous drug dealers, as part of an agreement to work with the DEA.

Cassie and Maddy are both shaken up after what happened last week, and things are now even more risky for them.

So what happened to the cast of characters in the Euphoria season finale?

*Spoiler warning for Euphoria season 3 episode 8, In God We Trust.*

Euphoria season 3 ending explained

What happened to Rue Bennett?

Oh, Rue…

Rue hurt Wayne’s leg badly and knocked Faye unconscious before running away, with an angry Wayne (Toby Wallace) chasing after her, armed with a shotgun.

After escaping Laurie’s base with proof of the crimes, Rue was caught again when Harley lassoed him and dragged him with his horse. G then shot Rue from afar, telling him to run, which he did. Meanwhile, Harley, who was hurt, called for Wayne’s help. Rue managed to reach G’s car, and they drove away overjoyed.

Alamo had just found out Rue was working with the DEA, but he acted pleased when she and Laurie returned, even kissing Rue on the forehead to celebrate her accomplishment. He told them it was destiny that brought them together and said he wanted to propose a truce with Laurie and keep their operation going. Even though she used to struggle with painkiller addiction, Rue accepted the medication to ease her injuries.

Ordered to take time off, Alamo sent Rue away to rest with painkillers and money.

After getting stitches at the hospital, Rue went to see Ali Muhammed (played by Colman Domingo) and asked if she could stay with him, which he allowed. While staying with Ali, Rue struggled with the urge to use drugs again, and she listened to bible recordings as she fought her cravings.

Wayne realized at Laurie’s place that they were being tricked, likely as part of a larger plan. He and Faye quickly escaped on horseback just as Laurie and Alamo returned in a van filled with illegal drugs.

The DEA swooped in on Laurie’s headquarters and the van, with her entire crew being arrested.

Overwhelmed by the prospect of going to prison, Laurie tragically took her own life by jumping from her roof with a cable around her neck.

Instead of drugs, DEA agents only found a rat in the van. The actual drugs had been moved to a different van, which was returned to Alamo by Bishop, one of Rue’s associates. This meant things were about to go badly for Rue.

I heard from someone at the Alamo, Big Eddy – Kadeem Hardison, you might know the name – and he told the DEA he’s completely done working for Alamo. He’s out of that life now, apparently.

Meanwhile, Faye and Wayne were seen hitchhiking and stealing a car from the highway.

The following morning, Ali found Rue already eating breakfast and watching the news. They were shocked to learn that Rue’s friend, Fezco O’Neill (played by the late Angus Cloud), had escaped from prison using parkour.

Rue then left to find Fez, whom she was sure she knew where he would be hiding.

As Rue drove past Fezco’s old store, memories flooded back. She recalled being driven home from rehab with her mom, Leslie, and sister, Gia, and the first time she ever saw Jules, who was riding her bike at the time.

Rue returned to her old neighborhood and rushed past a police barricade, yelling for Fez while being chased by officers.

When Rue arrived at her mother Leslie’s house, she found her at the dining table reading the Bible. Rue called out to her, and Leslie immediately began to cry, reaching for her hand.

We then discovered Rue wasn’t celebrating, but actually crying while under the influence and imagining being reunited with someone. She remembered being held by her deceased father, and her hand reached out just before the screen went black.

It became clear that everything we’d witnessed after Ali first woke up was an illusion. We then saw Ali wake up again, this time at home, before finding her body in the living room and collapsing in grief.

“Give her peace, God,” said an emotional Ali, before finding that she had taken pills.

Ali tested the medication and confirmed it contained fentanyl, a dangerous opioid.

Following this, Ali made the difficult phone call to Leslie to inform her that Rue had died.

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Finally, a weary Ali wrote Rue’s name in his book of the addicts he had supported and lost.

I was really struck by Ali’s honesty at the meeting. He shared that Rue’s tragic passing, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness surrounding the fentanyl epidemic, had deeply affected him, leading to a difficult relapse. But beyond his personal struggle, he also expressed a renewed determination – a real desire to actively fight against the negativity and darkness he sees in the world. It felt like a turning point for his character, a move from grief towards action.

At home, we saw him saw off a shotgun…

What happened to Cassie Howard, Maddy Perez, and Lexi Howard?

After Nate’s death and Maddy finding out she owed money to Alamo, the two women sat in a diner, clearly devastated. Maddy wondered what they should do, and Cassie reassured her they would face it together. She leaned on her best friend, who gently kissed her forehead.

Cassie was turning her old house into a boarding house for female influencers, and they would also be able to earn money through sex work. The arrangement promised to be very profitable.

Cassie invited Lexi to come and share stories, and we watched Maddy leave with money to meet Alamo, who was picking her up in Bishop’s car.

Lexi questioned Cassie about Nate going missing, but Cassie acted like she had no idea what happened to her husband.

Lexi mentioned she’d noticed the Bible Rue left behind and, after initially ignoring it, she started reading it herself.

Lexi thought it was strangely beautiful, a bit puzzling, and really interesting. She also wanted to make it clear that while she’s not perfect, she wasn’t to blame for what happened with Rue, or for how badly their last conversation went.

Cassie drew a comparison between Rue and their father, who struggled with alcohol and was often absent. Lexi then shared that she constantly worried about experiencing another loss, just like when their father wasn’t around.

Lexi observed that life continues even when difficult things occur, and she felt worrying doesn’t help – you just have to keep moving forward. This reminded Cassie of how lovely Rue’s smile was.

Despite their touching moment, Lexi turned down Cassie’s job offer before leaving the house.

After Lexi left, Cassie sat on the bed and looked at her wedding photo with Nate, tears streaming down her face in the house they once shared.

At the club, Maddy approached Alamo and took his hand, appearing to be under his control and subjected to exploitation. They went to his office while Bishop remained outside as a lookout.

We noticed Ali entered the club dressed in military clothing, and he blocked the door as he walked inside carrying a large bag—likely containing a shotgun—before taking a seat at a table.

In Alamo’s office, he revealed his own doubts about his line of work.

Alamo described himself as someone not much different from an enslaved person, despite having some financial resources. He then proposed marriage to Maddy, framing it as a deeply traditional union and expressing his desire to achieve the classic American Dream with her.

Kitty, played by Anna Van Patten, attempted to dance with Ali, but he stopped her from touching him and asked her to locate the manager instead.

G left the office carrying a gun. Ali then asked to speak to the manager, claiming he knew Rue. He pulled out his own shotgun and made G sit down, aiming it at his groin. Ali demanded to know if this was Alamo Brown’s club and that G was there, and G confirmed it. Ali pressed G for the name of the person who supplied Rue with fentanyl. When G lied, Ali shot him in the groin, and people began to scream.

It was incredible! Ali really sparked things off, demanding Alamo get involved, and it immediately made all the tough guys think twice. Then, out of nowhere, Alamo actually threw his stuffed bull head right through the glass! You wouldn’t believe it if you hadn’t seen it!

Ali aimed a shotgun at Alamo and quickly used Maddy to briefly shield himself before tossing her towards Ali. Simultaneously, Bishop handed Alamo a gun. While the dancers dove for cover under the tables, Alamo challenged Ali to a fistfight, wanting to resolve the conflict without weapons.

So, Ali just walked into Alamo and dropped the bombshell that Rue had sent him, which completely floored Maddy. It quickly became obvious he was there for revenge, or to ‘settle a score,’ as he put it. Then, things got really tense. Alamo had Kitty fetch a bottle of champagne, and he started drinking straight from it. Kitty even rolled the empty bottle down the bar – it felt like a twisted countdown before something was going to go down, a signal that a shooting was about to happen.

Just as Alamo tried to shoot, he discovered the gun Bishop had provided wasn’t loaded. Before he could react, Ali finished him off with the last of his bullets.

Bishop let the bullets fall to the floor and quietly said, “May God have mercy.” Then, Ali walked away.

After that, Bishop gave Maddy a ride home, and they all left together with Kitty and Bishop’s poodle.

What happened to Jules Vaughn?

After Rue’s passing, a devastated Jules Vaughn was shown in her apartment, which is owned by Ellis, an older man who financially supports her.

Jules began painting on a canvas once again while crying, and Ellis made coffee.

Once finished, Jules stepped back to look at her artwork, which depicted Rue as if she were engulfed in flames.

That was the last we saw of Jules, who was clearly heartbroken over Rue and upset about how their final conversation went.

What did the final scene of Euphoria season 3 mean?

In the first episode of season three, we met Ali at the Millers’ ranch, a place Rue described as the most peaceful she’d ever known.

Ali told his family that “Rue,” whom he presented as his daughter, had passed away, using a false name. They welcomed him into their home after hearing the news.

Daisy Miller (Jessica Treska) was saddened to learn of Rue’s death.

Ali led the family in a prayer of gratitude before dinner. He specifically thanked Rue, who was seated at the end of the table, and everyone responded with “Amen.”

Finally, Rue’s voiceover said: “May God bless us all.”

The credits rolled over a shot of the American flag over the Millers’ homestead.

Honestly, the whole thing felt like a really beautiful message about finding peace and keeping going, even when things are tough. Especially seeing Rue find some quiet for Ali – it was a really touching moment, seeing her at peace, even if just for him.

The series concluded with a hopeful, almost spiritual vision of America, a stark contrast to the ethically complex portrayal it offered in its third season.

Who died in Euphoria season 3?

Before the season ended, the most shocking death was that of Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi), who lost his life due to mounting debts.

Nate was buried alive by a loan shark named Naz (Jack Topalian). Sadly, he died from a snake bite inside his coffin before Cassie and Maddy could raise enough money to dig him out.

Naz was killed by Alamo while Alamo was helping Maddy try to free Nate and save Cassie. However, Cassie discovered Alamo had secretly moved Nate and Cassie’s debt to Maddy, making her indebted to him instead.

The first significant death in the finale was Laurie, a drug kingpin, who committed suicide rather than face imprisonment for her offenses.

Then came the big one, the one many predicted but hoped would not be the case.

That’s right, Rue Bennett is dead.

After learning from Maddy that Rue was an informant for the DEA, Alamo arranged for her to receive a time-off prescription filled with painkillers secretly laced with fentanyl.

Ultimately, Rue experienced an overdose and dreamed of reuniting with her friend Fezco, who had gotten out of prison. Instead, she found comfort in the arms of her mother and father, who were both there for her. Don’t worry, we’re not the ones tearing up – you are!

During a confrontation at Alamo’s club, Ali shot and fatally wounded a man, known only as G, while chasing after Alamo.

Ultimately, Bishop’s assist allowed Ali to decisively defeat Alamo Brown, both to avenge Rue and prevent further harm.

Is that the end of Euphoria?

Barring a Skins-style rejuvenation, that seemed pretty final.

It remains to be seen if HBO and Sam Levinson have any more unexpected twists planned.

Euphoria seasons 1 to 3 are available on HBO Max, Sky Atlantic and NOW.

Authors

Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor

Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at TopMob, where he guides our coverage of current events, creates timely content, and ensures we’re delivering what our audience wants. He’s a huge TV and movie buff, especially a fan of Nicole Kidman, but also loves science fiction, independent films, and the newest shows on HBO. With a background in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Film Studies, Lewis previously worked in advertising before spending three years at The Mirror, focusing on community engagement, search engine optimization, and reporting on the entertainment industry.

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2026-06-01 06:08