Euphoria Viewers Are Confused By These Season 2 Finale Plot Holes

To say HBO’s Euphoria Season 2 was a wild ride is an understatement. Season 1 of the teen drama introduced viewers to Rue’s addiction to drugs (supplied by Fezco) and flirty friendship with Jules, Nate and Maddy’s turbulent relationship, Kat’s secret online career as a camgirl, Cassie’s on-off bond with McKay, and Cal’s penchant for risky, anonymous hookups. But Season 2 nearly felt like a different show focused on love triangles between Rue, Jules, and new character Elliot as well as Nate, Cassie, and Maddy, with Cal’s subplot taking a front seat while Kat’s was nearly erased altogether. Though fans were hoping to see each character’s storylines wrap up in the Season 2 finale, which aired Feb. 27, they were left with many questions regarding plot holes.

What Happened To Rue’s Conflict With Laurie?

Rue formed a bond with Elliot over their shared drug use throughout Season 2, which complicated her once-flourishing relationship with Jules, who thought Rue was sober. In order to maintain their addictive habits, Rue convinced druglord Laurie to front her $10,000 worth of drugs under the guise she’d sell them and return a profit. But Jules’ growing bond with Elliot led him to admit he’d been using drugs with Rue, leading to an explosive intervention in Episode 5 — and her contraband getting flushed down the toilet.

Later that episode, Rue returned to Laurie’s house while experiencing withdrawals and admitted she didn’t have the money yet. Laurie was questionably understanding, but she also suggested Rue start selling her body in order to make back the funds before drugging her with morphine. Rue escaped Laurie’s house, but the money still remains to be seen, leading viewers to think it’d all come to a head in the Season 2 finale. The conflict was never addressed, and at the end of the episode, Rue said she remained sober for the rest of the school year. It seems unlikely that Laurie wouldn’t press Rue for the money over those few months, but perhaps we’ll learn the details of what really went down in Season 3.

Is Kat Still Doing Sex Work?

Season 1 saw Kat lose her virginity at a party while being secretly filmed, and after the video went viral, she decided to foray its backhanded success into a full-blown career as an online camgirl. Her newfound confidence led to several quick hookups before she eventually entered a relationship with Ethan, though it seemed like her sex work could complicate their bond in the future.

However, Kat’s much-discussed Season 2 storyline was far more understated than expected, as she was essentially reduced from a lead character to a recurring role with few lines. Viewers saw Kat grow distant from Ethan and break up with him by lying about having a terminal brain illness. While this could’ve served as an avenue for her to return to racy online camera shows, Kat basically spent the rest of Season 2 as an accessory to Cassie and Maddy’s rocky friendship plot. The finale episode featured Ethan playing many roles in Lexi’s explosive play written about her classmates, which could’ve easily pissed Kat off, but the character instead faded into the background.

Rumors about a fraught on-set relationship between Barbie Ferreira and creator Sam Levinson have swirled throughout Season 2, though it’s unclear if her storyline was reduced as a result of any behind-the-scenes drama. Either way, many fans felt disappointed to see Kat’s drama seemingly go unresolved.

What Happened To McKay?

Cassie was dating freshman college football player Chris McKay throughout Season 1, which also saw the character violently hazed by his prospective fraternity brothers in what some viewers believed was sexual assault. Toward the end of the season, Cassie told McKay she was pregnant, and he encouraged her to get an abortion.

Season 2 only featured the character at a New Year’s Eve party in the premiere episode and never addressed the disturbing event he endured the previous year. The aftermath of Cassie’s abortion also didn’t come up between the two, as his character effectively disappeared. While some viewers chalk up McKay’s absence to the fact that he’s a college student, it’s still odd to see him, similarly to Kat, reduced from a main role in Season 1 to barely seen in Season 2.

Who Is The Third Jacobs Brother?

Perhaps the biggest wonder in viewers’ minds following the Season 2 finale is who the mysterious third Jacobs brother is. Throughout Season 1, eagle-eyed viewers spotted a family photo in the Jacobs’ home featuring Nate, Aaron, and another young boy. His existence was never addressed, but when the family photo was seen again in Season 2, fans thought the question of his identity would finally be answered.

But it wasn’t. Episode 4 saw Cal drunkenly return home from a bar and tell his family about his extramarital sexual encounters before dramatically exiting. During his tirade, Cal picked up the family photo and said, “We all have secrets,” which further hinted at the third brother’s identity, but it never came up again. While some viewers theorized Elliot was the third Jacobs brother, Dominic Fike squashed the theory during a recent interview on The Tonight Show, and Jacob Elordi’s publicly said he has no clue who the unknown Jacobs child is.