Euphoria Season 2 Finale: Why Rue Walks Away From Jules

The Euphoria season 2 finale sees Rue gain some much-needed catharsis from Lexi’s play, so why does she walk away from Jules? First released on January 9th, 2022, tensions at East Highland High School in HBO’s Euphoria have been building throughout season 2, with Lexi Howard’s (Maude Apatow) play Our Life bringing these simmering resentments into sharp focus. Yet while Lexi’s bold school play becomes the catalyst for much of the Euphoria season 2 finale’s drama, Rue Bennett (Zendaya) takes comfort from Lexi’s tableau of her life, giving her the courage to interact with her ex-girlfriend Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) after the show.

Euphoria season 2, episode 8, “All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned for a Thing I Cannot Name,” sees the conclusion of Our Life unfold, placing heavy emphasis on Rue’s recent trauma, such as the death of her father and substance abuse issues. However, rather than sending Rue spiraling again, Lexi’s play buoys Rue’s spirits, with Jules subsequently telling Rue she still loves her through tears. After a moment’s consideration, Rue gently kisses Jules on the forehead before walking out of the auditorium in silence – leading audiences to query why Rue chose not to reconcile with her ex-girlfriend.

Yet the reason Rue walks away from Jules in the Euphoria season 2 finale is precisely because she still loves Jules. The final two episodes of Euphoria season 2 show Rue coming to terms with her addiction’s corrosive effect on those she loves most, with Rue walking away from Jules to protect her. Furthermore, Rue states at the end of Euphoria season 2 that she is trying hard to keep her sobriety, and therefore by removing an emotional trigger from her life in the form of Jules, she stands a better chance of staying clean in Euphoria season 3.

Euphoria season 2, episode 5, “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird,” reveals Rue at her lowest point in the HBO series to date, desperately lashing out at her family and severing ties with Jules and Elliot (Dominic Fike) after she realizes her drug stash has been destroyed. Jules, who felt compelled to tell Leslie Bennett (Nika King) about Rue’s relapse out of fear for her girlfriend’s safety, is the direct recipient of the majority of Rue’s ire, with Jules leaving the Bennett home heartbroken mid-way through the episode.

Rue’s newfound sobriety causes her to agonize over her actions towards Jules, telling Elliot that her relationship with her ex-girlfriend “will take a lot longer to fix” in season 2, episode 8. Yet as Rue watches Lexi’s play, she is reminded that she must deal with her own emotional baggage before attempting to reconcile with Jules, with Rue allowing herself a wry smile as Our Life draws to a close. In this way, by the time Jules makes her way over in the auditorium, Rue has already made up her mind that she must carry the burden of her addiction alone, for now, resulting in Rue kissing Jules (assumedly goodbye) before choosing to walk away. As a result, Rue walks away from Jules in the Euphoria season 2 finale not only to protect her from the trauma of a potential relapse but also to allow Rue to focus on the sobriety she has once again begun to cling to.

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