(Spoilers for HBO’s Euphoria will be found below.)
Chaotic birthday parties, drunken benders, and a drug-fueled pop-culture montage? The latest episode of Euphoria really had it all.
In season two, episode four’s “You Who Cannot See, Think Of Those Who Can,” the stylized drama leans into its love of mind-bending fantasy sequences to heighten the tension between its main players. Rue is so strung out on all of the premium drugs in that suitcase that she’s forced to fake an orgasm with Jules, a cringe-worthy moment that sends Jules running to Elliot for advice — and an emotional support hookup. While their relationship flounders, Maddy’s birthday party — hosted by the Howard ladies — is the perfect backdrop for a depressed and guilt-ridden Cassie to drunkenly spiral and for Nate to once again wreak havoc on the lives of the women who love him — a trait he seems to have inherited from his father.
The episode ends with a confession or two, a vomit-filled hot tub, and a (possible) character death. Here are all of the questions we were left obsessing over.
Did Rue Overdose (Again)?
No matter how many times Rue seems to hit rock bottom, Euphoria proves she can still descend to tragically lower depths. The show’s latest episode used the character’s addiction to push her most-valued relationships to the breaking point. She can’t achieve true intimacy with the person she loves most because the narcotics leave her too numb, and she can’t see what her drug consumption is doing to Jules — who seeks comfort in Elliot, sometimes right in front of her. When the trio goes for a joyride, stopping at a convenience store to steal some White Claw, Jules questions why a high AF Rue is drinking, causing Rue to lash out and head home to the safety of her room and her stash. She gobbles down a handful of pills and begins to hallucinate — first envisioning a church where Labrinth (Euphoria’s resident music director) cradles her in his arms while singing to packed pews. That mirage begins to see-saw to show Rue once again in her room, this time dancing with and being held by her late father as she apologizes for not being a good person. The number of drugs in her system combined with the alcohol and these eerie visions have us worried that Rue has in fact overdosed again — and the lack of Zendaya in next week’s preview doesn’t help. It would certainly be a choice to kill off your main character midway through the season, and while Euphoria creator Sam Levinson has committed to painting addiction as a destructive, merciless force, it feels a bit premature for Rue to die now. She may have overdosed, but we’re hoping another brush with death wakes her up to the reality of her chemical codependence — or, at the very least, clues her mom, her sister, and her friends into the fact that no, it’s not just weed that’s making her so damn high all the time.
Did Nate Kill His Brother?
At the end of the episode, Cal goes on a long-winded rant about his repressed sexuality, blaming his wife, Marsha, and sons for his miserable existence. He’s clearly still grieving the loss of his high school friend (and possible lover) as evidenced by his behavior at the gay bar they used to frequent as teens. When an inebriated Cal returns home he, quite literally, pisses away his old life, waking up his wife and children to reveal he’s f*cked men, women, and transexuals, and he won’t be ashamed of his lifestyle anymore. But, even more shocking than Cal’s confession is how he addresses his sons. Nate’s older brother Aaron is the child Marsha got pregnant with as a teenager — a development that most likely signaled the end for his romance with Derek. You’d think he would be the son Cal hated most, but that black mark seems reserved for Nate, the son Cal can’t seem to understand. Before he bids his family farewell, Cal grabs a photo off the wall, a picture of himself with Marsha, Aaron, Nate, and a younger boy. It’s not the first time we’ve seen images of this missing son — he popped up in season one — and while there are plenty of fan theories suggesting he may be Fez’s adopted younger brother, Ashtray, couldn’t also be possible that the child died and, for some reason, Cal blames Nate for his death? Nate’s bad judgment and disregard for others have hurt people before, and if he bears any responsibility for his brother’s death, it would make Cal’s resentment towards him a bit more understandable.
Is Cassie Going To Come Clean?
If Euphoria’s second season had a tagline it would probably be “Poor Cassie.” Sydney Sweeney might be snacking on the scenery this episode, but her character is drowning in guilt. A blow-up with Nate earlier in the episode over his reconnection with Maddy leads to her drunken spiral at her best friend’s birthday party. Though all of the other girls (with the exception of her sister, Lexi) seem oblivious to Cassie’s heartache, Nate clearly relishes in what he’s putting her through, showing up at the bash with a gift from Tiffanys (for Maddy, of course) and lingering just long enough to witness Cassie’s magnificent meltdown. It begins with a montage of Cassie emptying wine bottles and nearly being asphyxiated by party balloons and ends with her mother, dragging her vomit-soaked body upstairs as she cries out apologies for ruining her best friend’s birthday. She’s sorry for the vomit, sure, but she clearly feeling guilt for her relationship with Nate and beginning to recognize the writing on the wall. Will she carry through with her threat to keep them apart by coming clean to Maddy? It’s clear that, though she craves love and affection from Nate, her friendship with Maddy is the most important relationship in her life, and keeping this secret is literally eating away at her. Maybe this party is the final straw, and she’ll reveal her betrayal to Maddy, if only to protect her friend from Nate’s influence.
What’s Going On With Lexi’s Play?
Of course, another possible “out” for Cassie when it comes to this f*cked up love triangle might come courtesy of Lexi’s semi-autobiographical theatrical production, “Oklahoma.” We get a couple of glimpses of her holding auditions, having blonde-haired women recite the same hate-filled outburst her sister lobs at her when they’re at home. It’s clear this play is going to be used as some kind of season-ending plot-stirrer, and no one would blame Lexi for using it to get back at Cassie in some way. Lexi is incredibly observant and is starting to pick up on her sister’s weird fixation with Nate. Maybe she’ll use her play to tell their friends the truth, either as a dig to her sister or, more likely, her last resort in helping Cassie break free of Nate’s toxic influence.
Is Cal Going To Die This Season?
Eric Dane gave an Emmy-contending performance this episode, achieving the impossible by getting fans to sympathize with the villainous, abusive, all-around-sh*t-dad that is Cal Jacobs. His repressed sexuality, his unresolved grief, and his resentment towards those closest to him all burst through in a minutes-long diatribe sparked by public urination and wrapped up with a final goodbye to his old life. Maybe it’s just the alcohol and still-bleeding head wound talking but it sounds like Cal is completely done with his family and with pretending to be someone he’s not. Maybe he’s planning to ride off into the sunset to find Derek again (if the guy’s not dead as some fans speculate), or maybe he just wants to live the life of a single Queer man on his terms. Either way, you don’t get an epiphany-spawning monologue like that on a show like Euphoria without biting the bullet. Right?
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