In an intense conclusion to Episode 6 of Euphoria‘s third season, titled “Stand Still and See,” Rue Bennett, portrayed by Zendaya, finds herself on the brink of a profound spiritual revelation. The episode starts with Rue narrowly escaping death, a result of her persuasive skills with Alamo, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, convincing him that she can recover his money. Her brush with death continues on the highway, where an encounter with a burning bush—a nod to the biblical story of Moses—leaves Rue believing she’s witnessed divine intervention. The episode’s title pays homage to the biblical verse from Exodus, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”
However, despite these seemingly miraculous encounters, the conversation Rue shares with her mother, Leslie Bennett (Nika King), suggests that these events may not be the positive affirmations she hopes for.
**Spoilers for Euphoria Season 3 Episode 6 “Stand Still and See,” now available on HBO Max**
Throughout the episode, Rue frequently expresses gratitude and faith in God. Yet, this newfound belief may mask darker, more complex forces at play. Although she manages to gain the favor of federal agents utilizing her as an informant and shares a heartfelt moment with her mother in a church setting, a cautionary message from Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson) raises questions about the true nature of the signs she perceives. Could the mystical symbols, including the burning bush, be deceiving her?
The plot thickens when Rue, buoyed by her recent successes, hands over a 3D printed key to Laurie’s safe to Alamo. In a surprising twist, Alamo turns the situation back on Rue with a cryptic remark: “You need it more than I do. It’s your plan. Don’t you want to see it through?”
It turns out that Alamo wants Rue to infiltrate Laurie’s base and break into the safe herself, putting her in a state of extreme danger on the eve of the DEA’s operation to arrest everyone. What’s more is that suddenly a rat is dangled in her face. You know, because Alamo’s team still thinks she may be a rat. And because Alamo’s python needs to be fed.
Bishop and Rue feed the snake and Bishop tells Rue the lore behind the creature. There used to be a dancer at the club named Sugar who loved the snake and used him in a kinky routine. Every night she would sleep with the serpent and he would lovingly coil around her body. One day, the snake stopped eating frozen mice. She switched to live ones. The snake still wouldn’t eat. Worried, Sugar took the animal to the vet who informed her that he was absolutely healthy: “The reason it wraps itself around you at night is because it’s sizing you up. And the reason it ain’t eating is because it’s preparing for a much larger meal.”
Sugar told Alamo about this and he thought it was hysterical and offered her a vast sum of money for the python. Why? As Bishop says, “Because it’s a reminder. You never really know a motherfucker’s true intentions.”
Then, after Rue assures Bishop that she won’t let Alamo down, he says, “Good. It’d be real awkward if I lied to your mother… Leslie. Nice lady. Told her how well you’re doing.”
This revelation not only warns Rue that Alamo will hurt her mother if she messes up, but it also reframes a monumental scene in the episode. One that ties into that Biblical final scene…
Euphoria Season 3 Episode 6 Ending Explained: Why Did Rue’s Mother Really Call Her?
Euphoria Season 3 Episode 6 “Stand Still and See” features a gorgeous long-take scene wherein we watch Rue, in a church, have a tender heart-to-heart with her mother over the phone. Rue is in the church because she has to waste an hour while the dupe key is printed and is honestly surprised her mother is calling. Not only did Leslie refuse to answer Rue’s calls earlier in the season, but Rue herself assumes “Mom Cell” is the DEA line.
However, as soon as Rue realizes her mother has reached out, she tells her where she is and that she believes in God. The idea of God is appealing to Rue because if He exists, so does redemption, and from there, salvation. She begins to explain that she wishes she could undo all of her wrongs.
“I want to start over and I want to be forgiven,” Rue says. She apologies and promises that she’ll be home soon.
For only a few seconds, the camera cuts to Leslie, who simply says, “I love you, Rue.”
It’s a beautiful scene, that when buttressed by the final image of Rue kneeling before a burning bush, seems to suggest that maybe God is real in Euphoria and maybe Rue will make it out alive.
Here’s the problem with this optimistic take: Up until the snake story scene with Bishop, we have no reason to suspect why Leslie called besides she missed her daughter. Now, it seems as though Bishop’s visit to Leslie was probably the instigating factor. Which means there is a sinister undercurrent to that otherwise lovely church scene. Mom’s reaching out because one of Alamo’s goons paid her a visit.
When you add the metaphor of the python feigning love to pounce and the cold open flashback to Alamo’s own mother (Danielle Deadwyler) including him in her evil, elaborate con, and you have to be wary of all these positive signs that Rue is seeing that tell her God is looking out for her. Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t. Maybe a dry bush in the desert caught flame from a spark caused by Rue’s accident.
There are only two more episodes left in Euphoria‘s run.
New episodes of Euphoria come out on Sunday nights at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.