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The highly anticipated third season of HBO’s Euphoria kicks off with a dramatic twist, leaving viewers with Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, seeking solace in both God and a new character, Alamo, portrayed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.
**Warning: This article contains spoilers for the first episode of Euphoria Season 3, currently available on HBO Max**
As the season opens, we find Rue in a precarious position, having been coerced into working as a drug courier for the unsettling Laurie, played by Martha Kelly. Over the five years since her high school days, Rue’s life has taken a dark turn, culminating in a fateful night where she is tasked with delivering drugs to Alamo, a powerful strip club owner. During her visit to his opulent mansion, Rue requests to use the restroom but soon gets swept up in the revelry with Alamo’s entourage of strippers.
Initially, Rue manages to win over Alamo with her charm. However, the mood quickly shifts when tragedy strikes. A stripper named Tish, portrayed by Emma Kotos, tragically dies from fentanyl, unknowingly mixed into the drugs purchased from Laurie.
“She’s cost him, you know? He feels she’s been responsible for the death of one of his girls, who was one of his biggest earners,” actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje explained in an interview with DECIDER earlier this week. “He should dispense with her.”
However, Alamo does not immediately execute Rue. Instead, he is struck by her comment that she believes God has brought them together.
“Alamo represents almost a rude awakening of sorts to these young, naive, post-high schoolers who are trying to make their way into life. If you say you believe in God, let’s see if he believes in you. He’s that guy,” Akinnuoye-Agbaje said. “If you’re going to want to walk on the dark side, he is going to test you at every turn.”
Alamo contrives of a William Tell-esque trial where Rue has to balance a green apple on her head. If Alamo shoots the apple, then Rue not only gets to live, but join his crew. If Alamo misses, well, God has turned his back on Rue Bennett.
“As you’ll see throughout the series, Alamo has this trait where he enjoys the torture and the drama,” Akinnuoye-Agbaje said. “He enjoys the drama of the battle because I think that stimulates him, you know what I mean?”
“It’s a test of faith, you know? And I think that’s really one of the themes of the show.”
Ultimately, Rue passes the trial.
According to Akinnuoye-Agbaje, filming this tense sequence came with its own environmental challenges. It was “freezing cold” on the Palmdale set.
“I think it was like midnight and it was 35 mile an hour winds,” he said. “And I’m standing in white Speedos and I was I was very, very cold.”
The actor also said, “It was wonderful working with Zendaya. She was so up for it and generous and just giving as a scene partner, you know? She’s very supportive in the scenes.”
The end of Euphoria Season 3 Episode 1 spares Rue’s life, but it also entangles her with a charismatic and powerful new character who might not be the savior she’s hoping for. Sure, Alamo provides Rue with an escape from her awful life working for Laurie, but there are insidious hints that Rue’s new boss might be even worse than her last.
“He has this operatic, dramatic, theatrical side to him. So nothing is going to be simple with Alamo,” Akinnuoye-Agbaje said. “If it’s going to be a death, it’s going to be a show.” And are we not entertained?
New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 will premiere Sundays at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.