Unveiling the Heartbreaking Inspiration Behind [Spoiler]’s Death in ‘Euphoria’ by Creator Sam Levinson

Euphoria mastermind Sam Levinson has provided insight into the inspiration behind the intense death scene in the latest episode of the hit drama series.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Euphoria Season 3, Episode 7.

During the dramatic penultimate episode that aired on Sunday, May 24, viewers witnessed the shocking demise of Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate Jacobs. Nate’s past indiscretions came back to haunt him in a terrifying twist, as he found himself trapped underground in a coffin for three harrowing days.

In a desperate bid to rescue Nate, his wife Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, confronted the loan sharks, attempting to settle his debts. With the help of Maddy, portrayed by Alexa Demie, the two women managed to unearth Nate, only to discover that he had succumbed to multiple venomous rattlesnake bites.

The intricate plot twists of Euphoria have often left fans puzzled, and the latest developments have sparked questions about the mysterious events involving Maddy and a character named Alamo. As the season finale approaches, Maddy, played by Alexa Demie, turns to Alamo, portrayed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, for financial assistance following revelations about Nate’s dire situation from Cassie, portrayed by Sydney Sweeney.

Levinson, 41, shared that the idea to bury Nate alive was an homage to one of his favorite films.

“I always loved the movie The Candy Snatchers where the girl gets buried alive with a pipe as an air hole. So I had imagined that Nate would get buried alive,” the creator said in an interview with Esquire published on Monday, May 25.

Not only was Nate buried alive, but there were snakes involved and that idea came to Levinson while enjoying a sunny day in Los Angeles.

“It was one of those gorgeous L.A. days where it was perfect weather. We’re listening to Otis Redding. The windows are down and we’re driving to Warner Brothers and I’m looking out the window,” he reflected. “I just had this image of a rattlesnake coming towards this pipe. He’s banging and the snake can sense the movement in the ground. And I thought, ‘What if the snake goes into the pipe and then he’s stuck inside the coffin with this rattlesnake?’”

Levinson also revealed that they used “all real rattlesnakes” while filming and they got a serious warning from the animal wranglers before filming.

“When we were shooting with the rattlesnakes out in Lancaster, [California], they said, ‘If you get bitten by a rattlesnake, you have about an hour before you die. And unfortunately, the nearest hospital’s an hour and a half away. ‘So … don’t get bitten by our rattlesnake,’” Levison recalled.

While writing the scene, Levinson knew fans wanted to see Nate get his “comeuppance” in the final season — and he was happy to oblige.

“There’s this kind of funny thing where I know what the audience wants in terms of justice or karma,” he reflected. “And with that in mind, I always think, ‘Well, how can I give it to them?’ How can I give them what they want, but make it so horrific and anxiety-inducing that by the time it happens, the audience isn’t so sure they wanted it?”

After a nearly four-year wait, Euphoria finally returned to HBO in April 2026 — and creator Sam Levinson is making sure no one forgets what is likely to be the final season. Season 3 delivered some of the most jaw-dropping, controversial and downright chaotic moments in the hit show’s history, from a stomach-churning premiere to […]

Levinson added that by making Nate’s death so horrific, he hoped that viewers would question if the character truly deserved the outcome.

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“That feeling of complicity with the audience is always an interesting note to play inside of this sort of larger structure,” he explained. “You end up going, ‘Oh God, I don’t know. Should he have had it better? Did he deserve it?’ Those kinds of questions are always exciting to pose to the audience.”

Elordi, for his part, agreed with fans that his character got what he deserved.

“That was a cool way to go. Nate was someone who has made so many mistakes and made so many dark choices,” the actor said in a segment that aired after the episode. “It’s cool to see it all come to what it’s come to.”