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From its debut episode, HBO’s Euphoria has captivated audiences with the intense and complex relationship between Rue (played by Zendaya) and Jules (portrayed by Hunter Schafer). Although their connection is fraught with dysfunction, the bond they share remains undeniably profound.
In the latest installment, Season 3 Episode 2, these two compelling characters cross paths once more after a prolonged separation, reigniting the intricate dynamics between them.
**Spoilers for Euphoria Season 3 Episode 2, currently available on HBO Max**
The episode concludes with Rue making her way to the lobby of a posh high-rise in downtown Los Angeles, just as Jules arrives home, impeccably dressed. Rue, with her usual nonchalance, compliments Jules on her revamped style. Jules has transitioned from her signature colorful hair and glittery makeup to sporting a chic designer wig and an elegant couture cocktail dress.
According to the official production notes for Euphoria Season 3, costume designer Natasha Newman-Thomas explains that Jules’s access to more resources has led her to explore luxury fashion. “She’s drawn to places like Balenciaga and Kiko Kostadinov,” she noted. “We were fortunate enough that both brands contributed wardrobe pieces for the show.”
Jules’s new hair and makeup look, however, hint at something darker afoot for the character. Makeup department head Doniella “Donni” Davy described the character as being in a “really grim place.”
Davy said, “She’s dating guys to make money, so her makeup needed to reflect that: moody with a darker color palette; a touch experimental and also a little dominatrix—all with a gloomy undertone.”
Meanwhile, Sam Levinson asked hair department head Kim Kimble to give the character long, long, long blonde hair. “She’s like a modern-day Rapunzel trapped up in the tower and letting down her tresses,” Kimble said.
Jules invites Rue up into that tower at the end of Euphoria Season 3 Episode 2 and the two catch up about the nostalgia you might feel for past romances, no matter how bad they actually were. When Rue is asked about where she is with regard to her addictions, she says, “I avoid things that destroy my life.” Jules then notes the irony of Rue visiting her.
Just when it seems that Jules has officially put Rue in the friend zone, the episode ends on a flirtatious note of hope. Jules is drawing a bath and Rue assumes she wants to be left alone. “You’re not going to keep me company?” Jules asks.
So have Jules and Rue rekindled their romance? Are they endgame? What’s going on with Euphoria‘s most epic on-and-off relationship?
Euphoria Season 3 Episode 2 Ending Explained: Are Rue and Jules Back Together?
Yes and no.
Jules definitely invites Rue to spend the night, but it’s not like they can be together-together. After all, Jules is now a Sugar Baby. She earns her living by dating rich older men. Signs of her current beau/benefactor can be seen all over her apartment. She’s not leaving that dude! (She can’t!)
In the trailer for Euphoria in the weeks ahead, we get a glimpse of how Jules got into this lifestyle. In one scene in particular, she can be seen on a date with a character played by True Blood‘s Sam Trammell. We’ll learn in the weeks ahead what that situation is like and more about Jules’s “Rapunzel”-esque life.
Rue, meanwhile, has her own commitments, in the form of her service to Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Neither woman is totally free and this hookup carries more of a casual vibe than romantic reunion for keeps.
Time will tell if these two can finally be together forever or if they’re destined to stay apart.
New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 come out on Sundays at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.