Euphoria: 7 character arcs that went completely off the rails

HBO’s Euphoria is loved for its shock value, in-your-face feeling, and pure authenticity and honesty. And at the core of it all are the characters in it, messy, flawed, and deeply human.

From Rue’s gut-wrenching battle against her addiction to Jules’ quest for identity and love, the show brought us into a world where trauma, desire, and self-destruction were the brand of a group of teenagers. Cassie craved love, Kat sought power, Nate contended with internal demons, and McKay dealt with pressure and pain, while Fezco, an unlikely moral core, provided silent support.

But while Season 1 of Euphoria gave each of them rich emotional ground to stand on, not every storyline stayed steady. As the show progressed, several character arcs took sudden turns, lost direction, or disappeared entirely. Fans expected growth, closure, or at least consequences, but too often, those expectations went unmet.

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Euphoria: 7 character arcs that completely went off the rails

1. Rue Bennett: From addiction to nowhere

Rue, played by Zendaya, is the protagonist of Euphoria. We first see her struggling in the show with addiction, mental illness, and the death of her father. In Season 1, her battle feels real. She tries to get better but keeps falling back. Her voiceovers guide us through her world.

But in Season 2, her story starts to lose structure. Instead of slow, realistic progress or downfall, her arc becomes chaotic. A major drug-dealing plot is introduced, and Rue takes a suitcase of drugs worth thousands of dollars. This subplot disappears later without explanation. Also, her relationships with Jules and Elliot never get true closure.

Her overdose and emotional rock bottom are powerful, but the show doesn’t explore her recovery path clearly. Rue’s journey deserved more care and direction.

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2. Jules Vaughn: From breakout star to background

Jules was one of the most important characters in Season 1. Her story as a trans girl trying to find love, identity, and freedom stood out. Her bond with Rue felt real, full of confusion, love, and pressure.

In Season 2, she becomes a background character. Her connection with Rue fades without much talk. She also gets close to Elliot, but their bond is never fully developed. Her emotions, choices, and backstory are barely explored. After her powerful special episode ("F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob"), fans expected growth. Instead, Jules drifts through the season with no clear arc.

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3. Kat Hernandez: From confidence to disappearance

Kat starts as a shy girl who slowly becomes confident about her body and identity. Her journey in Season 1 of the series, becoming a cam girl, gaining attention, and struggling with self-worth, was bold and fresh. She wanted control in a world that often silenced her.

In Season 2, her story goes completely off track. Her relationship with Ethan ends awkwardly, and her only major scene is where she fakes a brain illness to break up with him. She becomes a joke in her own arc. There’s no growth, no explanation for her change, and no focus on her inner world.

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4. McKay: From star athlete to nowhere

When a major role fades away! So does Christopher McKay. He had a major role in Season 1. He was a college football player dealing with pressure, identity, and a complicated relationship with Cassie. His story also involved a traumatic scene of abuse, which deeply affected him.

But in Season 2 of Euphoria, McKay vanishes. He appears once at a party and then disappears without a reason. His trauma, dreams, and relationship with Cassie are never discussed again. His character had the potential to show what young men go through emotionally, especially Black athletes. Instead, his story is cut off.

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5. Cassie Howard: From heartbreak to meltdown

Cassie starts as a sweet, emotional girl who wants love and acceptance. In Season 1, she faces shame and insecurity. Her abortion, troubled relationships, and past traumas are handled with care.

But in Season 2, she changes too fast. Her obsession with Nate becomes her whole storyline. While her need for love is clear, her sudden spiral feels too extreme. She cries, screams, and becomes jealous in ways that feel overdone. Her friendship with Maddy breaks, but there’s no deep talk about it. Cassie’s pain is real, but to fans, the show turns her into a punchline instead of exploring her heartbreak slowly.

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6. Nate Jacobs: From villain to what?

Nate is one of the most layered characters; he is violent, manipulative, and a problematic figure at his core. His backstory with his father, Cal, is dark and full of trauma. Season 1 shows his toxic behavior, and Season 2 tries to dig deeper into his mind.

But his arc goes in circles. He threatens people, stalks his ex, and plays mind games. Nate shows small signs of change, but nothing sticks. then gives the CD to the police, confronts his father, and then... nothing. He’s still dangerous, still confused, and a mystery as well. The show flirts with change but never follows through. Nate’s storyline seems to be leading somewhere, but it goes nowhere in the series.

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7. Fezco: From kind dealer to cut-off ending

Fezco quickly became a fan favorite. The gentle drug dealer who protected Rue and took care of Ashtray had a strong start. Season 2 of Euphoria opens with his backstory, his childhood, his grandma, and how he ended up dealing drugs.

His bond with Lexi brings sweetness to the show.

But just as fans start to hope for something good in his life, his arc falls apart. The buildup to Lexi’s play, his love story, and the police raid all lead to a rushed, tragic end. Ashtray’s sudden death and Fez’s arrest feel like a shock to storytelling. There’s no closure for his relationship with Lexi or his future. His entire arc feels cut short without depth.

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Euphoria gave us raw and real, layered characters. But alas, they didn’t all receive the arcs they were due. Some disappeared without a reason. Still others switched far too fast or became the side characters in their own lives.

It is true that when a show has formed such emotional bonds, unfinished or uneven arcs can feel frustrating. So, the fans say. There was so much potential in these seven characters’ stories, and yet after watching that finale, it’s clear that the stories went off the rails. Fans felt like the creators were in a hurry to finish the script.

So, for a new season, fans eagerly anticipate; they can only hope that Euphoria finds its way back into the depths and takes care of its characters.