Seven years back, Formula by Labrinth played in the background while Zendaya, soon to be one of the most versatile superstars in Hollywood, walked into high school as Rue, the protagonist of Euhphoria. Then came the darkest couple of years the millennials and Gen Z have ever seen, the Covid-19 pandemic. With its dark, almost Gothic-level storytelling, characters who seem to be on a moral spectrum far removed from what is normal in a high-school series, and a visual aesthetic that instantly resonated with the doubt, despair and emotional stasis of the pandemic period, Euphoria became a massive global phenomenon.
The world has changed very fast after the pandemic, and what began as a dark, brooding teen drama (with a little bit of survival thrill) quite visibly lost its plot with its third and final season in 2026. Loss of psychological depth, low-effort styling and a focus on sensation over a cleverly paced plotline were some of the many factors that has left fans mourning what Euphoria threw off in the pandemic years. But the algorithm on our social feeds never lies. From emotional edits on Maddy and Cassie’s ride or die friendship to forums discussing whether Nate deserved his tragic fate or not, conversations around Euphoria simply refuse to stop. t2 decodes what makes the show so difficult to let go, even with almost a month gone since the finale was aired.
Jacob Elordi (left) and Sydney Sweeney pose behind the scenes of Nate and Cassie’s infamous wedding
The highschool Gothic vibes
There’s a reason Jacob Elordi was cast as Heathcliff (in Wuthering Heights), right? Those sombre eyes, the heavy baritone voice, the mysterious, enigmatic aura, everything about him just fits right into a Gothic story. He brings a lot of that energy into Euphoria as well, and perhaps the setting, character equations and mature themes of the show enhance its overall Gothic feel. Think Never Have I Ever. Think XO, Kitty. Now think of Euphoria. Something is definitely off, right? Or maybe, the more it feels off, the more luring it is.
The high school in Euphoria is brimming with darkness, mystery, and even crime. The hallways and classrooms reek of substance abuse, physical abuse, and uncontrollable mental health struggles. Manipulation and blackmail replace jolly hangouts between friends, and annual plays become humiliation rituals. Even a festival carousel is not safe from public embarrassment. Of course, the complete absence of sunny days and bright colour palettes is notable as well. If you are in for a modern, Gen Z Gothic experience, the first two seasons of Euphoria are perfect for you.
Cassie and Maddy’s ride-or-die friendship is a standout unforgettable memory from the show
Friends to lovers, friends to arch-rivals
The love triangle in Euphoria does not go from drama to heartbreak to happy ending and reconciliation like most other teen shows. In Euphoria, heartbreak turns gory, and revenge against lifelong friends replaces reconciliation and acceptance. In fact, love devoid of romance is what the relationships on the show stand for. At first, Maddy appears to be the saving grace in Nate’s traumatised existence, but slowly one begins to realise that she is just another medium for him to find a toxic release from parental trauma.
When his attentions shift from Maddy to Cassie, especially the second season onwards, audiences have some morsel of hope that getting attached to a new woman would perhaps inspire him to rebuild himself. Not so much for Nate Jacobs. Cassie is more emotionally fragile than Maddy, lacking the former’s self-assurance and strong values on friendship and love, therefore much easier to manipulate. And Nate Jacobs being Nate Jacobs, that is exactly what suits him. After two seasons, the main couple on the show seem to have manipulated each other into commitment, and their wedding, far from a celebration, seems to be a reunion of friends who now seem to be holding daggers behind each other’s backs. In fact, even after Nate goes broke and Cassie seeks Maddy’s help, one cannot really rest assured that the two girls will get a happy ending. Physical fights, manipulated contracts and blackmail define Maddy and Cassie’s relationship even without Nate around, revealing just how high a wall he has thrust between them.
Rue and Jules, although going from friends to lovers at first, suffer multiple obstacles to their happy ending (and do not get one, in fact). While Rue suffers substance abuse, her constant relapses driving wedges between her and Jules, the latter’s abandonment trauma restricts her from forming intense, constant connections. By the end, Rue, of course, has met a miserable death, and the painting on Jules’s penthouse canvas where she resides with an older man in a loveless partnership, is the one last thread connecting the two.
While dark and gory, these depictions of friendship and love are a tad bit more realistic than the rosy picture painted by traditional teen rom-coms and dramas. People mess up, and they can mess up terribly. Not all relationships can be rebuilt from scratch, and forgiveness is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. Euphoria gives us characters that are real, that go through real pains, real heartbreak, and have to make real sacrifices to survive. That is what makes the show so special, and so unforgettable.
Jules and Rue’s friends-to-lovers journey will be missed
The style game
Farewells should end on a lighter note, thus we have saved this bit for the end. Remember when everyone started rubbing salt on their arms and transitioning to rhinestone-laced eye make-up on short-form videos? Thanks to Euphoria, this beautiful make-up trend was popularised among the Gen Z. Following Maddy and Cassie’s cheerleader looks as well as some party looks, rhinestones bordering the eyes became a common phenomenon among teenagers going to concerts and nights-out. Jules’s multicoloured eyeshadow looks also went insanely viral, as did her cloud-patterned liner look.
The final season completely changed the style moodboard, and while initially the fans missed the bold drama, they were quick to adapt to the clean-girl aesthetic that fitted better with the lives of the characters as adults. Maddy’s signature dark lipstick and winged liner, Cassie’s no-make-up look and Barbie-pink aesthetics, and her subtle glittery eyes were some of the viral looks from the final season.