HBO's Euphoria proved to be an emotional carousel in its exploration of Rue (Zendaya) and her classmates in their small suburban American town. Not only was it a tale of sexual discovery for many of the teens, there were themes such as racism, classism, assault and drug abuse woven into the show's eight episodes.
With that in mind, let's look at where Season 2 could go with all these interconnected families as old secrets spill out and new ones are locked away.
RUE'S HOPEFUL COMEBACK
Season 1 ended with Rue abandoning Jules at the train station and returning home to go on a drug-binge. This caused some to think she might have died and was actually been narrating the story from the afterlife, although the show's creative team has said this isn't the case. So it seems like the next season will be dissecting Rue's home life once more.
Rue is finally starting to accept how much she hurt her mom and sister with her addiction, and given that she broke her three-month sobriety, it'll be an uphill battle again. Rue may lean on Ali from rehab even more as a father-figure, although it won't be easy should Jules come back. Jules loves Rue, but they're in a love triangle as the teen also has feelings for Anna, and seems to be interested in guys too. It's a volatile mix, and Rue will have to figure out if a toxic relationship is worth it.
NATE'S DOWNWARD SPIRAL
Nate is a jock and bully who began blackmailing Jules. He tricked her into sending him nudes and then manipulated Jules into lying about Tyler to help corroborate a sexual assault charge, as he was jealous that his girlfriend, Maddy, and Tyler hooked up. However, Nate's relationship with his dad, Cal, broke down. Nate became tired of pretending he doesn't know Cal has been having sex with minors and recording it for years.
Jules was one of these victims, and the frustration led to Cal and Nate fighting. Season 2 is set to look at the ramifications of this brawl. Cal has struggled with being closeted for years, and there signs Nate is the same, so they might start to bond over this. This could take a darker turn, though. Maddy is officially done with the abusive Nate, but she also stole the video with Cal and Jules. This could see her partner with Jules for revenge, which could result in Nate fully unleashing his sociopathic tendencies.
FEZ'S DRUG SCANDAL
Rue's dealer, Fez, robbed a drug supplier to pay back a notorious dealer known as Mouse, but the thing is, this is actually Mouse's money that Fez stole. With blood stained on the bills, Mouse's gang can either kill Fez, his sick grandma or his little brother, Ashtray. Chances are they'll use this as leverage and make the boys reluctant partners, keeping them as slaves.
Season 2 can focus on Fez trying to get rid of Mouse, and seeing as Nate informed on them to get back at Rue, the brothers might also turn informants. However, this would endanger the teens they sell to and harm the reconciliation between Fez and Rue. He doesn't want to deal to her, as he considers her a little sister, but she's persistent in wanting to keep buying from Fez. Mouse also has an eye on her, so it complicates matters even more, meaning Rue may become a bargaining chip.
CASSIE'S PATH FORWARD
Rue's friend Cassie seems to be over McKay after her abortion, so Season 2 is sure to see them at odds over how this debacle played out. Cassie appeared to want the kid, but her mom took her for the procedure, as McKay didn't want to be a dad and ruin his college football career. The mom also had daughters at a young age, so she didn't want Cassie in the same boat. All this drama is sure to upset McKay, who's finding it hard to adjust to college, hazing and not being a football star.
It could see Cassie relapse since she has a sordid history of drugs and making pornographic videos. Seeing as her sister Lexi (Rue's former best friend) was relying on Cassie for guidance, Cassie's wayward behavior might encourage Lexi to do the same. Lexi's already struggling as she seems to be into Rue, jealous that Jules gets all the attention from her crush.
KAT'S SEARCH FOR LOVE
Kat found love hard to come by in Season 1, as she didn't feel confident as a plus-sized girl. However, she embraced her sexuality over the internet, hosting web cam sessions for "sugar daddies." She also became promiscuous in school and scrambled to get a sex tape taken down, so it hasn't been an easy journey. Fortunately, she and Ethan, someone genuinely interested in her, have hooked up after Kat realized she was offering herself to sleazy guys.
But with so many videos out and the show making teenagers expressing their sexuality online and on social media a major part of its narrative, chances are something Kat did will come back to bite her. It could even harm her college aspirations. Season 2 can also focus on how Kat continues to fit in in a world that embraces the superficial.