Is Rue Entering Her Redemption Era in 'Euphoria?'

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Whether running through the neighborhood, breaking down doors, or possibly being targeted by a terrifying monotoned sex trafficker, it is agreed that Rue has reached rock bottom. In Season 2 of the most tweeted series of the decade, audiences saw Rue go through it (just give Zendaya her Emmy already), but ended on a high note for our favorite instigator. In her voiceover in the finale, Rue states that she remained clean for the rest of the school year. Despite this chaos of Rue’s relapse and explosive intervention, Zendaya has hopes for the character’s continued sobriety with Season 3.

Speaking of Rue’s mid-season descent into darkness, Zendaya says, “There’s a dark place that hits right in the middle of the season,” Zendaya said. “And it was painful for everyone involved with making it. I know it was painful for me and I think it got to the point of, ‘We can’t leave her here. This can’t be the end of her story. There has to be some hope at the end of this. Something beautiful at the end of all this pain.” Rue may be in line for something beautiful (beyond the gorgeous makeup looks that have become Euphoria’s emblem) as the actress points to her character’s need for catharsis: “I think that’s what we need. I think that’s what the world needs. So, if you can hold onto that, if you can bear with her through those painful moments, if you can still root for her, then maybe there is some hope at the end.”

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Zendaya has been vocal about her empathy for Rue throughout the release of Season 2. Earlier this year on Instagram, when audiences began to see Rue as a bad character she noted that Rue “has a redemptive quality still, and that we still see the good in her even if she can’t see it in herself.” Zendaya reminds the fans of the show that addiction is a real and devastating experience that does not need to lead to the addict’s dehumanization, and to not treat real addicts with apathy. We hope to see Rue’s possible redemption in Season 3, as Zendaya will join Euphoria’s OG cast along with the return of Season 2 newcomer Dominic Fike.

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