The Emmy-winning series is making its comeback after four years, but where do Rue and Jules stand?
BY HONOR WOLSTENCROFT, IMAGE BY HBO
Four years ago, Euphoria gave us some of the most unforgettable moments on television in recent years. From Lexi’s brutally exposing school play to the dreaded suitcase, season two was a whirlwind of betrayal, relapse and heartbreak.
The show is now back, but what happened between the queer couple, Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) and Rue Bennett (Zendaya) and how was their relationship left at the end of the last series? We’ve put together a timeline of #Rules’ relationship to help dust off the Euphoria cobwebs, so you can watch with up-to-date knowledge when the new series drops on 12 April.
Season One
Let’s go back to the beginning, to 2019. Rue is straight out of rehab and meets Jules at a house party. Jules, the newbie to the neighbourhood, has captured the attention of bad boy Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) and causes a stir when she pulls a knife out to protect herself against Nate’s ongoing harassment. Rue is immediately enamoured by Jules’ power move, alongside her twinkling and unique style. They go back to Jules’ house, and the relationship begins.
The pair navigate the tribulations of being 17 together, and over the course of the season’s first few episodes, Rue and Jules are inseparable. Although their relationship is yet to be confirmed as romantic, all their time is spent together, whilst Jules expresses a deep concern for Rue’s drug use post-rehab. Their relationship can only continue if she stops, which helps and motivates Rue to stay sober. Alongside their close dynamic, Jules is obsessively texting Tyler, an online connection who she is unaware is actually Nate Jacobs.
Gia (Storm Reid), Rue’s little sister, remarks that “Rue is in love with Jules” during the fourth episode, and they later share their first kiss. Jules, now aware that Tyler was Nate Jacobs all along, keeps this secret from Rue, adding a layer of unspoken tension to their romantic relationship that is now blooming.
Navigating her sobriety, Rue is left bedridden in a state of depression, whilst Jules returns to her hometown and kisses a girl named Anna. At the school dance, Jules is constantly texting Anna and admits to Rue that she is in love with both girls. Rue and Jules decide to flee their small town in a spur-of-the-moment decision, but when Rue decides to stay on the train platform, the pair part ways, and season one ends with her relapse.
Season two
Three years later, the pair rekindle at a party, but unbeknownst to Jules, Rue is back on drugs. Rue and Jules attempt to rebuild their relationship with sex and physical affection, but the foundations of their love remain rocky.
The couple later forms a friendship with Elliot (Dominic Fike), who Rue uses as a partner in her addiction, and Jules uses to confide in. Jules feels increasingly isolated in her relationship with Rue, who is lying and doing drugs behind her back. Subsequently, Elliot and Jules hook up.
With Rue’s behaviour becoming increasingly erratic, Elliot reveals to Jules that Rue has fallen off the wagon and is relapsing. This leads to the explosive intervention in episode five, when Elliot and Jules go to the Bennetts’ house to warn Rue’s mother of what is happening to protect her. Rue completely lashes out, telling Jules: “You’re dead to me.”
Their relationship ends, and Rue is left to take the steps towards sobriety alone, whilst Jules falls back and focuses on self-preservation.
In the season’s dramatic final episode, when Lexi’s play takes place, the pair interact for the first time after the intervention. Jules declares that she still loves Rue, but Rue simply kisses her forehead and walks away. Rue, now sober and aware of the corrosive effect her addiction has on others, removes the emotional trigger of Jules from her life by saying goodbye.
The trailers for season three, now in a five-year time jump, show Rue and Jules together in multiple scenes. Will their love rekindle? All will be revealed on Sky and Now TV on 12 April.
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