Season 3 Episode 7 delivers one of the show’s darkest twists yet, filled with tragedy, betrayal and Rue Bennett’s future hanging by a thread.
Season three of ‘Euphoria’ has officially entered completely unpredictable territory. The seventh episode, titled ‘Rain or Shine’, has become one of the most devastating and emotionally intense chapters in the show’s history, leaving viewers confronted with a landscape shaped by death, paranoia, trauma and a profound spiritual transformation for Rue Bennett, the character played by Zendaya.
The episode begins with Rue trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation after becoming entangled in a complex criminal conflict involving rival drug cartels. Having narrowly escaped near-fatal situations in recent weeks — including a brutal attack involving a polo mallet — Rue now appears convinced that fate is sending her signs. Reality, however, remains far harsher.
The episode’s greatest emotional shock comes with the death of Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi. Once the high school “golden boy” whose violence and manipulation shaped much of the earlier seasons, Nate meets a fate that feels both cruel and symbolic. Financially ruined, hunted by loan sharks and trapped beneath a million-dollar debt, he ultimately finds himself buried in a makeshift grave while a criminal group demands money from Cassie, now his wife, in exchange for his freedom.
Yet fate delivers an even darker twist. Before any rescue can happen, a rattlesnake slips through a narrow opening into Nate’s improvised shelter and bites him, triggering an irreversible physical deterioration. The image of Cassie Howard, played by Sydney Sweeney, weeping beside Nate’s necrotising body instantly becomes one of the most disturbing and unforgettable moments in the series.
Nate’s death also opens a painful emotional chapter for Cassie, who moves from chasing an idealised future to suddenly confronting traumatic widowhood. But the episode equally makes clear that she remains morally conflicted. After failing to reinvent herself as an actress and losing an important source of financial stability, Cassie devises a calculated plan to regain relevance by manipulating a fellow actor and weaponising public perception as a survival strategy.
Meanwhile, Rue experiences a radically different transformation. After what she interprets as divine signs — including a vision of a burning bush — she begins believing she has established a direct connection with God. During an emotionally charged conversation with Ali, played by Colman Domingo, Rue insists she heard a voice promising redemption, faith and a path towards something resembling a promised land.
The episode also dives deeper into Ali’s past through one of Rue’s signature narrated flashbacks, revealing his own struggles with addiction, family trauma and the long road towards sobriety.
Yet Rue’s apparent spiritual awakening hardly signals stability. On the contrary, it appears to push her towards increasingly reckless decisions. Convinced she can manipulate multiple criminal factions simultaneously, Rue begins deceiving rival organisations, lying about loyalty and even staging physical harm against herself to support a fabricated story.
The tension reaches breaking point when Rue attempts a late-night robbery with Faye’s help. But the plan collapses after they discover the safe contains no money — only documents and false identities. The revelation immediately sparks suspicion, culminating in a desperate scream that once again leaves Rue standing dangerously close to death.
