A very special ‘Euphoria’ episode: Will it revolve around Jules?

Season 1 of HBO’s Euphoria became a worldwide sensation after its release. The storyline offered insight into the dangers of drug abuse and the problems teenagers may go through. While its target audience may have been teens, the overall plot dealt with mature and sometimes uncomfortable content.

It’s been years since Euphoria season 1 and the series remains a landmark for its cast and storytelling. Fans continue to revisit the show, and the special episodes that followed season 1 gave additional depth to key characters. One of those episodes centered on Jules. Here is how the special fit into the larger story and what came after.

Sex, drugs, and glitter: The characters

What made Euphoria stand out among other teen dramas was the cast and the relatable characters they played. In a world where social media dominates daily life, teenagers face an intense way of living. Euphoria follows a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex, and violence.

Rue, played by Zendaya, deals with a great deal throughout the first season. She struggles with her sexual identity and drug addiction. Viewers first meet Rue when she returns to her school and home after spending time at rehab. Jules, played by Hunter Schafer, is a trans woman who is struggling to find love throughout the show. She faces a moral dilemma when she hooks up with an older man who turns out to be her classmate’s father. Jules’s season 1 dilemma with Cal remains a central moment, and later seasons expand her arc into art and relationships.

People from all walks of life appear throughout season 1. The Euphoria phenomenon prompted more open conversation around LGBTQ+ experiences and allowed eccentric styles to gain wider acceptance. The season closed with an iconic Labrinth and Zendaya musical number that left viewers wanting more.

It’s not a hallucination

Euphoria returned with two special episodes after season 1. The first, Euphoria Special Episode Part 1: Rue, aired on December 7, 2020. It picked up after Rue’s drug-fueled vision of a musical number and examined her addiction, despair, mental health struggles, and suicidal ideation through a conversation with her sobriety coach. A phone call from Jules added emotional weight, yet the episode left open questions about what was happening with Jules after the season finale.

The second special episode, titled “F–k Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” aired on January 24, 2021. It focused on Jules over the Christmas holiday as she reflected on the year. Schafer co-wrote the episode with series creator Sam Levinson and served as co-executive producer. The episode centered on therapy sessions that explored Jules’s feelings of fraudulence, her sense of womanhood, and her complicated relationships, including material tied to Nate. Season 2 followed in 2022, and season 3 premiered in April 2026.

Jules's Season 2 Arc and Relationship Developments

Season 2 continued Jules’s story in ways that tested her bond with Rue. Jules discovers Rue’s relapse and leaves her on the side of the road. She also becomes involved with Elliot, which adds tension to the central relationship. By the end of the season, Rue and Jules reach a bittersweet place with partial forgiveness but an uncertain path forward. The developments showed how quickly trust can fracture and how hard reconciliation can be when both characters carry heavy personal struggles.

Reception and Impact of the Jules Special Episode

Critics and viewers responded positively to the Jules special for Schafer’s performance and the intimate, therapy-focused structure. The episode allowed space for Jules to speak directly about identity without the larger ensemble cast present. Many noted the strong exploration of Jules’s sense of womanhood and the quiet moments that revealed how she processes past events. The special stood out as a character study that gave Schafer room to shape the narrative alongside Levinson.

Jules in Season 3: Art School and Future Outlook

In season 3, Jules attends art school and feels nervous about pursuing a painting career while avoiding certain responsibilities. Schafer has confirmed that Jules continues to seek closeness and affirmation with Rue. The season positions the character at a crossroads between creative ambition and personal stability. Viewers see how Jules balances new environments with the pull of past relationships, giving the final chapter of the series a reflective tone.

The special episode on Jules gave the character room to breathe after season 1’s intense finale. Later seasons built on that foundation with new conflicts and quieter moments of growth. Rue and Jules’s story remains one of the show’s central threads, and the series continues to examine how young people navigate love, recovery, and self-definition across changing circumstances.