Is Elliot ‘Euphoria’s Least Problematic Character? Pros & Cons to the Season 2 Addition

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 3 of Euphoria, “Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys.”]

Euphoria‘s ensemble has been strong since it first debuted in 2019, but the show’s gotten a little boost from one of its newest recruits with Dominic Fike’s turn as Elliot in Season 2.

A chance encounter with Rue (Zendaya) in the season’s premiere episode is now turning into an intriguing dynamic between the mutual drug users and Rue’s girlfriend Jules (Hunter Schafer). Much of the dynamic revolves around the information some characters are aware of versus the facts some of them are in the dark about.

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This mainly stems from the fact that Jules believes Rue is sober, when in fact, she’s been doing drugs with Elliot and had a close call with her on the night she met him after doing heroin. Even still, Elliot’s been a relatively drama-free king. But as new details about his thoughts and feelings for Rue are revealed, we can’t help but wonder, is he about to be Euphoria‘s least or most problematic character?

Below, we’re breaking down the pros and cons.

Pros

The positives of Elliot’s presence include being a well-intentioned friend to Rue, which is hard to come by at their high school. Plus, he’s clearly a fan of Jules’ even if she’s suspicious of him. When Rue met Elliot, he also showed genuine concern for her wellbeing when she thought she might be having a heart attack.

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The show is constantly introducing difficult situations into these teens’ lives, so anytime they can have a laugh is also refreshing, which is something Elliot puts on the table. His presence has been relatively easygoing and positive as he and Rue joke around the hallways. Another plus? He’s not involved in any of the drama involving other key characters, leaving his hands clean in that regard. But can these surface-level positives outweigh the negatives though?

Cons

Rue doesn’t need to be using drugs … at all. While Elliot may not have an addiction like her, his presence only further exacerbates her use of the substances. Plus, could his presence serve to drive a wedge further between her and Jules? Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen.

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And we still don’t know too much about Elliot, other than he has a crush on Rue, which he openly admits to Jules when they’re hanging out alone. Additional comments he makes about Rue stir up some defensive comments from Jules, making it clear that he has some strong opinions that might not mesh with everyone around him. Is there something darker hiding under the surface of this seemingly uncomplicated character? Hopefully, we’ll find out one way or another as the season continues on HBO.

Euphoria, Season 2, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO