Why 'Euphoria' Fans Think Rue & Jules Are A Modern Day 'Romeo & Juliet'
Spoilers ahead!
HBO Fans of the hit HBO series "Euphoria" have been quick to share their conspiracies on what will entail during the second season, especially for the main characters.
One of the more popular theories involves Rue, who is played by Zendaya, and Jules, who is played by Hunter Schafer, and the eerie similarities between their characters and the Shakespeare play, "Romeo and Juliet."
The star-crossed lovers have one of the most famous love stories in literature, but they also face a tragic ending.
This has left many fans wondering if Jules and Rue will meet the same "violent ends" as Romeo and Juliet.
Do Rue and Jules represent Romeo and Juliet in 'Euphoria'?
Besides the fact that their names bare a striking resemblance to the characters from the play, Rue (Romeo), and Jules (Juliet), there are also similarities pertaining to other characters as well as certain scenes from both season one and the beginning episodes of season two.
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'Euphoria' has referenced Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' before.
In the show's Halloween episode, Rue and Jules referenced Verona's teen lovers in their costume choices during the season one episode.
During the Halloween episode, Jules dressed up as Claire Danes’ angel-winged Juliet from the masquerade scene in Baz Luhrmann’s "Romeo + Juliet."
Rue is dressed similarly to Leonardo DiCaprio's 'Titantic' character, Jack Dawson, from the scene where he dresses up in a suit and goes into first class to talk with Rose's friends.
Rue's costume is significant considering that DiCaprio starred alongside Danes in "Romeo + Juliet."
Another scene in that episode happened after Jules gets extremely intoxicated and jumps into the pool, reciting one of Juliet's lines from Act II as Rue tries to help her get out of the water.
“Although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract tonight. It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,” Jules said in the scene.
The scene parallels a moment in the 1996 movie when Danes and DiCaprio kiss for the first time in Juliet's pool.
A hint in 'Euphoria' season two suggest Rue and Jules will feud.
While Jules and Rue's families don't have the same hatred for one another as the Capulets and Montagues, the opening of season two implied tensions may brew between the couple.
A Reddit user pointed out that at the beginning of season two, we see Rue in the car singing along to Tupac while riding in the backseat with Fez and Ashtray, and then right after that scene, the music is switched to a Biggie song as Jules appears onscreen.
This prompted fans to wonder if the was a reference to the rivalry between Tupac and Biggie that happened during the '90s.
Others also pointed out the choice to play Tupac's music over a scene with Rue suggests she would she be the one to die first, since Tupac died before Biggie during their fued.
This would, again, parallel Shakespeare's play as Romeo dies before Juliet.
The similarities of Rue and Jules to "Romeo and Juliet" hints that maybe they both might end up dying by the end of the series.
The 'Romeo and Juliet' references may foreshadow other deaths in season two.
According to a Reddit post, one user was able to draw resemblances between four of the main characters based on an Instagrm photo from the 'Euphoria' account that was posted during season one.
The caption of the photo had said, "The beginning of the third act," which prompted the user to wonder what happens at the beginning of act three of 'Romeo and Juliet.'
"So I got out my handy Romeo and Juliet book and started reading the third act. Sure enough it was the part where Mercutio gets killed by Tybalt, then Romeo kills Tybalt. So, I came up with a theory," the Reddit user wrote.
The user went on to explain that in their comparison, Mercutio is Fez, Tybalt is Nate, Juliet is Jules, and Romeo is Rue.
"In the next season Rue is going to plot to kill Nate, and kill him. This also works because we think that Rue and Jules will die, and Romeo and Juliet.... die, but hopefully that doesn't happen," the Reddit user continued.
This is interesting considering Angus Cloud, who play Fezco, recently revealed his character was originally supposed to die in season one before the script was changed.
Equally, a leaked snippet of what many believe was te original opening lines of the season one script reveals that Rue killed Nate Jacobs.
These plot lines were obviously changed but, perhaps, the show's creator, Sam Levinson, decided to revisit these storylines in season two.
They also pointed out that one of the more important themes in 'Euphoria' is love, which is the same in 'Romeo and Juliet.'
"Everything that is done is for the purpose and love of another person, and love would be the drive of everything that happens in my theory. Now if you think that killing is a little extreme then maybe we could substitute jail or a serious injury for death."
All will likely be revealed as the season progresses but here's hoping for a happy ending for the lovers!
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.