How do you process a finale like that?

Euphoria Season 2 Episode 8 resolved many of the biggest arcs on this hit HBO series, leaving things with a relatively clean canvas as we wait for Euphoria Season 3.

We'll start with the Fez, Custer, Ashtray, and Fay of it all. Euphoria Season 2 Episode 7 confirmed Fez didn't make it to Lexi's show, or at the very least, he was missing for most of it.

Fez has always struck me as a teenager on borrowed time. Selling drugs can make you have a lot of enemies, so it was inevitable something big would go down to change his life.

It's hard to imagine how all of this would have played out had Faye not opened up about Laurie while knowing the phone was bugged, but this was a testament to her loyalty to Fez and Ashtray.

They took her in when she was vulnerable, and although Ashtray struggled to welcome someone new into the home, there was a complete and utter change in the energy.

Unfortunately, there was no happy ending for anyone in that house, and the moment Ashtray stabbed Custer in the throat, it was inevitable what came next.

Look, we don't even know if Fez survived, but if he did, he's never going to be able to unsee the image of his brother's death.

Fez looked at Ashtray like a brother, and the two of them worked every angle of the drug business to their satisfaction, and unfortunately for Ashtray, he played with fire a little too much to make it out the other end.

The officers breaking the door down and the gunfight that ensued will live with me for a long time. Seriously, this show is cutthroat in all of the best ways because it takes risks other shows do not.

Fez preparing to take the blame for everything was no surprise. His unwavering loyalty to Ashtray shone through, but the Ashtray was simply too far gone.

It's a miracle Fez and Fay survived the bullet storm, but we already know the former was shot.

I suspect we'll take a deeper look into Fez's psyche on the next season, now that a bulk of the conflict from the other plots has been resolved.

The process of moving on after witnessing Ashtray's demise will not be easy, and he'll probably never get over it.

Fez will be thinking of all the variables, the things he could have done differently to have a better outcome, but in the end, the kid was unhinged.

Ashtray saved people in the nick of time, but the act of murder against Custer was his undoing.

Had Ashtray veered away from stabbing him, the police may well have shown up and quizzed the kids about their part in the death they were investigating.

Whether Fez will be able to bounce back is a question I can't answer because we've watched him navigate life with a grandmother in a coma, all the while dealing drugs with someone who was like a little brother to him.

Will Fez be on the inside, or will there be a last-minute decision that allows him freedom?

I hope for more Fez and Lexi on Euphoria Season 3. They seemed like polar opposites on the outside, but deep down, this rapport between them made conversations easier.

They both clearly struggled to articulate their emotions, which helped them understand one another on levels we didn't think possible.

Lexi's show was fantastic from start to finish, and Cassie spewing hate on the stage as their mother tried to say it was a part of the show was sheer perfection.

The biggest problem I have with the show carrying over into the finale is that any staff member would have shut the entire thing down the moment the school got a sniff that this was based on real-life.

I mean, the characters were very clearly based on Rue, Maddy, Cassie, Kat, and Lexi. From the look to the costumes, all the way down to the mannerisms, Lexi pulled off something artists can only dream of.

It makes sense then that the show highlighted that these teenagers need to process their emotions or run the risk of acting out.

Cassie's outburst gave Sydney Sweeney another big platform to showcase her acting, but the back and forth between Cassie and Maddy was something else.

Maddy felt betrayed more than anything, and you could tell she knew Cassie was in for a world of hurt at Nate's hands the moment Cassie said that he broke up with her.

Maddy was more of a sidekick to Nate on Euphoria Season 1, regularly getting embroiled in his schemes, but on Euphoria Season 2, she fully understood the toxicity deeply rooted inside him.

He got off on hurting her, and Maddy's comment about it just being the beginning was very telling. Did she think she would finally get a break because he would pester Cassie, or did she understand it to be something the two women would have in common?

It's hard to put into words just how much Nate has done to these characters, but the show did a decent job of revealing what darkened Nate in the first place.

His mother was vocal about him changing from a fun-loving kid to something darker earlier in the season.

A parent can tell when their kid changes, and she was curious about it. I can't lie, Nate loading up the gun and the drama going on at Fez's house made me believe he would go there and throw some stray bullets into the mix.

But Nate has struggled enough with his feelings toward his father, and while I figured Call, too, would meet his maker, it was far more satisfying to see him turn his father into the cops.

Cal thought he could tell his family about his double-life, only to leave them to pick up the pieces, but his son knew the perfect way to take him down.

A part of Cal's speech to his son seemed sincere, but the prospect of a father-son relationship is long gone.

Nate's journey as we head into the next season is more of a question mark because his actions lead me to question whether he will be able to turn over a new leaf and right the wrongs with those he's burned.

Maddy is so done with him, but Cassie would probably still get back together with him without thinking about it.

Then again, maybe the play will give Cassie some food for thought and make her think about how she can avoid people like Nate Jacobs.

It's hard to believe we've gotten this far without talking about Rue. She's the glue that holds the show together, and while there was a lot of character development for her, it was clear the show had more of a profound effect on her than we could have anticipated.

Working things out with Elliot came out of the left-field, but she had processed enough of what happened to understand they can be friends, albeit with a considerable distance between them.

Rue's journey has always been heavily tied to her father's illness and passing, and the show helped her realize just how much she was still processing everything.

I want to think Rue truly did stay off drugs for the rest of the school year, but we need to remember that she's not the most reliable of narrators.

Even so, it was nice to see her looking happier and healthier. I have to give props to the writers for not pushing her back together with Jules.

Rue is still processing the events of the last few years, and while she seemed unsure about her relationship with Jules, the two of them had a big impact on one another.

The journey for Rue is slow, and there will be more pain, but for now, she's able to be happy and healthy, and there's something powerful about it.

Zendaya showcased a very different side of Rue over these last few episodes, and I'm thankful the season didn't end with Laurie following through on her word.

I guess Laurie is being saved as the villain for Euphoria Season 3 because it's not like she'll allow Rue to get away with not following through on their deal.

Then again, maybe Laurie and her goons will get arrested in-between seasons, and the show will pivot to something else.

"All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned For A Thing I Cannot Name," was a brutal but powerful season-ender.

Most of the characters reached emotional breakthroughs that will be sure to change things up, but the worst part was the complete and utter lack of screentime for Jules.

Jules has become more of a secondary character on the show of late, and while it might work for now because of the trajectory of the plots, the series would be wise to remember that Hunter Schafer is a pivotal part of the show's success.

What did you think of the conclusion?

Are you surprised Ashtray quite literally bit the bullet?

How will Fez bounce back from it?

What did you think of Nate exposing his father?

Do you think Maddy is happy Nate moved on to Cassie?

What's your take on Rue as the narrator? Is she being honest?

Hit the comments.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.