The sudden disappearances of several key characters like 'Gia', 'Ethan', 'Ashtray', and more from 'Euphoria' Season 3 have left fans shocked and disappointed.
The most anticipated series of 2026, Euphoria Season 3, is finally back after a long four-year hiatus. For the unversed, the first season of the hit show premiered in 2019, and the second in 2022. Now, Euphoria Season 3 premiered just a day ago, on April 12, 2026. New episodes of the HBO drama will continue to be released through May 31, 2026. It is worth noting that fans who turned in for the new season's premiere were left disappointed after a number of key characters shockingly disappeared without any explanation.
'Rue' played by Zendaya is one of the central characters of Euphoria Season 3, and fans had been eagerly waiting to see her back in action. Surprisingly, her sister on the show, ‘Gia,’ played by Storm Reid, cannot be found anywhere during the new season of the HBO drama. Viewers who have begun watching the show have been constantly feeling the void her character has left behind. Well, for those who do not know, the reason for ‘Rue’s disappearance from the show isn't that mysterious when you consider the actor's real-life hustle.
According to a report by Poprant, Storm Reid had explained that her schedule no longer aligned with the show. Apparently, she is currently more focused on graduating from university and building her career in production. Despite not appearing in Season 3, Storm expressed her deep gratitude to the entire Euphoria cast. She even mentioned that her bond with Zendaya in real life remains as special as ever.
Many fans of Euphoria had been desperately praying for the return of ‘Ashtray.’ However, it seems the makers won't spare viewers the heartbreak they so much wish to avoid. After the explosive season two finale, fans had been clinging to the theory that ‘Ashtray’, played by Jacob Walton, might have survived somehow by cheating death. Reportedly, even Jacob himself had hinted that his character was tough enough to survive anything. Sadly, with Euphoria Season 3 already here, that door is shut off completely.
While fans do not have to wonder whether ‘McKay’ and ‘Ethan’ are dead or not, their dates, too, are equally brutal if not tragic. According to reports, both of these characters' storylines seemed to have run out of road. After their relationships ended and amid the constantly shifting narratives, there was little fuss when their characters were written off. So, even though fans are still trying to catch up emotionally, the show has moved on.
While all the aforementioned characters have either been written off or simply disappeared from the show, Angus Cloud's ‘Fez’ surprisingly still remains on the show. For those unaware, Angus Cloud passed away at the age of 25 back in 2023. Naturally, when Euphoria Season 2 ended, his story was left on a cliffhanger. Well, instead of writing his character off the show, which would have been a much simpler task to do, the makers took the time between the last season and the new one to come up with an idea that would keep ‘Fez’s’ character intact even after the actor's shocking passing.
As you might be aware, in the first season of Euphoria, it was shown that ‘Fezco’ a.k.a. ‘Fez’ was ‘Rue’s’ drug dealer. Cut to the last episode of Season 2, ‘Fez’ was taken into custody after a raid at his home. After Angus' unexpected passing in 2023, the makers decided to at least keep his presence in Season 3 by showing that ‘Fez’ is serving a long prison sentence. Even his romantic interest, ‘Lexi’ (Maude Apatow), is seen feeling guilty as she hasn't spoken to ‘Fez’ in a long time. That is when ‘Rue’ tells her that it isn't like he's going somewhere, as he is serving a 30-year prison sentence.
What are your thoughts on some of the key characters missing from Euphoria Season 3? Let us know.
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