Did Ashtray die in 'Euphoria'? All about that shocking season two finale

It’s safe to say, Euphoria season two has had quite an impact on us all—from inspiring us to try out those intricate Euphoria makeup looks at home, to figuring out how to recreate Rue’s outfits and Maddy’s hair looks for ourselves. 

Emotionally, each episode has broken our hearts over and over again, and Sunday's finale was no exception. Not even the news of Euphoria season 3 being confirmed could help us crack a smile as we all ask the same question—did Ashtray really die in Euphoria’s final season-two installment?

There have been theories swirling for weeks that one of the beloved characters was going to die at the end of the season, with many fans at first thinking it could be Rue (played by Zendaya), who has been struggling with drug addiction. The end of the penultimate episode, however, sparked fears that it would actually be Fezco who dies.

Both theories were wrong, as it seems it wasn’t Fezco (played by Angus Cloud), but his brother-from-another-mother, young Ashtray, that met a grizzly end...

Did Ashtray die in 'Euphoria'? 

Sadly, it seems Ashtray really has met his end, as viewers see the gun pointed at his head and clearly hear the gunshot that supposedly killed him. However, we did not see his body (which in some cases means there is a chance the character survives)—so while the odds aren't looking good, there's a chance the beloved young character may make it yet.

If you’re not entirely sure what went down, here's a mini recap: Ashtray killed Custer, who was acting as an informant for the authorities. Fezco then plunged Custer’s phone into a glass of water, knowing law enforcement was listening in on their conversation and that a SWAT team would come bursting in at any time.

Fez then took the murder weapon and told Ashtray he was going to take the fall for both Mouse and Custer’s death—but Ashtray had other plans. He shut himself in the bathroom with an arsenal of weapons.

The SWAT team then burst in, and—ignoring Fez’s pleas for him to come out—Ash opens fire, as does the SWAT team. Fez is caught in the crossfire and gets shot in the stomach.

Then, viewers see the laser mark of the SWAT team's assault rifle on Ash's forehead.  We then hear the gunshot, and the sound of a body hitting the floor.

As you can imagine, Euphoria fans were devastated over the death, with many tweeting their reactions to the drama. (There have been many Euphoria memes of the finale—these will thankfully hold us over until new episodes come around again.)

Of course, we all know in TV-land that unless you see the body of the character, there's every chance they may not really be dead. And it seems the actor who plays Ash, Javon Walton, is also holding out hope that he's alive...

"I just hope he's alive," Walton told Esquire. "Because I'm sure he didn't just get shot one time by taking cover in the bathtub and getting shot through the wall. You know that Fez needs Ash, and Ash needs Fez. They both really rely on each other, so it's going to be really hard for both of them."

What happened to Fezco in the 'Euphoria' finale?

Despite being shot in the stomach, viewers aren't totally panicked for Fezco yet, because he was alive whilst pleading with Ash to come out of the bathroom.

While we can assume Fez is alive and (somewhat) okay, it does appear that the SWAT officers did arrest him during the season finale. This could spell big trouble for his character in season three—not to mention his budding romance with Lexi!

Season three of Euphoria has been confirmed, but as yet, there is no release date. Sadly, we may well be waiting a while to find out exactly how Fez and Ash have fared following the season two finale.

Euphoria season 2 is currently available to watch on HBO and HBO Max.