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- What happened to Nate Jacobs in Season 3
- Who was behind the plot and the fallout
- How fans reacted to Nate’s changed persona
- Previous season highlights and the debt storyline
- On-set insights: Stunts, commitment and camaraderie
- Jacob Elordi: reflections on the role and his career
- How Elordi prepared for Season 3 and his approach to Nate
- Key takeaways for fans and cultural impact
HBO’s Euphoria stunned viewers this week by killing off one of its most divisive characters. Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs meets a violent, unexpected end in Season 3, episode 7 — a finale that has fans buzzing and calling out the show’s creative choices. Warning: major spoilers ahead.
What happened to Nate Jacobs in Season 3
The episode traps Nate underground in a coffin, left with a single pipe for air. His captor intended to wait 72 hours for money to arrive. Instead, a rattlesnake finds its way down the breathing tube and bites Nate, turning the plan lethal.
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The sequence of events
- Nate is kidnapped and buried alive by a criminal connected to money he owes.
- A breathing pipe is left so he can survive until ransom is paid.
- A rattlesnake descends through the pipe and bites him before help can arrive.
- The gang leader who arranged the burial is later shot by a rival, removing hope of a rescue.
- Friends and loved ones dig Nate up, only to discover he has died.
Who was behind the plot and the fallout
The burial was orchestrated by Naz, a gangster to whom Nate owed a large sum. Naz’s plan was to keep Nate alive long enough for his wife to raise the cash. That plan unraveled when Naz didn’t make it out alive. A rival crime figure shot Naz, leaving the survival window closed and the situation to become fatal.
Cassie and Maddy scramble to secure the money and rush to recover Nate’s body. Their frantic efforts end in heartbreak when they discover he is already dead.
How fans reacted to Nate’s changed persona
The Season 3 time jump shows Nate five years after high school. His rage and menace are tamped down. He appears softer, more vulnerable, and oddly devoted to Cassie — a dramatic turn from the brutal high-school antagonist audiences knew.
Why the shift angered viewers
- Many felt the character’s sharp edges were removed too quickly.
- Some accused the show of giving Nate a near-complete personality rewrite.
- Critics described the shift as an implausible “softening” for dramatic convenience.
That sudden tonal change sparked debate online, with some calling it a betrayal of the established character arc.
Previous season highlights and the debt storyline
In earlier seasons, Nate was a classic Euphoria antagonist — manipulative, violent, and deeply troubled. His issues rooted in family secrets and trauma drove much of his cruelty.
Season 3 explores Nate’s attempt to reinvent himself. He takes control of his father’s construction business but builds projects based on lies and cons. Those scams lead to a major debt to Naz, which cascades into violence.
- During the season, Naz interrupts Nate’s wedding and has him beaten.
- That assault includes a gruesome moment where Nate’s toe is cut off and later reattached.
- The debt and humiliation feed into the chain of events that ends with Nate’s burial.
On-set insights: Stunts, commitment and camaraderie
Actors on set noted Elordi handled many physical moments himself. Jack Topalian, who plays a character tied to the criminal plot, said Elordi performed much of the fighting and struggling in the beatings scene.
Colleagues described him as focused and prepared in character, but warm and joking between takes. Those close to the production say he switches on and off quickly — intense during filming, relaxed when cameras stop rolling.
Jacob Elordi: reflections on the role and his career
Elordi has called Euphoria a turning point for his life and career. Before the show’s rise, he faced long dry spells and financial strain. Landing his role on the HBO drama launched him into wider visibility and opened doors to film projects.
- He later starred in films that raised his profile on the big screen.
- Producers and fellow actors have singled out his work on Euphoria as pivotal.
- Elordi has said playing Nate taught him empathy for darker human behaviors.
He described the character’s exit as a mixed feeling — pride for the show’s impact and a bittersweet farewell to a role that shaped his public life.
How Elordi prepared for Season 3 and his approach to Nate
This season presented unique challenges. Elordi balanced a packed schedule and limited prep time. Scripts were not finalized in a traditional way; instead, he worked through collaborative conversations with the showrunner.
That forced a different approach: less obsessive reconstruction of scenes and more on-the-fly creative choices. Despite the change, Elordi said he found the work rewarding, especially playing a morally complex antagonist.
Key takeaways for fans and cultural impact
- The Nate Jacobs arc ends decisively, closing a chapter for one of Euphoria’s most polarizing figures.
- The dramatic death fuels conversation about character evolution and storytelling risks.
- Behind the scenes, Elordi’s performance and the show’s creative gambits continue to drive headlines.
