Who ever conceived that Euphoria need more darkness? Most likely nobody. But when it came to the show’s adversaries, Season 2 provided something slightly different: Laurie (Martha Kelly). The shrewd drug dealer from Euphoria’s second season is Laurie. In this season, she had a weird, singular, and somewhat frightening presence. Nevertheless, Laurie was a distinctive and welcome addition to the programme despite her dark disposition. Here’s why Euphoria needs a low-key real-world antagonist:
The second season began with a brief introduction to Fez (Angus Cloud) and his younger brother Ashtray (Javon Walton). It was unexpected to find that these two characters would be the main focus of the second season given what Season 1 offered for them. Viewers got to know Laurie through this glimpse inside Fez and Ashtray’s lives. She was obviously a power player in the seedy, drug-dealing world of Fez and Ashtray. Insisting that it was impressive that Laurie was able to advance through the ranks of her strange business, Rue (Zendaya) was instantly smitten with her. Fez acknowledged that she was the only female drug dealer he knew when questioned.
Laurie has a distinctive personality. Even under the worst circumstances, she maintains her composure, and she always appears to be in control. Beyond that, she filled a part that hadn’t yet been portrayed. Her manner gave Euphoria a strange force. This grim but occasionally not so realistic story about contemporary kids benefited from Laurie’s presence as a real-life opponent. Laurie is a bad guy and a true adversary. She takes advantage of Rue when she is most vulnerable because she knows she will need someone like Rue. She is the kind of sneaky, unassuming predator you should genuinely fear.
Threats are everywhere in the Euphoria universe. Furthermore, none of the characters strike me as a serious danger, despite the fact that many of them lack kindness or credibility. All of that is altered by Laurie. She is too jaded to feel sympathy. She is fundamentally a clever entrepreneur. She embodies the phrase “wolf in sheep’s clothes.” The combination of Laurie’s exterior and her genuine intents is one of the factors that makes her such an intriguing character. Although Laurie is unsettlingly honest about who she is, her attitude belies this. This makes it simple to disbelieve that her motives are as obviously evil as she adamantly insists.
Fez has provided insight into this aspect of Rue’s life for the first two seasons of Euphoria. He is the drug dealer who appears to have aided her in choosing her perilous course. Fez is sweet and kind at his core, despite the grim, hazardous world in which he lives. Even when Rue makes it challenging for him to do so, he cares for her and tries to keep her safe. Even in the midst of her addiction, he won’t permit her to harm herself. He is a defender. His aspirations are revealed to viewers as Season 2 goes on. On Little House on the Prairie, he imagines himself creating a similar kind of existence. He enjoys Stand By Me a lot. He finds Lexi (Maude Apatow) to be a woman he can see himself having children with because he enjoys the way she explores meaningful subjects and makes thoughtful art. Fez’s contrast with the world around him becomes more and more obvious as his character develops. He is not what we would anticipate from a tough young man who has been peddling drugs since he was a child and keeps weapons hidden in his couch.
Laurie is just another piece of the shady puzzle as she walks in. And like Fez, Laurie is more complex than first appears. Laurie comes across as a typical, kind, middle-aged neighbour. She uses a monotonous, quiet voice when speaking. She is composed, unfazed, and in charge. Additionally, it’s hard not to believe her when she makes statements that are frank and forthright, such as “If you screw me, I’ll have you kidnapped and sold to some really terrible individuals.”
The exact antithesis of Fez, Laurie has a sweet, gentle surface concealing a severe, harsh, ruthless interior. Laurie showed the audience the very real dangers that people in these circumstances face. She exudes safety and goodwill. She accepts Rue’s egregiously lofty offer to sell narcotics for her in exchange for the chance, safety, and seeming protection she is providing. Rue seeks help from her mother, girlfriend, and friend when she is struggling with addiction. She encounters perceived betrayal, intervention, and obstruction of access to the medications she is unwilling to give up. Kindness, apparent understanding, and what appears to be empathy are all displayed by Laurie in addition to, of course, the drugs she desires.
When Rue visits Laurie for drugs, Laurie shares some information about her past. She confesses that before being prescribed Oxycontin and developing an addiction, she was a teacher with a husband and kids. It is implied that Laurie became involved in sex work and then drug distribution to feed her addiction. She explains that as a result, she lost her family. These are actual issues, and they are tragically typical, everyday concerns. Laurie has had significant suffering and challenges, yet she has managed to overcome them and maintain her superiority in whatever way that was possible. She is not going to offer justifications or do favours for everyone she meets, not even Rue.
She provided Euphoria with a real-life antagonist. She was enigmatic and dangerous in a subtle and realistic way. Although Laurie adds a fresh kind of gloom and suspense to the world Rue has found herself in, everyone is still undoubtedly rooting for Rue to triumph. She is a menace that Rue has in the past shied away from despite her addiction.
Season 2 of Euphoria came to a seeming surprisingly tidy ending. It suggested that Rue’s battle with addiction would end and that she would live happily ever after. While there were undoubtedly a few cliffhangers, other issues were resolved with a startling level of detail and a sense of serenity. It implied that Rue would at least make it out of the woods by the end of Season 3. Although Laurie made no appearances in the remaining few episodes of the season, her continued presence in Rue’s life cannot be forgotten or disregarded by viewers. Rue’s achievement in beating her addiction and the notion of a happy ending don’t change the fact that Laurie’s presence gives the feeling that Rue’s history will always follow her.
Rue still has a sizable debt to Laurie. And it hasn’t altered even if Rue is able to overcome her addiction. In general, Laurie has proven to be very direct and honest about her aims for someone who engages in such nefarious activity. I always find a way to make my money back, she said honestly to Rue. I’m not kidding. Whether Laurie is onscreen or not, her eerie presence is always present, and her mannerisms and demeanour convey to viewers that Laurie is truly just an ordinary lady. And therein lies the true, unavoidable peril.
