Despite the glamorous makeup and scenic filters, Euphoria‘s relationships should not be romanticized.
WARNING: Spoilers and mentions of domestic and sexual violence.
HBO’s hit TV show, Euphoria, has been alluring teenagers and young adults since its debut in 2019. College and high school students alike were captivated by Euphoria‘s sparkly makeup and ethereal music. The show glamorizes each and every situation.
Many individuals, such as myself, saw the beauty in the show and began replicating some of the behaviors they observed. However captivating Euphoria may be, the toxicity within relationships and friendships MUST BY ALL MEANS be avoided.
With the new season that came out, I’ve come to realize that maybe the connections in the show aren’t soulmates, but maybe soul ties — two individuals who can’t let go of each other. Whether it’s toxic relationships with drugs or infidelity, Euphoria is a great example of what not to do in relationships.
However, many young people see the sparkly makeup and the euphoric filters and choose to replicate the relationships as well. Similarly, teenagers and young adults can be increasingly influenced by the media they consume.
Jules & Rue
Rue and Jules share a deeply layered relationship rooted in their mutual love for each other. However, it has several toxic dynamics. Rue’s constant battle with drugs mirrors a similar connection with Jules’ need for love and satisfaction. In fact, Jules needs this to feel good about herself.
Throughout the show, especially in season 1, Rue’s sobriety is dependent on whether the relationship is on the right path. For instance, in season 2, Rue notes to Jules that the main reason she relapsed was that Jules left at the end of season 1. Because of this, Jules is riddled with the burden of Rue’s sobriety. Also, she knows that if she were to leave, Rue would probably overdose.
Similarly, Rue can’t provide the amount of love and affection that Jules craves. Jules’ relationship with her gender drives her toward meaningless hookups and fuels her longing to be sexually desired. This, partnered with Rue’s inability to take care of herself, prevents her from providing for Jules in the way that she needs.
Although I don’t support it, I believe this is what drove Jules to cheat on Rue with Elliot in season 2. She loved the attention and sexual nature that Elliot brought to the table, which countered what Rue gave her.
Despite their desire and karmic relationship with one another, they aren’t healthy for each other. If Rue continues taking heavy drugs and Jules doesn’t handle her sexual trauma, they will keep making unhealthy patterns.
In your own relationships, it’s important to recognize if you’re willing to handle another individual’s addiction. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, there’s a high possibility that they put their mental health and addictions in your hands. In my own experience, if I’m interested in someone who has heavy addictions, am I able to separate our relationship from their substance?
Maddy & Nate
Whether you’ve watched the show or not, this iconic couple ransacked social media and sparked many heated debates among the community. However, we can all come to the conclusion that Maddy and Nate will always be toxic.
Nate’s complicated relationship with sex, combined with Maddy’s absent father, has resulted in what is arguably the most unhealthy relationship on television.
From a very early age, Nate encountered interfamilial affairs, sexual content, and images no child should ever see. In season 2, his mother notes that he became “dark” randomly around the age of 11. Ultimately, this is because he discovered his father’s affairs with gay and transgender individuals. This may have rewired his brain, as it was his first encounter with sexual content and the gay community.
Resulting in a harsh perception of women, the LGBTQ+ community, and even his father. I believe this is one of the main reasons the relationship between Maddy and Nate was so fiery.
Maddy’s absent father figure, paired with her underlying need to be desired, sparked a whole forest fire of issues within their relationship. Nate and Maddy’s passion is apparent, as they were willing to go lengths for each other. Nate mentions in season 1 that he would commit crimes to keep her safe, while Maddy blamed her bruises on someone else to cover up Nate’s violence.
Ultimately, I believe these drastic actions were due to both sides of their traumas. Maddy’s weak father caused her to put her mental health aside to keep a strong man by her side. On the other hand, Nate’s perception of his father is that he should take control of their relationship.
Although their relationship was beautiful at the beginning, it continued far longer than it should have. If your partner is showing signs of violence or toxic masculinity, is he really the one for you?
And I don’t wanna hear any “I can fix him”, because we all know you can’t. If a man is violent or toxic, I personally don’t think there’s much changing.
Teens may be attracted by Nate’s masculine nature, which can ultimately harm their perception of commitment.
Cassie & Nate
From my perspective, Maddy and Cassie are two sides of the same coin. Although they both deal with daddy issues in some form, they both handle them very differently.
Throughout the series, Cassie fights to find ways to fill the void that her father left behind. Cassie’s father developed a drug addiction, left the family, and rarely reached out afterward, resulting in Cassie’s own addiction to male validation.
In season 1, we’re shown that Cassie falls in love with every man she’s ever dated; however, I beg to differ. Cassie loves the attention that men provide that her father doesn’t give anymore. Ultimately, leading her to incredibly unhealthy and problematic relationships.
Now, in walks Nate Jacobs — a strong man who can give the protection that her father doesn’t. Although she’s aware that he’s been on-and-off with her best friend, Cassie dismisses it because she’s willing to go great lengths to fill the void.
Nate and Cassie fuel each other’s own toxic behaviors. Cassie won’t give up because she doesn’t want to let go of the attention that Nate provides, and Nate won’t leave because Cassie allows him to be masculine and have control.
These internal and external struggles are probably the reasons why they’re still together in season 3 — they won’t leave because they both provide something that the other is missing.
So, before you get into a relationship with a Cassie or a Nate, make sure they go to therapy. Without recognizing their unhealthy behavior, they will continue using manipulative tactics to get what they want. Although Nate’s tactics are a lot more obvious, Cassie uses alternative ways to get what she wants out of you.
Cassie & Mckay
For the most part, this relationship is generally healthy. McKay was not only patient, but also understanding of Cassie during hardships. He rarely judged her and provided the care and love that she needed at the time.
However, McKay’s consistent fear of what others think of their relationship is what holds them back. Being fed images from Cassie’s past along with misogynistic ideas from his friends led to his comment in season 1, “We’re just chilling.” No girlfriend ever wants to hear their boyfriend describing their relationship as casual. Especially after months of pouring out their love for one another, just for it to be singled down to “just chilling.”
Similarly, after getting Cassie pregnant — even though I agree with him — he puts his future before her desires. Not wanting a child at the fresh age of 19 is 100% valid in my book, but the way he handled it could have been better.
Overall, I wouldn’t call their relationship toxic, but I definitely think they are better off without each other. If your partner is showing signs that they aren’t proud to be with you, it might be one of the many signs that you shouldn’t be together.
Ethan & Kat
Oh, do I have a lot to say about this relationship. I think many of us agree that Ethan deserved a lot better than how Kat was treating him.
On the surface, their relationship was healthy; he respected her, he loved her, and he gave her space to have boundaries. However, Kat was incredibly unhappy in this relationship. What she truly wanted was a mystery to viewers, but she definitely didn’t want Ethan.
I think many of us can relate to how she was feeling — being in a relationship that doesn’t feel right even if it should be right. The comfort of having someone can sometimes be a greater comfort than the person themselves. On the other hand, I can’t ignore how she handled their breakup.
A fake cancer diagnosis? Please, for the love of god, please don’t pull that on your partner just because you don’t have the guts to break up with them.
I’ve seen this pattern in young people trying to break up with their partners. Whether it’s a stupid excuse or a complete lie, many people have taken Kat’s advice. However, it’s incredibly damaging to the other party involved. Similarly, it doesn’t give them the skills to communicate their feelings and needs.
Although you might want to replicate Kat’s impeccable style, don’t replicate how she broke up with Ethan.
Fezco & Lexi
Can we give a round of applause to the writers of Euphoria, because this couple will always top any other relationship on television. Lexi and Fez, although are on two different sides of the tracks, are almost perfect for each other. Their love for heartwarming films and their curiosity about the world make them an easy watch within a show riddled with hardship.
Oftentimes, I skip through the scenes just to watch Lexi and Fez laugh together. Their wholesome nature has captivated every Euphoria watcher, and continues to take over our hopes for this upcoming season.
However, due to Angus Cloud’s passing, this beautiful connection had to come to a sad ending. Without Fezco’s actor, the writers had to simmer down their relationship. They describe in the first episode of this third season that Lexi has been avoiding Fezco’s calls, as he is in jail. Many viewers have been unhappy with this, as it’s not in Lexi’s character to ignore Fez.
However, if they dig deeper into Lexi’s relationship with her father, this could make sense. This was her first relationship or encounter with love, which could cause her to be avoidant if she knows it won’t work out. Ultimately, she doesn’t want to wait around for someone who she knows won’t be good for her in the long run — just as her father wasn’t.
Although this situation is not a typical occurrence, if your love interest is hitting rock bottom — don’t leave them dry. Sometimes, if they’re going through a rough patch, all they need is someone to stick by their side. Despite Lexi’s honorable morals, I don’t believe that how she has been treating Fez is excusable.
The Blurred Lines of Love
Although almost all of the relationships mentioned are incredibly passionate and committed to one another, it doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Because of this, I urge you to refrain from glamorizing the scenic filters and sparkly makeup. Similarly, it’s important to recognize that even though the show romanticizes bad behavior, it doesn’t mean you should too.
Many young people fall into these unhealthy patterns through the glamor and the makeup. However, it causes them to view these unhealthy tendencies as another aspect of the glamor. I urge teenagers to look beyond the unique outfits and sparkly makeup, and see the relationships for what they are — toxic.
The lines between healthy and unhealthy relationships can be blurry when you’re wearing rose colored glasses, but be mindful that the honeymoon is a fleeting period.
