As “Euphoria” Sundays finally return, many fans are anticipating the direction in which some of the show’s most prominent characters will head. In my opinion, none more so than Cassie Howard — the tragic victim turned “villain” of the story.
The thing about Cassie is that she was not always the antagonist of the story. With a character this complex, it is difficult to reduce her to the insecure, boyfriend-stealing and backstabbing figure that the season two finale presents her as. To truly understand this often misunderstood and overlooked character, it is important to start from the very beginning and with an unbiased perspective.
Cassie Howard and her younger sister, Lexi, were born to Gus and Suze Howard. What began as a happy family ultimately unraveled due to their father’s wandering eye and mothers alcoholism. Before their separation, Cassie’s father played a significant role in her life and encouraged her to pursue her passion for ice skating.
While Cassie loved skating, it was a dream she had to abandon when her father could no longer afford to support it. This marked the first of many disappointments she would experience at the hands of the men in her life. While financial hardship alone is not necessarily something to fault him for, his gradual absence and eventual abandonment of his daughters are.
Growing up without a stable father figure and with a mother who often acted more like an unavailable and unreliable older sister, Cassie was left searching for validation elsewhere. This ultimately led her to seek it in men and her romantic relationships.
Cassie’s blooming relationship with Chris McKay at the beginning of season one initially seemed different from her other partners, as he appeared to value her beyond a purely physical level. However, this dynamic quickly deteriorated. Influenced heavily by the show’s main antagonist, Nate Jacobs, McKay begins to internalize harmful ideas about Cassie’s sexual past and ultimately reduces her to the same stereotypes Nate projects onto her.
This shift becomes especially evident in their intimacy, where McKay’s behavior turns aggressive and unsettling, something Cassie clearly reacts to with discomfort and confusion. Although he attempts to improve after she confronts him, he continues to struggle to treat her as a full person rather than a reflection of her own past.
Their relationship reaches a breaking point when Cassie becomes pregnant. While she briefly considers keeping the baby, believing it could give her a sense of purpose, McKay prioritizes his own future and pressures her toward having an abortion. The scene is one of the most emotionally heavy in the series, capturing Cassie’s hesitation and the lack of control she feels over such a deeply personal decision.
Although the show does not return to this moment often, it plays an important role in understanding Cassie’s character. It reflects her ongoing struggle with agency and her own identity, all before she even reaches adulthood.
After her relationship with McKay eventually ends, Cassie’s character takes a noticeable turn when she becomes involved with her best friend Maddie Perez’s ex-boyfriend, the same man who objectified her: Nate Jacobs. This decision is what causes many viewers to turn against her. Not only does she betray her best friend, but she also chooses to be with someone who has consistently degraded and humiliated her.
Cassie initially hides the relationship from everybody, but once the truth comes out, the fallout is explosive. While her actions are undeniably hurtful, ignoring the emotional patterns and trauma that led her to someone like Jacobs oversimplifies her character.
Rather than a sudden transformation into a villain, Cassie’s actions reflect a continuation of the same patterns that have consistently defined her life. Her need for validation, shaped by abandonment and unstable relationships, leads her to accept attention even when it is harmful.
I think it will be interesting to see how season three of “Euphoria” approaches Cassie’s character, and I hope the show continues to explore her past rather than focusing solely on her harmful decisions in the present.