Nowadays, all everyone talks about is “Euphoria” and the rollercoaster the show takes us on each week. The show has been my source of entertainment every Sunday night, and I’m so sad that we’re going to have to wait at least a year for another season! One of the most interesting storylines in the second season was the love triangle between Nate, Cassie, and Maddy. Nate’s ability to manipulate this pair of best friends became a large part of this season’s content and showed viewers an unfortunate but realistic representation of teenage relationships. “Euphoria” viewers may be able to relate to this messy relationship dynamic; doing whatever it takes to receive constant validation and attention from that special someone is so common in high school. Unfortunately, fans may also relate to the various heartbreaks that occurred through this love triangle, whether you were betrayed by an ex or even worse, your best friend. “Euphoria’s” portrayal of romance in high school highlights the potential for toxicity in young love through many storylines, but especially in Maddy, Cassie, and Nate’s.
Cassie’s actions are incredibly disrespectful to her friendship with Maddy, however, it’s important to acknowledge Nate’s role in manipulating both of them. When dating as a teenager, it’s easier to be convinced because you want to make the other person happy. Nate knew that and took advantage of both girls. He takes his past unresolved traumas and lashes out on his partner, which is incredibly unhealthy behavior. Nate made toxicity a norm for Maddy and Cassie; since the problematic relationship style is all they’ve ever known, they stay. Nate fosters an environment where Maddy and Cassie’s needs come second to his own. You can even see it in the bedroom when he focuses on his pleasure rather than the girl. The fact that Nate was capable of causing this much destruction and didn’t care that he was affecting a long-term friendship shows how the love he feels for the girls isn’t genuine. I feel that Nate was in love with the idea of both women rather than who they are as people, which is common amongst adolescent relationships. This proves to be true in his fantasy with Cassie in episode two; she’s only shown when they’re having sex or if she’s being a perfectly behaved housewife. If he had any love for Cassie and Maddy, he wouldn’t have sought after his ex-girlfriend’s best friend or treated both girls with disrespect.
Cassie’s past with her father left her needing male attention, regardless of who it comes from. Unfortunately, Nate saw her at her weakest and took advantage of her since the night their relationship started. Once Nate started giving Cassie the male validation she craved, she was willing to do anything for him. Dating someone as a teenager may feel like your whole world has to be centered around them, which is exactly what Cassie did. She was so infatuated with the idea of constant male attention that she was willing to deceive Maddy. Cassie looked past how Nate abused Maddy in their relationship because she became so fixated on him. She betrayed her best friend, lied to her family, changed how she dressed and how she did her makeup just so she could gain his approval. In high school, many people feel like they have to change themselves for someone to like them. Having a significant other can cause people to see their relationship through rose-colored glasses, which happened to Cassie. She saw Nate as the best person to ever walk into her life, which made her feel like she has to please him and gain his approval always. Cassie started waking up at 4 A.M. just for the slight chance that Nate would look at her; looking your best in case you end up seeing your crush is a core high school memory for many people. Watching everything Cassie went through to gain Nate’s approval was embarrassing, to say the least, so I hope that the viewers watching were repulsed at the thought of ever behaving like her.
Since the show finished airing, I’ve had time to process the Cassie, Nate, and Maddy situation and how it applies to real life. I noticed a lot of similarities between the show and how issues like this are typically handled in real life. Many people tend to shift all of the blame onto the woman in situations like this, even when they aren’t at fault. Society will condemn women while ignoring the wrongdoings of the man, which is so aggravating. With this issue, Nate should be facing criticism, but the main focus has been on Cassie. Cassie was in the wrong 100%, but Nate also played a big role. Nate was able to manipulate the situation by showing affection towards Maddy and Cassie at the same time. He knew Maddy was considering getting back together, but he was also aware of how much Cassie craved his validation, so he was able to keep them both around. It’s unfortunate that after all of the ways Nate contributed to this toxic situation, people still place all of the blame on Cassie. She is clearly in the wrong as well, but Nate also played a big role in how the storyline played out.
Being in love as a teenager can make you feel like that person has to be your whole world or that you have to change yourself for them, but you don’t. The person who will love you will do so unconditionally. Cassie and Maddy were genuinely best friends, which is why I find it so sad that Nate was able to manipulate Cassie into neglecting Maddy’s feelings for his benefit. The loyalty of your best friend is something that people would typically never betray, especially for a guy. Cassie decided to prioritize male attention over her best friend, which makes it so frustrating to see Cassie constantly deflect blame to avoid guilt. If she had taken accountability and apologized rather than running away from Maddy, their friendship could have been salvaged. I hope that next season Nate and Cassie are able to work through their daddy issues and their unresolved trauma. As Maddy said, it’s only the beginning for Cassie and I hope that she and the others show character development in season 3. After watching Cassie, viewers should understand that they don’t have to act like her in order to gain someone’s affection. You shouldn’t want to have to go to the lengths Cassie did just for a guy’s attention. We all deserve someone who will love us wholeheartedly, not when it’s convenient for them. After watching this mess of a situation unravel, I hope viewers were able to identify toxic relationship behavior so that they can avoid it in the future.
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