I don’t have a choice (I totally do have a choice) but to speak on this. Someone needs to say this (literally no one needs to say this). Try to correct me if I’m wrong (actually, don’t. I can’t take criticism).
You and I both can’t cast any doubt that Euphoria, despite a breadcrumb pattern of content with just two eight-episode seasons each airing two years apart, is and will remain one of the greatest pop culture hits of our time. Even at a time when I hadn’t watched it, prior to December 2022, I knew too much about it. So much about it, actually, that before I finally swallowed my pride and purchased an HBO Max subscription over winter break to binge it like everybody else, I could largely decipher what was going to happen thanks to the trends on my Instagram explore page ruining anything that could remotely still be a surprise. Naturally, since “Euphoria Sundays” became a beyond popular fad to lean into in early 2022, perhaps as a distraction from our own tumultuous lives, after the moment the biggest cheating scandal of the century was revealed in episode 5, the following downfall was imminent. The Cassie-Nate-Maddy affair, we all knew, would be defined by our collective Cassie “ick” after her embarrassing denial, and our simultaneous hope for Maddy’s downright revenge against her now ex-best friend.
As all of us fans of the show have Cassie’s humiliating “What you don’t understand Nate is that I, am crazier” speech engrained into our memories (I’m sure you just recited that in your head in the same distinctive tone that I did), most automatically guffaw at this statement, roll their eyes, and stand on their opinion that Maddy, the usually cool and collected girl who’s explosive and dramatic in exactly the right moments, is the true “crazy” one, “crazy” here meaning the one that does the unthinkable and morally bizarre.
But I beg to differ. Hear me out for a second.
I will admit, when addressing surface-level memories of some of the most iconic scenes of season 2 to hit social media, some of Cassie’s behavior doesn’t add up well to support my argument. Besides the obligatory “I am crazier” speech, the running away from Maddy at the slightest hint of confrontation after Rue’s outing, fleeing the scene on the stage of Lexi’s play, and not to mention everything she ever said to Nate in their relationship crafted out of delusion, don’t bode well in my favor for Cassie being the “crazy” one. Similarly, as a crucial disclaimer, I acknowledge that my proposed reversal of roles for who’s “crazier” in no way means that Maddy is an angel—after all, she did accuse Tyler of a senseless crime against her in season one, which, because of her beyond toxic relationship with Nate, only had devastating consequences for the innocent.
As trying to uncover how we came to a seeming consensus on the “crazy” label queen, I think many viewers easily assign Maddy the “crazy” label largely due to Alexa Demie’s absolute mastery of the mysterious and sexy bad b*tch persona that perfectly emulates the recent years’ “it girl” characteristics. With sleeked back hair, a perfectly curated wardrobe of moody shades, and of course, looks that could kill, the character of Maddy Perez is purposefully tailored to intimidate yet attract viewers. Conversely, Cassie’s role of being “the teenage dream” girl is meticulously curated to Sydney Sweeney’s natural look, matched with consistent pastels, florals, and a rather passive personality as an introduction to her character back in season one, as she serves as a direct contrast to Maddy. So, for one, I can’t help but think, would we have the same perception of the “crazy” one of the show if Demie and Sweeney’s roles were reversed?
Looks aside, I find it fascinating to compare Maddy’s usual behavior as what many base the “crazy” claim off of with (sorry to Cassie fans in advance) Cassie’s total lack of respect and humility for anyone but herself in season 2. Maddy, we know, doesn’t take sh*t from anyone, and especially so when it involves her friends, because, like it or not, she shows the utmost loyalty to those she cares about, including herself in an occasion of wrongdoing, perhaps to a fault. While she can be known for taking things a bit too far, like smashing girls’ faces into windows and tipping gallons of chili over, we know one thing—Maddy stands up for what she sees as right. And let’s not forget, when we see the teary best friends on the opposite side of a locked door directly after the reveal in episode 7, Maddy softly cries, “I would have never done this to you.” Can Cassie say the same?
Meanwhile, as Cassie remained Maddy’s right-hand woman for the entirety of Maddy’s toxic relationship with Nate, supporting her through the worst all of the trauma she’s endured (or so we thought), she clearly doesn’t evaluate, or at least care enough, to stop herself from inflicting even more heartbreak on Maddy to fill a personal emptiness. Not only that, but our “teenage dream girl” doesn’t own up to her mistake until she’s clearly caught red-handed, and then, saying attempts to pin the blame on an uninvolved Rue. Cassie picked Nate, who we all knew would never see her as more than an object, over her best friend’s true platonic love. Even worse, Cassie takes this a step further when Nate walks out on her in the season 2 finale and takes to the stage to ruin Lexi’s play, again not shying away from the opportunity to ruin someone else’s success and stardom for her own gain with an alarming level of confidence and passion, without an inkling of remorse or regret. Not only must we consider if Maddy would do either of those things, but I also wonder, who, in their right mind, would do that other than someone, like Cassie, who saw she had nothing to lose and that she should take everyone down with her?
While I think Cassie demonstrates why she’s the undeniable heiress to the C-crown, we all anxiously await to see how the ultimate pop culture betrayal continues to unfold. Until then, I’ll join you all in refreshing my Instagram feed and tapping my fingers for the details on Euphoria’s presumed season 3 release in 2024.