“Shook Ones Pt. 2”: Three Toxic Romances in “Euphoria”
Warning: This show contains adult themes, with this episode featuring physical abuse in a romantic relationship. Readers’ and viewers’ discretion is highly advised and I do not recommend this show for anyone under the age of 18 years old.
Maddy and Nate:
Maddy is mad at Nate the very first time we see her in this episode, irritated because he can’t find where she is at the carnival. Her anger is met with his when he sees her outfit. “Yo, why are you dressed like a hooker?” he asks. “Go home, get changed, and come back looking like a person.” Even though Maddy is dressed in revealing clothes, his anxiety over what his parents think could have been delivered in a way that wasn’t so harsh; Nate calling her a prostitute is unwarranted and shows his controlling nature. After doing drugs with Cassie, she gets angry and makes a scene, insulting Nate’s mom and dumping a pot of chili in front of a huge audience, including news reporters.
Nate, reasonably upset, grabs her by the arm and drags her to a secluded area of the carnival. Nate chokes Maddy out of anger, crying and apologizing after she confronts him about the suspicious images in his phone. Despite his anger being understandable, his actions are unjustifiable. Having a valid reason to be mad doesn’t redeem his actions in the slightest, and the consequences of his assaulting her are plain to see when Maddy later has very visible bruising on her neck. This physical reminder of Nate’s aggression will be addressed in the following episode and in my next article.
This isn’t the first time Nate has been violent. In a different episode, he beats someone out to re-enact his revenge fantasies. This situation involved Maddy, as well, showing that Nate is over-protective and will harm anyone who he believes hurts Maddy, as long as that person isn’t himself.
Cassie and McKay:
When asked by Nate if he’s dating Cassie, he denies it, despite telling her he loves her and having sex with her. This is because in the first episode, Nate talks poorly of her to McKay so McKay knows that he wouldn’t approve.
“Nah, we’re just chillin’,” says McKay. When pestered about his lack of time on the football field, Mr. Jacobs says, “I’m just trying to get him to keep a girl like her.”
“Why, it’s not like we’re in a relationship. Plus, I don’t even care about football,” Cassie snaps back. When she storms off, McKay catches up to her and says that if Nate knew, he would gossip about “whatever the fuck you done”, referring to her history of sending naked photos.
Cassie stars in her famous carousel scene after that where she kisses someone and then publicly orgasms on a fake horse. She blames it on the ecstasy and later feels ashamed for her actions, likely not admitting to herself that despite being in love with McKay, she wanted to rebel against him with another guy. This acting out on Cassie’s behalf is an unhealthy way to deal with the rejection of a love interest evokes sympathy from the audience because even though Cassie chose to take the pill, she humiliates herself in front of a crowd and is visibly upset with herself afterward. The irony of her recklessness caused by someone judging her for her past promiscuity is something I didn’t really think about until re-watching, and it’s a fascinating take on Cassie’s character and how she doesn’t learn from her mistakes.
Jules and Nate:
Jules’ backstory is relayed at the very beginning of this episode. She was admitted to a mental hospital when she was 11, came out as trans at 13, and had a streak of sexual relationships with men starting at 16. These men were already in relationships and refused to identify as queer.
When Jules points out Nate’s dad, Rue tells her who he is, saying he “owns half the town”. Jules is shocked by his relation to Nate and his financial power. She proves to Rue that she slept with him via a confrontation that gives him obvious anxiety.
This physical relationship with Cal Jacobs is the reason behind Nate’s blackmail. He initially tries to prove himself as a good guy to Jules, saying he’s not a bad person and that he doesn’t wish to harm her. “I kind of feel closer to you than I do to anyone in the whole world,” he tells her. But then, when his feelings aren’t returned, he threatens to expose her nudes as child pornography and get her labeled as a sex offender. He is manipulative, cruel, and protective of his father’s reputation.
Jules doesn’t tell Rue this but does let her know she was catfished, kissing Rue after learning that “Tyler” never existed. Taking advantage of her best friend’s feelings is an unhealthy response to Nate’s manipulation because Jules didn’t have enough time to process the loss of “Tyler” before embracing her. It seems to the viewer that this is more of an impulsive decision on Jules’ part than a solid reciprocation of Rue’s feelings, with Jules feeling vulnerable and seeking solace. I will continue to write more on Rue and Jules’ relationship at a later date.
Another Romance of Note:
A miscommunication between Kat and Ethan is perhaps the least dramatic event among Euphoria’s couples that takes place in episode 4. When Ethan is seen by Kat talking to another girl, she jumps to a conclusion, throwing their drinks on the ground and leaving. In reality, the pretty girl talking to Ethan isn’t single and just needs a message delivered to his sister. This drama is barely even worth mentioning because they aren’t in a relationship unlike the other three couples, so a lack of trust is understandable on Kat’s part even if it is her making a baseless assumption. Because of Kat’s history with the opposite sex, she simply has no faith in Ethan because of her negative associations with both boys and grown men. This is important to note because of her character growth later on.
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