“Stuntin’ Like My Daddy”: The Impact of a Father Figure
Disclaimer: This program, which I strongly believe shouldn’t be watched by minors, contains violence, drug abuse, and underage characters in sexual situations. Readers’ discretion is advised.
In this second episode, Jules strikes up an online romance with someone she doesn’t realize is Nate, Kat realizes she was recorded while having sex without her consent and Rue is pressured into trying the incredibly dangerous drug fentanyl. This article’s focus, however, is going to be on the episode’s title and the effect that the fathers of three of the characters have on their kids: specifically, Rue, Nate, and Cassie.
The Toll of a Caretaker:
Rue begins her dangerous dance with opiates while taking care of her bedridden father who was prescribed painkillers. His cancer type is never stated, but it eventually kills him, widowing Rue’s mother. The father and daughter duo get high off the oxycontin together and watch TV, although Rue admits that he was too out of it to be horrified by her behavior. This role reversal of Rue’s father taking care of her switching to Rue taking care of him must have put pressure on her emotionally, helplessly watching as her father withered away from his illness. Whether the grief accelerated her spiral into addiction or not, the whole ordeal definitely had a lasting impact.
Rue’s mom struggles with managing her daughter’s addiction. If her father had been there, he may have handled the situation differently. He might have walked in on her doing drugs, noticed her change in behavior, or read up on information about addiction and been more knowledgeable and sympathetic than his wife. Whatever may have happened in this scenario, the stress of dealing with her addict daughter alone is highly apparent, especially in the pilot.
Nate’s Ego:
Nate finds his father’s hidden pornography at a very young age. Once he does, his father comes into his room and gives him a talking-to. He calls him a “strong man” despite being just a boy — he also says he has “iron will, drive, determination” and that the world will “see what [he] sees and despise [him] for it.” Nate then throws himself into toning his body with excessive exercise, likely because he now feels he has something to prove to those around him and believes he has the capacity to develop the muscular body he desires. Being talked to like this by a parental figure may also be where he gets his cocky, unrepentant confidence from.
When Maddy says she was blackout drunk during sex, Nate decides to re-enact his revenge fantasy on the older man who slept with her the night of McKay’s party. He stalks and then beats him in his apartment in the name of vengeance, calling himself her boyfriend despite the pair breaking up. Nate could have brought the issue to the police, but instead, he took it upon himself to choose the violent option that would bring him the most satisfaction. He also calls him the f-slur, and this homophobic name may stem from the fact he knows his father likes men.
Cassie’s Absent Father:
Cassie’s absence of a father figure may be why she has such a strained relationship with her mom. She snaps at her again in this episode, not wanting her new crush to interact with her mother at all because of a lack of trust. She believes her mom will say something to embarrass her, something very typical of a teenage girl. With the knowledge I have of future episodes, however, it’s noteworthy because Cassie and Suze Howard’s relationship turmoil has a build-up and doesn’t spring forward out of nowhere.
When alone together, tension arises. “Why you gotta make everything so sexual?” McKay asks her. Why Cassie and Lexi have a single mother is explained later in the series; but for now, it’s clear that Cassie doesn’t have an example of a healthy romantic relationship to model her own partnership after. She knows boys like sex, so in the pilot, we see she has a history of taking naked pictures. We also see her having sex with a boy she just met.
Does this mean I think anyone with so-called “daddy issues” can’t have a normal relationship? Absolutely not! You are ultimately the creator of your own choices, but I know from both first-hand experience and that of people I’ve come to know in life that the impact of having an estranged father that the lack of a positive, reliable male role model can have a negative impact, especially on a vulnerable and impressionable teenager.
Conclusion:
I have already watched all of Euphoria over a year ago, but re-experiencing the series has been a delight. Because I know what will happen, I can look forward to certain scenes, get a closer look at the characters, and notice things that I missed the first time around. I plan to post an episode analysis on Fandom Fanatics every Sunday and Wednesday. If you think I missed anything of importance, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
