It’s no doubt that the HBO show Euphoria is sweeping the nation, particularly Gen-Z. In addition to featuring beloved celebs like Zendaya and Jacob Elordi, the show has developed its own aesthetic of trippy scenery, intense makeup, and fashion. Despite the glitter and lights, the show tackles serious issues such as drugs, abuse, gender, sexuality, and more. Season 2 is currently streaming every Sunday on HBO, and we just can’t get enough of it. There’s a lot that we can take away from the characters in Euphoria, so I’ve complied a list of my favorites.
- Rue
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Rue, the main character and narrator of the story played by Zendaya, struggles with drug addiction. Whether it’s opiates, benzos, or heroin, any drug is one that Rue is interested in taking. She went to Rehab in Season 1 but relapses at the beginning of Season 2. The show depicts how an addict thinks and the lengths they will go to get drugs and hide the fact that they are doing them from their friends and family. We also see the toll that Rue’s addiction takes on her sister and mother, which is something that families of addicts go through in real life.
- maddy
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Nate and Maddy’s relationship is one of the main plot lines of the show. Nate is emotionally and physically abusive to Maddy in both seasons of the show. In Season 1, he strangles Maddy amidst a fight and is left with visible bruises on her neck. The school catches wind of it and immediately knows that her boyfriend Nate has something to do with it. Maddy refuses to admit that Nate was the one who strangled her and does everything she can to protect him. She even forgives him and stays with him. You may think it’s crazy that Maddy would stay with Nate after that abuse, but in reality, it’s not crazy at all. So many people stay with their abuser and seeing Maddy’s experience with abuse has bettered my understanding.
- jules
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Jules, played by LGBTQ activist Hunter Schafer, shares her life-long struggle with body dysphoria. In her backstory, we learn that she suffered through mental health issues at a very young age, never really feeling like the gender she was born in. She transitions, but still struggles with her femininity. There is not a lot of trans representation in popular television, and Jules’ character is just groundbreaking.
- cassie
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The running joke of “Euphoria TikTok” is that Cassie is the most relatable character because of her need for male validation. While the jokes are funny, the more we know about Cassie, the more we know why she is the way she is. She matured at a young age and was highly sexualized. She grew up thinking that the only good thing about her was her looks. In turn with her dad walking out on her family, she sought male validation from anywhere she could. More recently in the show, she is in love with her best friend’s ex-boyfriend, Nate. Though she feels guilty about betraying Maddy, Nate’s affection is more important to her.
- Kat
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Kat is a badass. At the beginning of the series, she is shy, not confident within herself, and stuck comparing herself to the images she sees on social media. Arguable, Kat has the most character development in the show. She eventually comes into her own, finds a renowned sense of style, and speaks her mind. Kat becomes an unapologetic version of herself, a total confidence transformation!
- Fez
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Ah, Fez. A beloved character by the fans due to his care for Rue and his brother Ashtray. Fez had a hard childhood due to being raised by his grandmother, who is an addict. He became the sole caretaker of Ashtray, his younger brother. Fez is also a drug dealer, which is how he became close friends with Rue. Post Reu’s rehab, he refused to sell her drugs and does everything he can to help her maintain her sobriety. He also protects her from other drug dealers, and the wrath of Cal Jacobs when he comes to Fez seeking help, he just threatens him to stay away from Rue. We love Fez!