Unless you have been living under a literal rock, you’re aware of the HBO show Euphoria and the different controversies behind it. Whether you are deep into Euphoria TikTok or an avid watcher, like me, you can understand when I say that there is no show with a plot and artistic direction like this one. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, mentioned that he hopes the controversy present in the show will “open up a dialogue.” The show touches on mental health, drug abuse and toxic relationships—both romantic and platonic. Every Sunday, as I sit on the couch and watch a new episode, I see the different decisions the main female characters make, and I have found myself relating to their thought process at least once. Keep reading if you would like to find out how I see myself in each female Euphoria character, but I must warn you: there are SPOILERS!
Rue
I do not relate to Rue in any drug-related way; my sympathy for her is immeasurable. Rue’s self-sabotage is what I can relate to the most. She is self-aware in terms of willingly going back to making decisions that will only set her back. I am someone who self-sabotages when it comes to progress. Whether it is about academic success or mental health, I tend to bring myself down and fall right back to where I started. We can see Rue get better each season, but then an inconvenience comes through, which results in a relapse. The feeling of everyone invading your business seems irritating because it is hard to accept help from people.
The most prominent characteristic present in Rue and myself is the protective older sister. It’s obvious how much Rue cares about how her actions affect Gia. Protecting my little sister from any negative energy in the world is one of my biggest priorities. I would rather go through bad times to prevent my sister from going through anything relatively unfavorable.
Lexi
I will be candid and admit that my adoration for Fez is what I see every time I see Lexi. I could go on and on about Fez for hours, but let me focus on Lexi. Lexi, like myself, is an observer. She is highly aware of her surroundings and notices things that no one else does. When I am in public surrounded by many people, I become the observer. Body language can speak for a person, so I examine interactions when I go out. Being a witness makes you experience life through a detailed and almost secretive perspective. Now, I don’t think I can write and direct a play about all the different observations I gather, but I know what it is like to be an outsider in groups. I saw myself on the screen when Lexi doubted Fez as he complimented her intellect. Having someone appreciate your mind is a different kind of feeling than being complimented on your appearance. Lexi is a character I look up to because her character development on the show is one of the best, in my opinion.
Cassie
I don’t even know where to begin with explaining my relations to Cassie without totally exposing myself. The most obvious way I see myself mirrored when I look at Cassie is appearance and how that affects how people treat you. Pre-breast reduction me would hear comment after comment regarding my body and how “blessed” I was to have a feature that most girls pay for. I understand that some people mean nothing but positive energy when they make those comments, but being known for my body made me feel belittled. What about my intelligence? What about creativity? I felt trapped because people couldn’t see past the big boobs, blonde hair and curves.
Cassie’s immense craving for male validation makes me feel embarrassed for her at times because I understand that craving, and I can justify it by saying it truly is just a phase. After hearing endless comments about how men would be fighting over you, or more specifically, your body, you start to believe it. I don’t think Cassie is terrible, but her terrible decisions turned her into a terrible friend. My hope for the season finale, or even the following season, is that Cassie learns to be alone and not depend on others’ reactions.
Jules
As much as I love Hunter Schafer, I do not love Jules. Did she do the right thing by intervening to help Rue? Yes. But let’s not forget she cheated on Rue with the person she had doubts about. When Jules worries about her friends more than herself, I feel like I am watching myself interact with my friends. I admire Jules because she tries her best to stay on top of her friends’ emotions and actions. I tend to put others before myself a lot of the time, which is where the strong desire to be loved comes in. Jules aches to be loved the way she loves, and I can say that is the most exhausting feeling ever.
Kat
I am not sure why we haven’t seen Kat a lot this season, but her journey of learning to love herself is something I can empathize with. Her confidence makes me jealous, but I can relate to her self-deprecation and self-doubt. Hearing her talk about Ethan saddens me because she can see he is a good guy that loves her for her, but she cannot seem to accept that. It can be challenging for me to grasp the concept of someone loving me for me and not some perfected version of myself.
Maddy
Besides being a strong and opinionated Latina, I feel like I am watching a recap of my life as I see how Maddy gets used. Maddy is probably the most loyal character. She has never put herself before her friends or boyfriend, even when they hurt her physically and emotionally. Thankfully, I have not hit the low point of loving someone so bad I cover up how they hurt me, but Maddy deserves better. Toxicity in a relationship works both ways, which is something we see in Nate and Maddy’s relationship. I wouldn’t label myself as ‘toxic,’ but I respond to toxic behavior with toxic behavior. Maddy is a character that brings attention to how love can negatively affect a person and how loyalty can be taken for granted.
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