Nate Jacobs: The Character We All Hate… But Why Is He So Complicated?

Euphoria is packed with broken, selfish, emotional, and complicated people. However, if there is one person whom everyone hates collectively, it's Nate Jacobs.

And to be honest, for all the right reasons.

Firstly, he's manipulative, controlling, violent, and always tries to keep up with his "perfection." What makes him different from other characters is the way in which the series does not make him appear wicked without any reason. Every single person in Euphoria has a lot of depth, and Nate is one of the most complex characters.

Let us take Nate Jacobs.

Nate’s Childhood: The Beginning of the Damage

Cal Jacobs is not fit for raising his kids due to the fact that he lives a double life in complete secrecy.

Being a child, Nate came across explicit videos showing Cal secretly meeting men and transsexual women. Clearly, seeing all that had traumatized Nate. It was not about Cal's being attracted to other guys. Neither being a homosexual nor a bisexual is bad. However, keeping that side of himself secret and living the lie of the perfect family created a world full of shame, lies, fear, and misunderstandings.

Since his childhood, Nate was obsessed with the idea of being masculine, in full control of things, and creating the impression.

Where does the manipulation and toxicity start coming from, then?

Nate exhibits narcissistic features. Narcissists cannot stop thinking about themselves and maintaining the ideal image and believe that they are above all other people and their needs.

It is Nate in a nutshell.

He keeps wanting to be seen as powerful and respectable, masculine and untouchable.

This is evidenced, for example, by the way he treats Maddy Perez. He actually threatens her with a gun in one of the most horrific scenes in the series just to be able to gain some sort of self-control. But then, when his own father ruins their image by spilling out all the secrets and leaving, Nate betrays him immediately.

The very fact that this character contradicts himself so openly perfectly describes Nate:

he is convinced he controls everyone else, but once his image gets under threat, he completely panics.

There is no doubt that Nate is an abuse victim. But one thing the series teaches us clearly is that a trauma doesn't excuse abuse.

Nate, Maddy, and Cassie: Was Any of It Real Love?

The toxic nature of Nate's relationship with Maddy Perez had been established early on. However, beyond all the dysfunction, Maddy truly loved Nate in her twisted way.

The problem is that Nate had never wanted equality in his relationship.

According to Rue's narrative, Nate found something in Cassie Howard that he had never felt for Maddy. But was it true love?

I don't believe so.

While Nate always felt he was in charge with Maddy, Maddy would challenge him emotionally as she was a complex woman who was spontaneous, confident, and hard to manipulate.

It was completely opposite with Cassie.

Emotionally vulnerable and in dire need for approval, Nate immediately realized that all he had to do is convince her she is special and loved in order to manipulate her even more easily.

In his relationship with Cassie, Nate finally got what he always wanted – to be admired, powerful, and the controlling boyfriend.

This isn't love, it is emotional blackmail.

But What About Jules?

And here lies the most interesting aspect of Nate’s character development:

Did Nate ever really love Jules Vaughn?

Nate used the false name “Tyler” to catfish Jules over the Internet. In the process, Jules honestly opened up to him, since he seemed to be a trustworthy and compassionate person.

Once she discovered it was Nate who used the false identity, all those genuine emotions quickly became anger, humiliation, betrayal, and disappointment. Jules was upset by the manipulation, yet there was a part of her who was offended because she genuinely felt an emotional connection with Tyler.

But how about Nate?

This is when Euphoria becomes very psychologically intriguing.

Among all people in Euphoria, Jules may be the only one Nate can never completely dominate. Moreover, she represents his darkest fears – vulnerability, attraction, confusion, and emotional openness.

There are moments when you feel as though Nate truly developed strong feelings towards Jules. Yet, Nate cannot accept emotions as a weakness, so the feelings instantly become mixed with manipulation, fear, domination, and self-loathing.

So did Nate love Jules?

Perhaps in the only way a damaged individual such as Nate can ever really love.

And that is why the relationship between them is so disturbing.

Does Nate Have a Character Arc?

Nate Jacobs' redemption story remains one that many fans are hoping for.

The reality is that he just seems to get worse each season.

Even in instances where Nate looks more composed and matured, his obsession for image and perfection always remains. He even continues to think he is exceptional enough to evade responsibility since according to him, the rules cannot apply to him.

And that remains Nate's greatest flaw:

He actually thinks he is above the rules.

Many tend to confuse vulnerability with growth. However, vulnerability alone does not constitute a redemption story. For real growth, there needs to be accountability and transformation.

Nate lacks all of those traits.

I, therefore, do not believe that Nate's story constitutes a redemption arc at the moment.

His arc, at best, is one of slow mental deterioration.

Trauma Cannot Be A Reason For Abuse

One thing that Euphoria accomplishes really well is the portrayal of how trauma impacts people without fully excusing them.

Indeed, Nate came from a highly traumatic background.

Indeed, Cal failed as a father figure.

Indeed, he was emotionally scarred growing up.

But not everyone who suffers ends up being abusive.

At some point, people do make their choices.

This is the reason why Nate will always be one of the most despised characters in Euphoria. People know why he turned out like that, but knowing someone does not automatically mean condoning them.

In truth, there isn't a single character in Euphoria who doesn't go down the road of self-destruction in his/her own unique way.

Conclusion

Nate Jacobs is frightening due to his realism.

He is not a cartoon antagonist; instead, he is an extremely insecure person who is infatuated by power, manliness, and control but who also desperately tries to hide his vulnerability from everyone.

This is precisely why Nate is one of the most interesting characters in the entire show Euphoria.

However, now the real question arises: Did Nate ever truly love Jules or only used her for control?