Euphoria: Nate's Dream Exemplifies How Weird His Story With Cal Has Been
Caution: Spoilers Ahead for Euphoria season 2 episode 7.
Nate Jacobs gets the dream sequence treatment in Euphoria season 2, episode 7, but it does little to clarify anything about the antagonistic and increasingly toxic character. Possibly one the evilest characters on Euphoria besides his father, Nate (Jacob Elordi) has been terrorizing his fellow classmates at East Highland High since season 1. From catfishing and blackmailing Jules (Hunter Schafer) to threatening ex-girlfriend Maddy (Alexa Demie) with a gun to get his father's sex tape back, Nate has shown he will go to any lengths to protect his own self-interests. What those interests are remains curiously obfuscated, though, despite the fact that Nate has become one of Euphoria season 2's most prominent characters.
Euphoria season 2, episode 7 saw Nate finally make things official with Cassie, inviting Sydney Sweeney's character to live with him after she has a nervous breakdown. He also returned Cal's sex tape to Jules and, feeling confident in his position, he goes public with Cassie, attending Lexi's play with her. What he wasn't expecting was to be torn apart in Lexi's play. This is underscored by a dream sequence in the episode that sees Nate take his father's place in the hotel room where he has sex with people from hook-up apps, including Jules (dressed how she was in season 1). This dream culminates in a truly unsettling moment that sees Nate himself lay down on the hotel room bed before his father Cal lays on top of him.
Despite the clear incestual implications, it's ultimately uncertain what this dream means for Nate, and there are a few options. It's possible Nate sees himself in his father Cal - the anger he has displayed throughout Euphoria season 2 is reminiscent of his father's own recklessness. A direct line is drawn between the two when, in the premiere, Nate is shown recklessly drinking and driving with Cassie in the car, which is similar to a scene in which Cal later drives drunkenly and with no regard for other life as he has his own nervous breakdown later in the season.
These parallels between Nate and Cal bring into question some other mysteries surrounding Nate's character, including his sexuality, which has been brought into question numerous times over the course of the show. From the pictures of male genitalia on his phone in season 1 to his use of the same hook-up app as his father, Euphoria has constantly hinted that Nate is questioning his sexuality. This all comes to a head during Lexi's shining moment in Euphoria season 2. After putting on a play about her own life, the production ends with an extended musical number that sees Nate's stand-in perform "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler while he and the men around him engage in simulated intercourse. This angers Nate so much that he storms out of the auditorium.
Despite all of this, it remains a mystery as to what this means for Nate's character and his increasingly volatile behavior. Is he worried about becoming his father simply because of the emotional trauma that has been passed down—which could include something that happened to the mysterious third Jacobs sibling—or is it indicative of a more internal and personal struggle? Despite all the obfuscation, one thing is clear: Euphoria needs to pick a side when it comes to Nate Jacobs. The show has already urged audiences to sympathize with his father in a way that has made many uncomfortable, but Nate's dream makes it clear that there is something deeper going on when it comes to his warped mindset. Euphoria can't keep shrouding Nate in mystery if it's set on continuing to explore his character in this way.
New episodes of Euphoria drop Sundays on HBO Max.