Euphoria introduced us to Nate Jacobs in the premiere, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about him. While his dad being the guy Jules hooked up with was the big twist in episode 1, Nate isn’t totally out of the loop when it comes to his dad’s secrets. Nate discovered his dad’s porn collection when he was 11. His dad is strict and extremely organized so Nate had to be careful when watching. One night, Cal came by Nate’s room to talk. “No one in this world will ever root for you,” Cal tells his son. “They’ll see what I see and despise you for it.” He adds, “The farther you go, the sharper their blade. Just don’t even give them an opening.”
From that point forward, Nate wasn’t going to take any chances. He was determined to be the very best. He joined the football team as a freshman and was team captain and the starting quarterback by the end of the year. But there’s one thing he’s always hated about the team. He hates being in the locker room. He doesn’t like how casual the guys are about being naked. (Note: this is the scene everyone’s been talking about with the 30 d*cks in one scene.)
Nate also wants what he believes to be the best when it comes to women. He has a list of likes and dislikes when it comes to girls. One thing he absolutely detests? Body hair. The first thing he ever noticed about Maddy? She was basically hairless. When it comes to Maddy, all he wants to do is protect her. He consumed with the idea of being the hero and controlling her. He thinks about the things he would do to protect her, including killing people who want to hurt her. There’s also the fact that she’s a virgin. Nate loves the idea that no man has ever touched Maddy before.
The first day of school has arrived. Kat meets a new kid named Ethan. The first thing she says to him when he sits down next to her, “Please don’t be a mass shooter.” In class, Rue has to get up and tell a memory about her summer. This is difficult for her, to say the least. She starts crying on stage while trying to come up with something that’s anything but the truth. Lexi overhears someone saying that Rue has brain damage and she calls them out for being rude. Rue runs off to the bathroom to do drugs. Lexi runs after Rue and scares her before she can snort some drugs. Rue flushes the drugs down the toilet and snaps at Lexi, saying that just, because they were friends preschool, doesn’t mean they’re friends now. Lexi tells her to remember that the next time she needs someone to pee in a cup for her. Well said, Lexi.
Because this is 2019 and the internet can be a blessing and a hell of a curse, there’s a sex tape going around of Kat from McKay’s party. She tries to deny it, but everyone knows it’s her. Kat refuses to let one video destroy her reputation. She turns the tables and has one of the twins shift the narrative and delete the video he has. Kat is later called into the principal’s office over the video. She denies the video is of her and calls him out for body-shaming.
Rue goes to see Fez for drugs, even though she’s going to NA. He’s about to make a drug deal and he pleads with Rue to leave. Unfortunately, time runs out and she’s caught up in it. She meets the drug dealer named Mouse and he’s a terrifying dude. He pulls out fentanyl, which Fez doesn’t want to deal because of all the overdoses, and forces Rue to try it. Before she takes it, she pleads with God to not let her die tonight. Fez pays off the dealer and stays by Rue’s side while she experiences the effects. Fez calls Jules for help with Rue.
McKay is in college and comes home for the weekend to hang out with Cassie. He’s trying to explain how stressed he is about football, but Cassie’s trying to make a move on him. She climbs on top of him but he’s not interested in sex right now. He asks her why she has to make everything so sexual. He just wants to have a conversation with her. McKay isn’t like most guys.
Nate follows the guy that Maddy hooked up with at the mall. Nate’s proving that he may, in fact, be a psychopath. He finds out where Tyler lives and stays there until he comes home. Nate confronts Tyler and tells him that he raped Maddy. Tyler swears it wasn’t rape and Nate brings up the fact that Maddy is only 17. Nate beats up Tyler and gets off on the power. Every time Tyler denies raping Maddy, Nate punches him. After Nate’s done, he takes a shower to wash the blood off of him and puts on some of Tyler’s clothes. Tyler is just lying on the ground with his face bloodied and bruised. Nate shows no remorse and heads out to take Maddy out on a date. Like I said, psychopath.
The original video of Kat has been taken down but someone else has reposted it online. When Kat looks at the comments, she sees that people are complimenting her and want to see more. For someone who’s only wanted acceptance, this is all the encouragement that Kat needs.
Jules has started talking to a new guy on the gay dating app. The guy says his name is Tyler but he’s actually Nate! Both Nate and Cal are living double lives on this app and Jules is about to get caught up in the middle of their chaos.