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| ā | You're a strong man, Nathaniel. I knew it from the moment you were born. You have an... iron will... ...drive, determination. I've always admired that in you. Because some day, it will lead you to greatness. | ā |
| ā Cal Jacobs to Nate[src] | ||
Nathaniel "Nate" Jacobs is a main character in the first and second seasons of Euphoria. He is portrayed by Jacob Elordi, while his younger counterpart is portrayed by Gabriel Golub.
Nate is a popular student and the star quarterback of East Highland High School. However, he has a deeply-ingrained sense of violent behaviour due to his ideologies regarding toxic masculinity, his upbringing, and the struggles he faces with his sexuality as a result. He uses his good looks, social status, and anger to mask his emotions and has a strained on-and-off relationship with Maddy Perez.
He is son of Marsha and Cal Jacobs. He also is brother of Aaron Jacobs, nephew of Cassandra and Bud Jacobs, Jr., grandson of Margaret and Bud Jacobs, and presumed cousin of Dean Jacobs.
Biography[]
Early life[]
| ā | When Nate Jacobs was 11 years old, he found his dad's porn collection. His dad, Cal, was obsessive. His mom always said that's who he got it from. Then he quickly realized that the colored cases and placement were no accident. It was an elaborate code, so that no one fucked with his shit. | ā |
| ā Rue's voiceover[src] | ||
Nate was born to Marsha and Cal Jacobs, in August 4th, the latter of whom became wealthy and well-known due to owning "all the apartment buildings past Kemper" in the town.[2] At age 11, Nate came across an extremely graphic collection of recordings depicting his father engaging in various hook ups with young men and trans women. By age 12, he entered a rigid diet and workout schedule. While becoming his father's dream of being a star quarterback and a success compared to his mother and brother, he developed serious anger issues and warped perception of sex.
At some point, Nate entered a relationship with Maddy Perez, for whom he would often buy gifts with his wealth. At his freshman formal, he attempted to finger Rue Bennett on the dance floor without her consent.
On a family photo hanging on his house's wall, a third, unknown, younger child can be seen alongside Nate and Aaron.
Season 1[]
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Physical appearance[]
Due to lifting weights and exercising, according to Rue, he lowered his body fat percentage from 23% to 6% by the time he was in his teens.
In the present day, Nate is a conventionally attractive, tall, muscular guy with brown hair and eyes. He is light skinned. He has a big mole on his chest to the left side. He has some stubble on his chin and a stubble mustache. He has a chin cleft. He stands at 6ā5ā.
Personality[]
Initially, Nate Jacobs comes across as a classic confident, asshole "bad boy jock' archetype, but with far more aggressive and violent undertones. He portrays himself to be hyper-masculine, charming, irresistible, and domineering, and routinely dominating people both physically and sexually to maintain his image of masculinity. He prides himself in his masculine traits, and displays a very cocky attitude regarding his relationships - bragging about his ability to sexually dominate women. However, due to the expectations placed upon himself by his perception of his father's masculinity, he is also very unstable, and sometimes demonstrates a very violent and unpredictable nature. He has a deeply ingrained sense of toxic masculinity because of his upbringing, and in moments where his masculinity is threatened, he displays a deep rage, and is shown to be overly aggressive, cruel and destructive. He justifies his beliefs under his rigidly ideology that things should be straight and in-order, and is extremely dedicated to proving to others - as well as himself - that he is an ambitious, prideful, and hyper-masculine individual.
Beneath his exterior, however, Nate is a very complicated man. While at a surface level, he is extremely intelligent, controlling, and judgmental of others, he is far more insecure of himself deep down. Despite his intense and aggressive exterior, Nate Jacobs struggles with fears that he will turn out like his father, and his fears that he is unassertive and insecure - that he is not the heteronormative view of masculinity - drives him to maintain control through masculine for validation. Most of his actions are fuelled by testosterone and shame, and this shame is rooted the fact that Nate has been aware of his fatherās fetishes since he was eleven years old. Throughout the series, it is implied that on some level, he is not strictly heterosexual, and struggles deeply with that and the affairs of his father, which pressure him to maintain an image of leadership and masculine perfection.
Nateās fatherās double-life instilled in a young Nate a need for control in him, and much like how Cal Jacobs depicts a clean, admirable, and professional front to masquerade his more homosexual and erotic impulses, Nate similarly feels conflicted within himself. To others, he maintains an overconfident, arrogant, and aggressive facade, but deep down, is requiring of others submission to his rigid beliefs of masculinity to feel purpose, which is why he is so ambitious and driven to work out, play on the football team, and why he is so aggressive to those who oppose his views. In his mind, if he is not the perfect, idealized vision of a man - physically attractive, confident, ambitious, and dominant - then he is no better than his father, who's hypocrisy and double life traumatized him into perfecting his workout regimen and further ingrained his belief of hyper-masculinity.
Nate has a very twisted and toxic view of love. In his interests in people, he always looks at girls with insecurities and personal issues who worry about their superficial image, since in this way Nate can act as their support giving them attention and security, only for them to quickly become obsessed and feel that they need him. He is very demanding with the physical characteristics and way of dressing of girls. Thus, Nate is able to feel in a position of power in which he feels that he has the right to use them and demand that they do what he wants, as if they were an object of his property. And when he thinks he's found someone who willingly obeys him and fullfiles all traits he likes, Nate begins to dream of spending his whole life with that person and to imagine having a family. This is mostly due to using as an example his own family as the one who a man should have.
Overall, Nate Jacobs is a portrait of someone whose pride and ambition have not been kept in check, as he drives himself to fulfill his own ideologies of toxic masculinity, and violently lashes out against those who oppose him. He is the embodiment of white privilege - the idea that, with enough power and conformity to normative values - one can gain the influence to get away with anything. This is what leads him to commit the insidious, wicked, and vile actions he does throughout the series - as all he does is an attempt to assert control and conform to his self-idealized image of what he believes masculinity to be.
Relationships[]
Romances[]
Maddy Perez[]
| ā | If anyone ever tried to hurt you, I'd kill them. | ā |
| ā Nate to Maddy[src] | ||
Maddy caught Nate's eyes when, in Rue's words, he noticed she was basically hairless. However, Nate would often take his anger out on Maddy, at one point severely bruising her neck. Despite being aware, on some level, they are toxic for each other, it's a frequent plot point for both of them to break up and get back together, and use others to make each other jealous in the process.
Jules Vaughn[]
| ā | You're kind. You're smart. You're generous. You got a big heart. You deserve whatever the fuck it is in this world that you want. So keep your head down. Keep your mouth shut. Don't try to ruin my life, and I won't have to ruin yours. | ā |
| ā Nate to Jules Vaughn[src] | ||
In the first episode, Nate sexually harasses Jules twice: he catcalls her when she's riding on her bicycle, and threatens her sexually when they meet again at a party. The latter causes Jules to have an emotional outburst, as she pulls a knife on him and later cuts herself to prove that nothing can hurt her. After discovering Jules slept with Cal, Nate created a false online identity named Tyler and began to talk to Jules, tricking her into sending him sexual photos. Though it's implied that his initial intention was only to protect his father, it's partially implied that his feelings towards Jules may be sexual or romantic in question.
At the carnival, Nate (still pretending to be the fictional Tyler) asks to meet Jules by the lake, professing a romantic connection to her. He initially kisses her and puts his finger in her mouth, asking her to "open her mouth," which mirrors how his father treated her when the two were involved sexually. When Jules tells Nate to stop, Nate drops the act and threatened to go to the police with Jules' nudes, which would cause her to be registered as a sex offender and ruin her life, unless she kept quiet about Cal. Soon after Nate was accused of assaulting Maddy at the carnival, he used the leverage he had on Jules to force her to lie to the police about seeing Maddy assaulted by the actual Tyler, putting the real Tyler in jail. Though Jules hates Nate for blackmailing and threatening her, she has an attraction to him, as she is still in love with his "Tyler" persona. This is shown when she hallucinates Nate/Tyler in the club, confirming she fell in love with Tyler. Nate seems to continue to have feelings for Jules as well, following her, watching her house at night, staring at her and complimenting her to Rue. This is significant because Nate treats Jules much better than he does Maddy, never once calling her inappropriate slurs and speaks highly of her. Even when Jules called him and his father faggots, his retaliation was minuscule in comparison to his assault on Maddy, his then girlfriend, for even implying he's gay.
Cassie Howard[]
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Family[]
Cal Jacobs[]
Nate and his father, Cal, shared a complex relationship marked by tension and conflict. Cal always dreamed of having a son who could follow in his footsteps as an athlete. He was a former athlete, and the position of quarterback represented for him not only success in sports but also a symbolic connection to his own identity and accomplishments. From an early age, Cal saw potential in Nate as a gifted athlete, especially in football. However, this vision of success was wrapped in relentless expectation. Cal wanted Nate to be not just a quarterback, but the best on the team, the athlete he himself failed to be.
This constant pressure and unrealistic expectations play out in a hostile parent-child environment. Cal expressed his displeasure openly, criticizing Nate's every flaw and constantly comparing him to other players he considered more worthy of the quarterback role. Despite the resentment Nate felt towards his father, he continued to undergo rigorous training. Cal's need for approval and limitations, even if based on difficult-to-achieve standards, motivated Nate to persist in the sport, despite his desire to pursue other interests.
Marsha Jacobs[]
Marsha and Nate, mother and son, share a common characteristic that has grown over the years: their relationship is marked by mutual knowledge, unconditional support and the ability to face challenges together. Since he was a child, Nate has always been Marsha's most practical and realistic son. While she saw in him an analytical and solution-oriented mind, Nate was dismissive of some of his mother's points. However, even with this solid foundation, their dynamics evolved as they faced life changes.
When Nate's father left home, Marsha became a constant presence and a pillar of support. She understood the difficulties Nate faced with his father's absence and made a point of filling the emotional void, offering comfort and guidance.
Their relationship blossomed further when Nate began to express his own interests and ambitions. Marsha, instead of unrealistic expectations, encouraged her son to explore his passions and seek his own paths in life. She became a compassionate mentor, supporting Nate's decisions and providing sage advice when needed.
Over time, the trust between Marsha and Nate grew, and they learned to share not only the joyful moments, but also the challenges. Marsha became a confidante to Nate, offering a listening ear and valuable advice to help him cope with difficulties.
Marsha and Nate's mother-son relationship is a story of growing together, where they both learned to value each other's individuality and support each other through life's ups and downs. This strong and positive connection serves as a source of comfort and inspiration for both, solidifying the family ties that unite them.
Aaron Jacobs[]
Aaron and Nate, always two distant brothers, had a tense relationship since childhood. Personality differences develop into the lack of closeness between them. Aaron, the oldest, was a free spirit, dedicated to the arts and philosophy, while Nate, the youngest, was more practical and science-oriented. Divergences between their interests often resulted in disagreements and, eventually, emotional distance.
The situation worsened when his father left home. Nate, already inclined to despise Aaron's life choices, now also carried resentment over his father's absence (although he wasn't sad). He saw Aaron as a dreamy idealist, unable to understand the complexities of real life. In turn, Aaron felt Nate's lack of emotional support and noticed a growing hostility between them.
However, the father's departure became an unexpected turning point. With the responsibility of dealing with family changes, Aaron and Nate began to see each other differently. Adversity forced them to support each other and find ways to overcome their differences.
Finally, the two brothers realized that despite their differences, they shared a deeper connection as members of the same family. Aaron brought a creative perspective and sensitivity to the challenges they faced, while Nate contributed his rationality and practical skills.
As we were able to overcome our differences and work together to overcome family difficulties, Aaron and Nate discovered that they were able to complement each other in surprising ways. Mutual understanding grew, and the hostility that previously existed between them gave way to a more supportive and friendly relationship. The reconciliation process was not easy, but the difficult period we faced brought to light a new appreciation for each other as brothers.
Appearances[]
| Euphoria: Special Episodes | |||
| Trouble Don't Last Always | Fuck Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob | ||
Quotes[]
| ā | You want my advice? You fuck her like the whore she is, you kick her ass to the curb. | ā |
| ā Nate to McKay[src] | ||
| ā | Nobody that looks like you is minding their own fuckin' business. I know what you are. Yeah. Yeah, I see you. So what do you want? You want some, some fucking attention? 'Cause I'll give you some fucking attention. | ā |
| ā Nate to Jules[src] | ||
| ā | (...) And everywhere you go, for the rest of your life, you'll be harassed, and spat at, and treated like a fucking animal. You deserve better than that. 'Cause I know you. You're kind. You're smart. You're generous. You got a big heart.You deserve whatever the fuck it is in this world that you want. So keep your head down. Keep your mouth shut. Don't try to ruin my life, and I won't have to ruin yours. | ā |
| ā Nate to Jules[src] | ||
- Cassie: "What you don't understand, Nate, is I am crazier!"
- Nate: "That's not somethin' to be fuckin' proud of, Cassie!"
- Cassie: "No... but it is something you should be scared of."
- ―Cassie and Nate[src]
- Cassie: "You telling me that you love me, and then going and being in a relationship with my best friend!"
- Nate: "[YELLS], What the fuck?! What the fuck is wrong with you?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
- Cassie: "Okay. Bye."
- Nate: "[SIGHS] For fuckin'... C...Cassie, stop. I love you."
- ―Cassie and Nate[src]
Trivia[]
- In a supposed original script, Nate Jacobs was supposed to be murdered by Rue Bennett.[3]
- It isn't revealed how he dies, but he was found in a cornfield.
- This idea was still incorporated into "And Salt the Earth Behind You", where Rue unloads a full clip on Nate, who is tied to a chair and on fire.
- Nate has a specific list of traits he likes and dislikes in women.
- He likes tennis skirts and jean-cut-offs (but not the kind so short you could see the pockets), ballet flats and heels, sandals worn with a fresh pedicure, thigh gaps, tan lines, long necks, slender shoulders, good posture, fruit-scented body mist, full lips, small noses, and lacy chokers. It should be noted that Jules fits most of these criteria, causing internal hatred within Nate as she is a transgender woman.
- He dislikes sneakers, dress shoes, cankles, girls who "sat like boys, talked like boys, [and] acted like boys", and body hair.
- He has an aversion to locker room nudity.
- While driving past Rue in "Pilot", Nate calls out "I'd do it for Rue!" before throwing up the Three Finger Salute from The Hunger Games.
Gallery[]
- See also: Category:Images of Nate Jacobs
