Ranking 'Euphoria' Characters From Worst to Best

Image via Eddy Chen/HBO

Played by: Eric Dane

No matter how bad his son Nate is, Cal Jacobs will ultimately have to be the worst character on this show. Shouts to Eric Dane; he’s too good at being a bad person. We’re introduced to Cal horribly; without knowing his name, we know he’s too goddamn old (and too goddamn married) to be hooking up with Jules in some seedy motel. We learn later that these hook-ups (with gay men and trans women) are filmed, and this entire side of his life is kept secret from his wife and sons. With his wife and older son none the wiser, Nate is aware of his father’s secret. Nate’s actually been impacted the most by Cal’s secret life, with what he knows manifesting an evil in Nate that lashes out at anyone near him. Cal literally created the monster that’s terrorizing the town, but that monster was created by someone even viler. —khal

Played by: Jacob Elordi

Nate’s the actual worst. That could be the entire blurb, but he proves it time and again. The majority of Season 1’s conflicts mainly circled around the wild shit Nate Jacobs got into. Dude beat up a guy after breaking and entering his home, constantly threatened Jules and Rue, and had been a major POS to Maddy. What’s worse is that he knew it all at the time. It’s almost like he had that beatdown coming!

The thing is, Season 2 showed Nate not stopping. Maddy and Nate are still playing a dangerous game, and he only throws gasoline on the fire by picking up (and hooking up with) Cassie, knowing it’s wrong and Maddy isn’t one to take her ex hooking up with her best friend lightly. And this is after I swore Cassie was going to get Hereditary’d on the ride over to the party. Nate’s big trash, and I’d assume he stays in this position for the majority of Season 2 / forever. —khal

Played by: Syndey Sweeney

As if sitting down in a parking lot with a handful of powdered donuts and no drink to wash them down with wasn’t chaotic enough, Cassie made a lot of awful decisions in the Season 2 premiere. Getting in a car with her best friend Maddy’s ex-boyfriend and hooking up with him was a huge mistake on her part. While she got away with it, messing around with Nate Jacobs doesn’t usually end well for anybody. Maddy might be flippant at times but she’s not a bad friend, and she’s certainly not the type to forgive this kind of betrayal. Betraying her friend is one thing, but betraying herself is another. Cassie was front and center being a witness to how poorly Nate treated Maddy and everyone else, so what makes her think he will treat her any different? He physically and verbally abused her friend, but a free ride and a beer were enough to convince her to proceed. But what can we really expect from her? Her relationship with McKay in Season 1 and her relationship with men overall showed that although she’s a sweet and sensitive girl, Cassie has deep-rooted abandonment issues that cause her to be a people pleaser and she consistently puts herself in harm’s way in order to feel loved. 

She might have violated the No. 1 rule of the girl code (your friends’ boyfriends or exes are always off-limits) but just like everyone on this list, she’s flawed, even naive at times, and that makes her an easy target. Everyone is going to blame Cassie for the hookup, but Nate is also McKay’s friend and Maddy’s ex, right? And that scene in the kitchen during the party in Episode 1 makes it clear that Nate was also well aware that McKay and Cassie were still connected in some way. Nate knows that he also broke the bro code, but he doesn’t seem to care. At least, while hiding in the bathroom, Cassie showed some remorse. The guilt doesn’t undo what she did, but it might have made her a little less evil.

Fast forward to Episode 5, when Rue spills the beans and lets Maddy know what Cassie and Nate have been up to. Cassie denies it at first and starts crying, and manages to escape before Maddy unleashes her anger on her. All the sense of feeling sorry for her goes out the window when she seems to be more upset that Nate hasn’t contacted her than she does about hurting and losing her best friend. From what we’ve seen so far, she hasn’t apologized to Maddy, and instead, in Episode 6, she continues her relationship with Nate. Our girl is down bad, and even singer Kehlani agrees. —Karla Rodriguez

Played by: Algee Smith

TBH, I feel bad for McKay. He’s kind of on this list without having done much. Maybe if he listened to his girlfriend Cassie more—or didn’t act like she wasn’t his girlfriend during the carnival episode. He’s actually not a bad guy when he’s paying attention to his girlfriend or being depressed AF over his football career not going where he wants it to. That said, the way he acted toward Cassie after he was violated by those masked guys felt cold. And that’s all before mentioning the way he reacted when Cassie told him she was pregnant. Sure, you understand why McKay wouldn’t want to have a kid right now, but there are certain ways to handle things, and judging by the state Cassie was in after their conversation (and leading all the way to when we first saw her in Season 2), McKay fucked that all the way up. And he’s paying for it; you can see it all over his face. Not saying he deserves any of this, but he also hasn’t been acting like the most stand-up guy either. Check yourself, McKay. —khal

Played By: Dominic Fike

We haven’t seen much of newcomer Elliot after he was introduced in one of the most hectic moments of Season 2, but I can already tell he’s going to complicate things. And honestly, I’m here for it. Based on what we know so far, he’s already being positioned as this side dude that’s about to get caught up in the mix, but as Season 2 continues, I can easily see him take on a much more significant role, especially as Rue and Jules’ relationship slowly unravels. Elliot will be important because he’s the only character besides Jules and Gia that Rue isn’t completely ambivalent towards.

His negatives? He’s basically Rue’s new vice as she begins spiraling and using drugs again. He’s now aware that she has a problem based on their conversation at the end of Episode 2, and addressing the fact that he thinks they might bring out the worst aspects of each other makes him somewhat responsible for however their relationship pans out. His positives? He literally saved Rue’s life, albeit he might’ve accidentally almost caused her death. Elliot seems like a genuinely nice guy and almost gives me Fez vibes in the way that he’s not entirely aware of all that’s going on, but he still tries his best to understand everything despite not being privy to the ins-and-outs of the high school drama yet. 

That dynamic has evolved as the season has progressed, though. Elliot acts like he wants to have his cake and eat it too with the way he’s actively doing drugs with Rue, but simultaneously hooking up with Jules. Even though his guilt about the situation eventually leads him to fess up to Jules about what’s actually been going on, it’s still pretty fucked up that he allowed things to escalate that far in the first place, especially since he’s no longer just a side-dude caught up in the mix by the time we hit the midseason mark. Turns out he, like most of the characters in the show, isn’t innocent either. — Jordan Rose, khal

Played by: Hunter Schafer

Personally? I’ve not been the biggest Jules fan. She’s not inherently evil or anything, but I just feel like she spent Season 1 avoiding like two really important conversations that could’ve helped her situation out a bit better. It’s also hard to tell an addict “we can only be together if you’re clean,” but when we found out about how Jules’ mother had been her entire life, it’s not hard to see the WHY of that situation. That also makes her going to hang out with old friends and hooking up with someone named Anna while high herself kind of perplexing, especially during a time where Rue was actually trying to stay sober. Or maybe I’m still pissed at that image of Jules leaving Rue at the train station in the Season 1 finale. Or maybe I’m trying to figure out what the hell is going on with her and Elliot while she’s been very suspicious of Rue (for good reason). It’s weird to see her react to Rue one way and turn around and be a really bad partner. 

All of that said, Jules is one of the people in Euphoria dealing with the most. Seeing Jules open up about her constant thoughts on transitioning and what being a woman means has helped me remember that she fell into a dark spot early on, one that had her at Nate’s whim. Dealing with Rue and her situation on top of the Nate ordeal is a lot for anyone to handle, and to be honest, I’m kind of surprised Jules isn’t fucked up more often. Even while she’s consumed with life’s bullshit, Jules does still find a way to endure, for her loved ones and for herself. —khal

Played by: Chloe Cherry

There was something so chaotic about Faye when she was first introduced in Season 2. When her boyfriend Custer called Fezco to help her hide from the cops for pushing a motel manager off a balcony, I just knew trouble was on the horizon. Later in the season, Custer informs her that he’s working with the cops who are after Fez, and instead of saying something right away to Fez and Ashtray who have been housing her and feeding her, she says nothing. She seemed to be growing some fondness toward them, especially Fez, for his kindness and the way he had been caring for her. But it’s not until the finale that Faye finally showed loyalty to the two brothers. Custer comes in unexpectedly wanting to talk to Fez about the Mouse situation (and it’s assumed that the cops are listening in on the conversation), but Faye quickly reacts by dropping a glass and bending down to where Custer can’t see her and brings a finger to her lips, signaling to Fez to stay quiet. She attempts to blame Laurie for Mouse’s murder, but things quickly went south after that. Her efforts were futile and a little too late, but I do appreciate her trying. Who knows what the future holds for her or if we’ll ever see her again, but that scene alone was enough to land her on this list.

Played by: Barbie Ferreira

Katherine “Kat” Hernandez has been through it. Ever since she was a little girl, she has been bullied for her weight, and things got even tougher for her as she got older. She gained 20 pounds when she went on vacation at 11 years old, which caused her classmates to make fun of her and her boyfriend to break up with her. The negative external attention caused her to become introverted and she created an online persona and an internal life that her friends are clueless about. Her first time having sex was filmed without her consent and the video spread around her school and online. She felt shame at first, but then she took back the power the same way she did in terms of her body.

She started off being self-conscious and has then evolved into a young woman fighting for body positivity and taking ownership of her sexuality, without letting others dictate who she is. Perhaps creating sexual content online as a minor is not the best way to do it, and it will perhaps be harmful in the long run, but it was empowering her in that moment. Kat somehow finds it in her to keep rising no matter what, and not letting how men feel about her or her relationships with them define her. The only thing is that she’s now treating guys as disposable, similar to the way she was treated in the past. And faking a brain condition in order to break up with Ethan? Come on, girl. You’re better than that. —Karla Rodriguez

Played by: Zendaya

Rue Bennett is committed to her own destruction. As much as you want to root for Rue, she sometimes makes it hard to. Losing her father at a young age and dealing with her mental health struggles, like being bipolar and struggling with anxiety and depression, have turned her into someone that her own mother Leslie and sister Gia can’t even handle. Seeing her get out of rehab just to start using again is an accurate depiction of what a lot of people and families are dealing with, but it doesn’t make it any easier to watch on a TV screen—especially since Rue is still a teen. While her relationship with Jules has blossomed since they met in Season 1, Jules has just become another person who will be affected by Rue’s every decision. She has good people who look out for her constantly or perhaps enable her, like Fezco and Lexi, but none of that matters to Rue. She’s going to do what she wants to do at any given moment. If her little sister, who has already lost her father to cancer, isn’t enough of a motivation to help Rue kick her habit, nothing will. That is unless she makes the decision for herself that she’s done for good. 

“I know some of you hate me right now,” she said halfway through the show’s pilot episode. She’s somewhat right. A lot of people have strong feelings about Rue and her recklessness, but it’s more so frustration than hate. And that’s expected. That seems to be the way addicts’ friends and loved ones feel while watching the person they care about destroy themselves. One Twitter user even alluded to the show being able to go on without Rue, but I don’t think that’s true. She’s essential to the story and while her struggles may be overwhelming and far-fetched to most people, they are the reality millions of teenagers are dealing with right now. Not only that but Zendaya’s acting in this role takes the show to another level. Rue might seem selfish at times and too caught up in her own mess to see how she’s hurting others. She might do bad things to get what she wants, but deep down she’s not a bad person with malicious intent. She’s an addict who is not at war with others, but with herself.

That war is what, unfortunately, pushes Rue further down this list. She’s rolling through the streets with a suitcase full of work, high as a kite during her NA meetings. That scene lead to her going ham on Ali, throwing a lot of personal info he told her in private back at him. It was low, but Rue is also going through it, heavy. That suitcase spells nothing but trouble, and it being her grand scheme is alarming. Episode 5 and 6 showed Rue at her worst, and somehow you can’t help but feel bad for her. Seeing her reach rock bottom and lash out at her family and Jules showed that this addiction is bigger than her, and she is going to need a lot of support to make it through. We're rooting for you, Rue!  —Karla Rodriguez, khal

Played by: Storm Reid

Rue’s little sister, Gia Bennett, has been through it. She may not struggle with the same mental illnesses that her sister does, but Gia has also experienced the loss of her father when she was just a child, while also dealing with the effects of living with a sister that’s struggling with drug addiction. Similar to Lexi, Gia is caught up in the middle of her sister’s drama. She’s the one who found Rue when she overdosed in Season 1 and that’s the kind of experience and trauma that is not easy to move past. Still, Gia is supportive of her sister, she hasn’t given up on her and still has hope that Rue will recover. But living with the constant fear and emotions that come with the mere thought of something happening to Rue isn’t easy. In Season 2, Episode 3, we see Gia starting to lose her patience. She is seeing how her sister is being self-destructive and lying about wanting to be sober. Love requires patience but that patience sometimes thins out and turns into frustration instead when you don’t see a change. A sibling’s love is unmatched, but seeing Gia constantly stand up for Rue and defend her against their mom, and still getting disappointed, feels shitty. She’s only a teenager and she has already lost her dad to cancer, so possibly losing her sister to addiction will really affect her for the rest of her life. Here’s to hoping that she learns from her sister, and instead of following in her footsteps, she sees Rue as an example of what not to do. —Karla Rodriguez

Played by: Alexa Demie

Maddy is a real one. She’s definitely messy—Season 1 saw her thriving in making Nate jealous, ultimately lying to continue the charade between her and Nate. The thing is, this is just Maddy; her biggest fault might be falling for the wrong guy. A love like that is a drug in and of itself, and Maddy spent Season 1 always being down to take a sip. Being loyal to a fault, it’s wild that she’s had Nate’s father’s disc and hasn’t told anyone about it, but again, this may be why Maddy comes out on top compared to the others.

And what’s wild is that she obviously still loves Nate. She spent the Season 2 premiere getting to know someone just so she could make Nate jealous on the dancefloor…as per usual. Once Fezco handles his business at the end of the episode, who’s one of the first people trying to help Nate? It’s Maddy! Nate may be her heroin, but that’s also Maddy’s only real drama in the series, which essentially puts her heads above many of her classmates, just for not being as trash as they are. —khal

Played by: Colman Domingo

One of the many things Rue lacks is a moral compass, and that’s where Ali comes in. Ali is like the wise uncle Rue never had, who sees all of her flaws and accepts her for who she is. He has been the only character that Rue can remain fully honest with, and he is the only person who does not project his own struggles and insecurities onto her. That’s why it sucked that much more the way she acted towards him at the end of Episode 3. All Ali has been is understanding with Rue, meeting her where she’s at in her journey to recovery, and sharing personal aspects of his life to create a close bond between them. For Rue to throw those sensitive topics back in his face when he interrogates her about bringing a suitcase full of drugs to a rehab meeting is fucked up. And not high schooler fucked up, but fucked up in general. What makes it worse is that you can tell her jab of “not being to raise kids” really cut him deep.

Colman Domingo also deserves an Emmy nom for that performance. As of Season 2 Episode 3, Ali is one of the few characters who has embraced his demons, fought them, and came out on the other side to advise others on how to do it. He’s not perfect, but no one is, and it’s in his imperfections where he’s been able to find balance and a person navigating the world while still battling addiction every day. Rue is a kid and doesn’t get it, but that doesn’t absolve her from turning her back on the only character that understands her completely. Ali deserves better, and hopefully, he’s valued more this season. —Jordan Rose

Played by: Javon “Wanna” Walton

There’s nothing I value more than family and loyalty—it’s the reason why I stan Vin Diesel and his million Fast & Furious movies. No one displays that more in this show than Ashtray (Javon Walton) and Fez. We learned about their upbringing in the Season 2 premiere, and man, they’ve been through it. The hardships and lifestyle they lived through together when they were younger can inspire a bond like no other. They may not be brothers by blood but they protect each other like they are. Ashtray is sharp, serious and Fez’s fierce protector. He’d go to war for his brother and their business, and that’s admirable as hell. There’s nothing about him I don’t like. He even makes face tattoos cool to me, and that’s hard to do. In the finale, Fezco begged him to surrender to the police but in true Ash fashion, he wasn’t going to go down without a fight. He was too intelligent to be living a life of crime, but his impulsiveness caused him and Fez so many problems, and unfortunately, in the end, it led to Ashtray’s demise. Leaving Fez alone, and without his one, true ride or die. —Karla Rodriguez

Played by: Maude Apatow

Lexi Howard gets the short end of the stick on this show. It doesn’t matter if she does all the right things, she still has to deal with Rue’s and her sister Cassie’s shit and let’s not even talk about her mother. Rue was her best friend when she was younger, but they both eventually drifted apart as childhood best friends tend to do, and now there’s a stark difference between the two. Rue pretty much ignores Lexi except when she needs her, and Cassie treats her like garbage, but that doesn’t stop her from being there for them. 

Her conversation with Fez in Episode 1 of Season 2, “Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door,” gave us a glimpse of who she really is: intelligent, well-read, charming, and a person who has a personality that’s different from the people around her. She actually cares and she’s herself. (Remember her innocently dressing up as Bob Ross for Halloween in Season 1, Episode 6 “The Next Episode”?) Then again, her interest in Fez—a known drug dealer—might be an indicator that she’s just as self-destructive as everyone else, but we’ll have to wait and see how that connection unfolds. For now, Lexi is this high on the list simply because she’s not a bad person. She’s just a wallflower that helplessly observes as her loved ones unravel around her. All that changed in Episode 7 when she finally got her main character moment. Lexi finally puts on her school play based on her friendships with the other girls and her experience growing up as Cassie’s sister and Rue’s best friend. She exposed a lot of their secrets, which made some viewers question if it made her a bad friend to air out their dirty laundry. But it really doesn’t. People have repeatedly treated her like a doormat, without realizing how much she had witnessed over the years. Viewers really got to see Lexi come into her own and see who she really is when she’s not standing in everyone else’s shadows. —Karla Rodriguez

Played by: Angus Cloud

Learning about Fezco’s backstory in the first episode of Season 2 quickly made him go up to the top of this list. [Ed Note: And what he did towards the end of that episode solidified it!] Seeing the way he grew up explains why he lives the lifestyle he does, and none of it was by choice. While he’s Rue’s drug dealer, he’s also her friend and does his best to protect her from others, from herself, and even from his own product. Fez has been also looking out for Rue from day one and showed concern for her and her addiction, even if he’s part of the problem. There’s something sweet about him that is completely different than the way drug dealers are usually portrayed on TV. His overall kindness and softness don’t absolve him of his sins, though. He is still the one who provides Rue and plenty of others with the drugs that keep them hooked, but is it his fault or his grandmother’s for introducing him to that world and leaving him with no other choice so young?

In this latest episode, during a conversation with Lexi at the party, we see another side to him, too. He’s charming, soft-spoken, and says he believes in God. Moments later he’s pummeling Nate until his face is covered in blood, and that somehow also makes sense. There’s a duality to Fez that makes him so appealing and so real. He might pray at night, he’s overprotective of the people he loves, yet he’s not afraid to bash someone’s face in when they deserve it. Then again, who is he to determine who deserves that kind of beating, right? But if anyone deserves it, it’s Nate. Nate has had his fair share of wrongdoings under his belt since last season, so for some, Fez was just the karma that Nate had coming to him long ago. And that scene alone is Fez’s redemption and the reason why he’s our No. 1 pick. —Karla Rodriguez