Why Do Fez and Nate Have Beef on Euphoria?

Euphoria has quickly become one of the most popular and talked about shows on television. The HBO drama follows a group of high school students as they navigate relationships, identity, trauma, drugs, sex, and more. Two of the main characters, Fez and Nate, have had escalating conflict and animosity towards each other throughout the first two seasons. Their beef has led to intense confrontations and violence. Here’s an in-depth look at why Fez and Nate have beef on Euphoria.

Background on Fez and Nate

To understand the beef between Fez and Nate, let’s first get some background on each of the characters:

Fez

• Played by Angus Cloud
• Local drug dealer who supplies substances like weed, pills, and other drugs to students
• Best friend and protective figure to Rue who looks out for her
• Raised by his grandmother who got him involved in drug dealing from a young age
• Often seen hanging around parties and with his younger partner in crime, Ashtray

Nate

• Played by Jacob Elordi
• Star football player at East Highland High School
• Dating Maddy on and off, though he hooks up with other girls
• Antagonist of the show who manipulates people and situations to his advantage
• Abusive and controlling tendencies stem from having an abusive father
• Obsessed with Jules after finding out she hooked up with his dad

How Their Beef Started in Season 1

The conflict between Fez and Nate can be traced back to events in season 1 involving Nate’s obsession with Jules. Here’s a summary:

• Nate catfishes Jules by pretending to be another guy named Tyler and sexts with her
• He secretly takes photos of Jules and his dad hooking up and uses them to blackmail her
• This causes emotional distress for Jules who distances herself from Rue as a result
• Rue asks Fez to intimidate Nate so he’ll leave Jules alone
• Fez confronts Nate at the convenience store he works at and threatens him to stay away from Jules and Rue
• In retaliation, Nate anonymously tips off the police about Fez’s drug dealing operation
• Fez’s home gets raided, forcing him to get rid of his drug stash and lose money

It’s clear to see why Fez resents Nate – his actions directly led to legal troubles and financial losses for Fez’s business. Nate has no remorse and even seems to take pleasure in antagonizing Fez. This kicked off their beef which would escalate in season 2.

How Their Rivalry Boiled Over in Season 2

The season 2 premiere picks up after the events of season 1 at a New Year’s Eve party. With tensions already high between them, things explode when:

• At the party, Nate jokingly references Fez’s prior threat to kill him
• Fez takes this as a challenge and makes the decision to follow through on the threat
• He smashes a bottle over Nate’s head and proceeds to beat him up, leaving him bleeding on the floor
• It’s unclear if Nate survives the brutal attack

For Fez, this was the last straw after all Nate had put him through. He was likely still furious about having his business upended. The attack shows how far their rivalry has escalated from threats and intimidation to outright violence.

Nate’s arrogance and lack of care for how his actions impact others pushed Fez over the edge. Their long simmering beef finally reached a breaking point that could leave Nate seriously injured or worse.

Other Factors Fueling Their Mutual Dislike

Aside from the key incidents outlined above, there are some other factors that contribute to the tensions between Fez and Nate:

• Differing backgrounds and lifestyles: As a drug dealer, Fez resents the privileged life Nate leads compared to his own struggles. Nate looks down on Fez in classist ways.

• Protectiveness towards friends: Both young men are fiercely protective towards their own friends (Rue for Fez, Maddy for Nate). This instinct amplifies their beef.

• Toxic masculinity: They embody masculine archetypes of the “tough guy” and “jock” which leads to macho posturing and conflict.

• Mutual lack of empathy: Neither Fez nor Nate tries to understand the other’s perspective. This prevents them from resolving issues peacefully.

How Their Rivalry May Continue to Play Out

Assuming Nate survives the attack, there are a few ways the bad blood between him and Fez could continue to shape Euphoria season 2:

• Nate may press charges against Fez and try to get him sent to prison
• Their conflict could divide other characters and destabilize friendships
• Fez may go after Nate again or vice versa in an endless cycle of retaliation
• The rivalry could take a tragic turn and result in more violence or even death

Unfortunately, their beef seems deeply entrenched at this point. It’s likely that the show will continue to use it to raise the stakes and drive the plot forward through more confrontations and fallout. Given their natures, neither Fez nor Nate will back down easily from this volatile feud.

Conclusion

The tense dynamic between Fez and Nate has become a powder keg within Euphoria’s explosive drama. Their escalating beef stems from differences in background, personality, and values that sparked into resentment, threats, and now violence. Moving forward, their bitter rivalry will shape many character arcs as the stakes heighten over who will come out on top in this suburban feud.