Sweet Jesus, I'm so happy that I got into the show Euphoria when I did because this show is hitting different in ways I never thought possible. Now, you should know that I love me a good backstory for a character, particularly the sort of "villain/bad person" characters. So when episode three of Euphoria season 2 came out, the first 20 or so minutes literally had me broken. I never thought these words would leave my lips but oh my God, I feel bad for Cal. Now, before y'all go off and start canceling me let me just say this: I'm not stanning Cal, nor do I think that what happened to him in his past makes up for what he has done now in the present, but I'm kind of looking at this from a sort of psychological perspective. I've seen a lot of people online saying "Well, he could have just not married Marsha, he didn't have to stay with her, he could have just ran off with Derek." But here's thing about what all is being said: Those are 21st Century options. This shows that they are not paying attention.
The flashback origin story is set in the early 90's, 1992 or 1993 by my calculations. This wasn't the 21st Century. We are introduced to a young Cal who had not yet grew into piece of shit that we know now. So we see that Cal has secret feelings for his best friend, Derek, and based on his home life, he comes from a very hard (possibly conservative) family, particularly his father. It was mentioned in season 1 that Cal's grandfather treated his son the same way that Cal's father treated him which is how he, Cal, treats his son, Nate. Generational curse at its best. So, we see that Cal had to repress his true sexuality because of his home life to the point he was able to trick himself into thinking that he was truly happy living a lie. And that's how it is for a lot of people in the closet, especially in the 90's and and further in the past. Which is why when we see the scene where Cal and Derek kiss, we see Cal be truly happy for probably the first time in his life and then witness that short lived true happiness get ripped away from him the very next day with the news that he's going to be a father because his girlfriend, who he really probably doesn't truly like at all, is now pregnant.
Now, in todays times, Cal wouldn't have to marry Marsha because she was pregnant. There are plenty of people who get others pregnant and don't marry them. They help out but that doesn't mean they need to get married, especially if neither one of them is in love with the other. No need to make both people and that unborn child unhappy for the next 18 years. But back in the 90's? A strong, conservative family? Cal never stood a chance. What we do nowadays wasn't even an option for him. I bet his father wouldn't even hear of it. Not to mention LGBT rights weren't as good as they are nowadays so that was also not in Cal's favor. So, what do we have left? A repressed boy who's happiness has been ripped away from him and is now left feeling trapped in a life that he wants nothing to do with but because of how he was raised and the environment he was apart of he has to now live in an even bigger lie while watching the world around him change and still in some ways be left behind.
Again, not an excuse to do what he does in the present, but when you look at it from that perspective, you kind of feel bad for him. You feel empathetic for him because in reality, this is the case for a lot of LGBT people in previous years if not even today. And you're left wondering the infamous what if scenario: What if Cal hadn't gotten Marsha pregnant? Would Cal have had a chance to be happy with Derek? With any other man? And this brings the conversation to Nate.
Cal's moment of truth with his family was really eye opening. That was probably the first time in a long time that Cal was honest with anyone as well as himself. And I feel like this was a chance for Nate to get a wake up call because him and his father are so much alike. The only difference's being Nate doesn't meet with hookups in a motel and record them and Cal was a lot nicer when he was a teenager. But they both repress their sexuality to the point it kills them on the inside as it turns to self-hatred and bitterness. But Nate could look at Cal as cautionary tale. This is what Nate could end up becoming. This could be him in his adult life. I'm not saying it's too late for Nate to change and get some help since he's a couple of years deep into his adult life, but I think there is still time for Nate to get help. Therapy can go a long way, especially when it comes to someone dumping all the toxic masculinity and toxic heteronormativity that has been pushed on a person at such a young age to the point that the person can't see a life with out it. Who knows? Maybe Nate could get help and look back in twenty years and be like "Jesus, I was a huge dick." He's still a teenager, I think he still has time to change. The thing about teens like Nate, they really just need to get away from the harmful/toxic environment that they are living it.
But these are just my thoughts when it comes to Cal and Nate, but mainly Cal. Like I said earlier, I'm not defending Cal nor am I condoning what he has done in his adult life. The way I see it, his unfair circumstance placed him in front of an open door for an unfair/unhappy life, but he made the choice to walk through it. But he could still be seen as a cautionary tale, because believe it or not there are people out there who are like him, who have been where he was in his teen years. Some ended up with a happier ending, but a lot of them haven't been so lucky. So, this should be a realization and the wake up call we need to finally understand why things like toxic masculinity and heteronormativity (hell, maybe even toxic religion teachings) need to be torn down and dismantled. Because all they can bring is self-hatred. Internalized homophobia is a curse that can only be taught. You're not born with hate already in you, it is taught. And best believe this: It can be untaught.
Little side note: The theory that Marsha knew that Cal and Derek secretly had feelings for each other so she purposefully got pregnant in order to trap Cal is something I am 100% behind. The woman has been giving me shady heifer vibes since day one. Also another theory for you: What if Aaron isn't really Cal's son?
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