The characters from HBO's gritty teenage drama Euphoria are all keeping it together really well, considering each of them has a lot on their plate. Their relationships are transactional and being vulnerable is a sign of weakness. There are all kinds of issues that they have to deal with, from bullying to substance abuse. What helps them navigate their complicated lives are popularity and intelligence.
Not all characters are equal when it comes to how smart they are. There's also the issue of how much they're willing to listen to their brains. Some characters are actually a lot smarter than they seem, but they haven't given themselves a chance to shine just yet.
Maddy
Maddy has many qualities: she is fashionable, courageous, loyal, and passionate. But she's not exactly among the brightest Euphoria characters. She is not interested in learning or having a job. She can't stop seeing Nate, even though she knows that he is aggressive and dangerous.
Maddy's best quotes are simple and funny. While she might not be academically inclined, she definitely understands the inner workings of society better than an average teen.
McKay
Cassie's boyfriend McKay is not enjoying his college experience. He was raised to be a champion, so the transition was extra hard for him. He is worried that he will lose his scholarship, but his father will hear nothing of it.
McKay is loving and caring, but unfortunately, he is not the best at navigating his life. Needless to say, he is under a lot of pressure and it's hard to stay calm and collected in such circumstances.
Cassie
The show's genius lies in so many things and one of them is portraying the grim reality of having an alcoholic parent. Cassie might come across as gullible and superficial, but in reality, this girl suppressed her true self so much in hopes to receive love. She looks for love everywhere and lets other people violate her boundaries on a regular.
Cassie is by no means unintelligent, it's just that she didn't learn what healthy relationships look like. Once she does that, she will definitely prove the world wrong.
Rue
A lot of Rue's best quotes are pessimistic and misguided. They show that her judgment is not clear and that she is an addict. It's not like Rue is not smart - it's just that her positive traits barely ever shine through since she is always fixated on her next high. When it's not substances, it's Jules. These two are not actually friends, but they make a perfect fit in their dysfunctions.
She's merely surviving in this world and those who are in survival mode, rarely live up to their full potential.
Cal
Cal might come across as collected, smart, and cool, but this man is falling apart under the surface. One glance at Jules at the festival and he is spilling chili all over himself!
If he were smart, he'd choose to live his double life somewhere further away from his home town and keep his CDs somewhere where his son couldn't find them.
Ashtray
Ashtray is only fourteen years old and he is already running a business. And he's good at it! He's the one who explained how online transactions work for Kat and worked the register.
Hopefully, better days are coming for Ashtray. He could put his entrepreneurial spirit to work somewhere else rather than dealing drugs.
Jules
Considering the fact that Jules has one of the most tragic backstories on the show, Jules is very good at keeping it together. Nate might be her enemy, but there's no doubt that he was sincere when he told her he admired her.
No wonder: Jules is smart, creative, a visionary: her special revealed that she gives a lot of thought to abstract concepts and the way the world works, which is something that not anybody can do - especially not at the tender age of seventeen.
Lexi
Lexi is one of the most likable characters on Euphoria as well as one of the smartest ones. She doesn't participate in silly games most teenagers play and instead stays focused on school. Rue takes advantage of Lexi, but it's not like she's not aware of it.
Unlike her sister, Lexi is not hungry for validation and approval. At least she doesn't act out in any self-destructive ways like most other girls do. Hopefully, she steers clear of trouble in season 2 as well.
Kat
Kat is one of the smartest characters on Euphoria. She is a prolific writer of fan fiction and has thousands of fans online. After realizing she could make a lot of money on the internet via webcam, she had to learn about payment systems and cryptocurrencies. It looked like she got the grip of it in no time, which is not as common as one might think.
Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger for Kat. One of the questions the fans desperately need an answer to in season 2 is the identity of her latest cam client.
Nate
Considering how carefully he was able to plan the demise of several characters in season 1, Nate is probably both sociopathic and outrageously intelligent. Those who double-cross him end up in trouble and he seems to enjoy the amount of control he has over other people's lives.