Before Jules sets foot in East Highland High School, her most significant relationship exists entirely on a screen. "Tyler," a man she meets on a dating app, represents the first major pillar of her romantic storyline: the desire to be seen for who she is, without the baggage of high school social politics.
For Jules, digital romance is a sanctuary. In the real world, she is fetishized by boys who see her as a conquest or a secret. In the digital realm, she controls the narrative. The "Tyler" situation is fraught with danger—anonymity, catfishing, and the eventual, horrifying reveal that "Tyler" is actually a violent, manipulative older man named Nate Jacobs. However, the romance of the idea is potent.
Why this storyline matters: Jules’ digital relationship highlights the central conflict of modern high school romance: the tension between vulnerability and control. Jules craves a love that is tender and accepting. The fantasy of Tyler (before the deception) allows her to be a girl falling in love, rather than a trans girl navigating the predatory waters of high school dating. This arc sets the stage for every relationship that follows—Jules is always looking for the "Tyler" ideal: someone who sees her soul, not her body.
In the pantheon of modern teen drama, few characters have captured the tumultuous, exhilarating, and often painful reality of adolescent romance quite like Jules Vaughn. As a central figure in HBO’s Euphoria, Jules is more than just the "new girl" or the ethereal manic-pixie-dream archetype; she is a lens through which we examine the raw, unfiltered chaos of high school relationships. Her romantic storylines eschew the sanitized, first-kiss tropes of classic teen soaps for something far more visceral: a journey of self-discovery, heartbreak, and the desperate search for intimacy.
This article dissects the intricate web of Jules’ high school relationships—from the digital fantasies of Tyler to the gravitational pull of Rue Bennett and the toxic allure of Elliot. We will explore how these storylines redefine what teen romance looks like on screen, tackling themes of codependency, gender identity, and the modern landscape of digital vs. physical love.
No discussion of Jules’ romantic storylines is complete without addressing the toxic elephant in the room: Nate Jacobs. This is not a romance; it is a psychological thriller disguised as a high school subplot. Yet, it is arguably the most influential dynamic in Jules’ life. jules high school sex vedio
Nate embodies everything Jules fears and desires simultaneously. He is the hyper-masculine, violent, closeted quarterback who possesses the "Tyler" persona. The romance here is purely in the gaze. Nate is obsessed with Jules because she represents freedom—she lives as her authentic self without apology, something he cannot do. For Jules, the attraction to "Tyler" (and by extension, Nate’s hidden self) is the allure of being loved by the "unattainable" boy.
The Narrative Impact: Nate possesses a video of Jules that could ruin her life. He uses it to manipulate her into lying to the police. This dynamic warps Jules’ view of romance. She begins to associate danger with desire. It explains her later attraction to volatile situations and partners.
Jules’ relationship with Nate (or lack thereof) is a stark warning about the dark side of high school dating: the coercion, the power imbalance, and the weaponization of intimacy. It moves her character from a naive romantic to a guarded survivor.
The core romantic heartbeat of Euphoria is the volatile, luminous, and devastating relationship between Jules and Rue Bennett. If "Tyler" was the fantasy, Rue is the reality.
Jules and Rue’s relationship is a masterclass in writing a queer high school romance that goes beyond coming-out angst. Their connection is immediate and electric: Rue, the depressive, drug-addicted narrator, and Jules, the effervescent, hopeful dreamer. Their romance is built on a fragile contract. For Rue, Jules becomes her "higher power," a substitute for the opioids she craves. For Jules, Rue provides a safe harbor—a relationship free from the male gaze, where her femininity is celebrated rather than questioned. Before Jules sets foot in East Highland High
The Romantic Highs: Their bike rides through the California suburbs, the exchange of "I love yous" in a moonlit pool, and the planning of a future in the city—these moments represent the pinnacle of high school idealism. The show frames them not as a "tragic lesbian couple" but as two teenagers utterly spellbound by each other.
The Dramatic Lows: The failure of the Jules-Rue romance is not due to a lack of love but a surplus of trauma. Rue’s addiction means she loves Jules selfishly—she loves the feeling of being sober for Jules. Jules, terrified of being responsible for Rue’s survival, begins to suffocate. The train station scene at the end of Season 1, where Jules leaves Rue behind, is one of the most painful breakups in teen television history. It forces us to ask: Can a high school relationship survive when one partner’s sobriety depends on the other?
Jules’ romantic arc with Rue teaches us that sometimes, the deepest love isn't enough to fix someone. It is a storyline about setting boundaries—even when it feels like breaking your own heart.
When we look at the history of high school relationships in media—from Dawson’s Creek to Riverdale—storylines tend to follow predictable beats: the love triangle, the quarterback and the cheerleader, the boy next door. Jules Vaughn’s storylines systematically dismantle these tropes.
In Season 2, the introduction of Elliot adds a new, chaotic variable to the Jules-Rue ecosystem. This storyline is perhaps the most controversial among fans, as it appears to break the sacred bond between the two leads. But from a romantic perspective, Elliot serves a specific purpose: he represents comparison and validation. In the real world, she is fetishized by
Jules’ involvement with Elliot is not born out of a lack of love for Rue; it is born out of exhaustion. Elliot is a drug user like Rue, but he is functional. He is male, like the "Tyler" fantasy, yet he is gentle and artistic. He validates Jules’ femininity through a physical, sexual lens that Rue, focused on her own sobriety, cannot always provide.
The Romantic Conflict: The shared kiss and subsequent emotional affair between Jules and Elliot is a classic high school tragedy: the "third wheel" who exposes the cracks in the foundation. For Jules, Elliot offers a break from being Rue’s caretaker. He allows her to be selfish, reckless, and sexual in a way that feels "normal."
However, this storyline ultimately reinforces the core theme of Jules’ journey: she is searching for a love that requires no sacrifice. With Rue, she has to sacrifice spontaneity and lightness. With Elliot, she has to sacrifice loyalty and depth. The triangle demonstrates that in high school, we often cheat not because we are villains, but because we haven't yet learned how to articulate our unmet needs.
Jules approaches romance not casually, but as an escape, a validation, and an art form. Her storylines revolve around longing, idealism, and the painful gap between fantasy and reality.
