Ashtray is a prominent character in the hit HBO series Euphoria. He is a young drug dealer who gets involved with Fezco and other older characters. Nate is also a main character on the show, a high school football player with anger issues. Some fans have theorized that Ashtray could actually be Nate’s younger brother based on clues throughout the show. In this article, we’ll analyze the evidence for and against this theory to determine if Ashtray really could be Nate’s little brother.
Ashtray’s Background
Not much is revealed about Ashtray’s family or background in Euphoria. We know he is an orphan who was taken in by Fezco at a young age. Fezco essentially raised Ashtray as a little brother. Ashtray began selling drugs for Fezco on the streets when he was very young. He is fiercely loyal to Fezco and helps run their drug dealing operation.
Other than his relationship with Fezco, the show provides very few details about who Ashtray’s biological family is or where he came from before Fezco took him in. This leaves his history open to speculation by fans.
Nate’s Family
Much more is known about Nate’s family background. Nate comes from an upper middle class family. His father Cal is a successful businessman who secretly lives a double life filled with lies and infidelity. Nate’s mother Marsha seems oblivious to Cal’s transgressions. Nate also has a younger sister named Cassie who attends high school with him.
There are no references to Nate having a younger brother in any of his family scenes. The show has never indicated that the Jacobs have another son. Nate’s family life is dysfunctional, but his parents and sister are accounted for.
No Clear Connection Between Ashtray and Nate
While Ashtray and Nate both play major roles on Euphoria, their paths have not directly crossed much within the show’s plot. There are no obvious connections indicating they are brothers:
- They do not seem to know each other or have any relationship.
- They run in completely different social circles – Nate with high school athletes and cheerleaders, Ashtray with older drug dealers.
- They have no interactions suggesting a sibling bond.
- Their personalities and mannerisms are very different.
Without any strong textual evidence from the show itself, the odds of them being brothers seems extremely slim.
Age Difference
One of the biggest reasons many fans doubt the theory is the age difference between Ashtray and Nate. Though his exact age is uncertain, Ashtray seems to be between 10-13 years old based on his appearance and behavior. Actor Javon Walton, who plays Ashtray, was 13 when the first season filmed.
Nate is a junior in high school during Season 1, putting him around 16 or 17. There is at least a 3-5 year age gap between Ashtray and Nate. While not impossible, it would be unusual for two brothers with that big of an age difference to not know each other or run in completely separate social circles.
Age Estimates
| Character | Estimated Age |
|---|---|
| Ashtray | 10-13 years old |
| Nate | 16-17 years old |
This significant age difference makes it unlikely that Ashtray is Nate’s younger biological brother.
No Narrative Reason to Connect Them
There is also no strong narrative reason within the show for Nate and Ashtray to be revealed as brothers. While Euphoria is known for big plot twists, this one would serve little purpose.
Having the two characters turn out to be siblings would not significantly impact either of their character arcs or the overall story. Revealing it now would feel random and forced rather than an earned narrative payoff. Unless the show provided explicit clues and reasoning in future episodes, the brother plot twist seems very unlikely from a storytelling perspective.
Conclusion
Based on all existing evidence from Euphoria, it seems very doubtful that Ashtray is actually Nate’s younger brother. While clever fans can find some interesting theories, there are simply too many logical flaws with this premise:
- No clear connections between Ashtray and Nate’s characters within the show
- Significant age gap makes it unlikely
- No narrative reason for the show to reveal this twist
The theory makes for fun online debate among Euphoria fans. But without substantial new information introduced in future episodes, there is little credible evidence to suggest Ashtray is Nate’s little brother. Their paths crossing in the drug world seems to be pure coincidence.
Verdict: Unlikely Ashtray is Nate’s brother
Unless major new clues are presented, this popular fan theory lacks compelling evidence. Ashtray being raised by Fezco instead of the Jacobs family fits better with the known facts from the show. While Ashtray’s history contains some mysteries, him being related to Nate Jacobs seems implausible based on what we’ve learned so far on Euphoria.