Opinion: Cassie did NOT want to be Maddy

One of the most common takes I seen online are people saying “it was never about Nate. Cassie just wanted to be Maddy” or “Cassie was always jealous of Maddy and wanted to be like her”, which seems very unjustified in my opinion. The show makes it very clear that Cassie’s goal was never to become Maddy, but simply to project whatever version of herself would get Nate’s attention. If it was Ethan that Cassie hooked up with on New Year’s, she would probably start dressing like Kat because she knows that’s what he likes.

This out of pocket narrative that Cassie wants to be Maddy just feels like another attempt from Maddy stans to make her seem more boss b**** than she actually is, and by extension an attempt to make Cassie seem more pathetic. Even in season 3, Cassie longingly staring at Maddy’s Instagram wasn’t because she wanted to literally be Maddy; she was just questioning whether it was the right choice to be with Nate over Maddy. Cassie was miserable, meanwhile Maddy appeared to be very successful, so she felt very small and asked the question “do you ever feel like your life could be bigger”? Cassie’s goals and insecurities are never truly about Maddy, but rather about her own worth and how she can make herself appealing to others.

I know everyone can make their own interpretations about the show, but it just aggravates me when people try to act like these takes are canon when the show actively contradicts them.