Sex Education tantalized fans with Eric and Adam’s will they, won’t they dynamic for season one and the better part of season two. At last, the season’s ending showed promise for a beautiful future with Eric and Adam, one where they show their true feelings for one another out in the open, no longer hiding from the public or feigning disinterest. Adam seems to truly want to turn over a new leaf–but will he?
The season ends with the result many awaited for so long, but such excitement distracts from many of the nitty-gritty details, such as if Adam even really deserves Eric, or if a relationship should ever be formed between two people who were already involved in such an abusive dynamic. It’s a hard nut to crack, especially since there are so many things fans love about them. Here are five reasons why Sex Education fans love Eric and Adam and five ways they’re actually toxic for one another.
THEY’RE PERFECT TOGETHER: They Challenge Each Other
Eric is treated terribly by Adam, and there’s no excuse for it. Going through such a hardship made Eric stop and consider who he really wanted to be, however, and lead to him being more empowered than he had before he was bullied.
Adam learns from Eric by seeing Eric come into his own identity and cease hiding who he is, allowing them both to live freely.
THEY’RE TOXIC: Their Relationship Began In Abuse
They may end up in love, but they begin in an abusive relationship; one defined by fear and cruelty in which Eric must dread walking down the halls every day just in case Adam stops him.
No relationship should begin in fear and resentment, and theirs is majorly characterized by it.
THEY’RE PERFECT TOGETHER: Adam Makes Eric Sparkle
Eric is dating a beautiful, kind boyfriend, and yet his mother notices that he doesn’t “sparkle” when his boyfriend is around.
It’s a beautiful observation to make, and one that only one’s closest friends and family would notice, sometimes even when the person themself doesn’t. Eric begins to recognize at this point that she’s right–because he has felt a sparkle before, and that’s around Adam.
THEY’RE TOXIC: Adam Hides Eric
Adam slowly reveals affection for Eric, but in ways that make Eric increasingly feel ashamed of who he is, a path that would be very unhealthy for any person, but particularly a queer person, to go down.
Adam would have Eric basically go back into the closet, and Eric had only just begun claiming his self-confidence. This does eventually cease, but there’s no guarantee it won’t come back.
THEY’RE PERFECT TOGETHER: They Make Each Other Laugh
The scene in season two where Adam looks at the poster and makes the same joke that Eric did earlier and which his own boyfriend hadn’t understood, is a perfect example of two people naturally clicking.
It’s something that so many strive for, and that many will spend countless fretful hours convincing themselves they have in their relationship–but most of the time, if it has to be thought of too much, it’s because it’s not there.
THEY’RE TOXIC: They Have No Communication
Their relationship is majorly defined by a lack of communication. The first time the two are intimate, it isn’t explicitly acknowledged and certainly not discussed later. They spend the majority of their time after this in a state of limbo because Adam is incapable of talking truthfully about how he feels.
Even when Adam makes a big romantic gesture for Eric, it’s out of nowhere and ends up hurting Eric’s boyfriend, who might have been easier spared with some person to person talking instead of a big show.
THEY’RE PERFECT TOGETHER: They Are Passionate
Many people say passion is over-rated, but those people are probably the same ones convincing themselves their relationship has a spark. Passion is exciting and a sign of mutual enthusiasm when shared with another.
Adam and Eric light up when they are acting freely around one another, a sign of how lovely they would be if they didn’t have to hide–which season three should offer more of a view into.
THEY’RE TOXIC: They Were Doomed From The Start
Eric and Adam might have had a shot at being a great couple one day, but the fact that Eric is Adam’s first person he is interested in after coming out, is in fact the reason he came out, puts their relationship on shaky ground.
The context of Adam coming out for Eric is messy and done in a moment of confusion and youthful excitement. It’s a big moment for Adam, but the romance he feels toward Eric has taken so long to be embraced that it might be idealized by this time.
THEY’RE PERFECT TOGETHER: They Sacrifice For Each Other
Adam’s actions are contradictory and problematic and often not in Eric’s best interest, but at the end of the day, he is a teenage boy who was raised by a controlling, verbally abusive father. This doesn’t explain his cruel behavior away, but it’s a harsh setting which would be hard to defy.
Adam takes a while, but he does eventually make the first great move in resisting the path he has been set on by his upbringing, and he does it for Eric. Eric, in turn, takes a chance on Adam by believing in his potential when others don’t.
THEY’RE TOXIC: Adam Is Inconsiderate
All of their relationship has been based on Adam’s terms. Adam abuses Eric, then decides he wants him sexually so makes a move on him. Adam plays with Eric’s emotions, acting as if he is interested in him then treating him poorly in public all the same. Adam decides to make time for Eric, but in the middle of the night so that nobody can see.
Adam proclaims his love for Eric, but in a crowded room where Eric might not have wanted his private business aired. Having no consideration for the other person’s preferences is a bad sign, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in season three.
