That ‘90s Show’s Nate & Nikki Repeat Donna & Eric’s Worst ‘70s Show Fight
Nate and Nikki have a heartfelt discussion about their future in That '90s Show, which mirrors a tragic fight between Donna & Eric in That '70s Show.
Nate and Nikki have a deep conversation in That ‘90s Show season 1 that emulates a relationship-ending fight between Donna and Eric in That ‘70s Show. Many of the group dynamics, relationships, and fun storylines in That ‘90s Show season 1 have been carried over from That ‘70s Show, including the specific keg plot in the spinoff’s pilot episode. By repeating That ‘90s Show’s storylines, the spinoff is emphasizing that the clothes and music may be different, but teenagers never really change – including what they fight about.
Similar to Donna and Eric or, initially, Jackie and Kelso, That ‘90s Show season 1’s main couple is Nate and Nikki. By the time the Netflix sitcom begins, Nikki and Nate have already been dating for six months, though That ‘70s Show’s spinoff hints there’s already an expiration date on their romance. In That ‘90s Show season 1, episode 7, Nate becomes extremely insecure in his relationship with Nikki because he’s worried she’ll leave him behind. When trying to cement their future together, Nate only makes matters worse in their relationship, repeating a costly error made by Eric in That ‘70s Show.
Nate & Eric Both Needed Nikki & Donna To Say They’d Be Together Forever
When confronting Nikki about his fears that she’ll leave him behind when she goes to college, That ’90s Show‘s character Nate says that he needs her to tell him that they’ll always be together. This moment of desperation is familiar to That ‘90s Show’s universe, as Eric tried the same tactic with Donna in That ‘70s Show’s season 3 finale. Trying to seal their commitment to one another, Eric bought Donna a promise ring to signal that they would always be together, but Donna rejected it. Eric kept saying that he needed to know they would be together in the future, but Donna couldn’t give him that assurance, leading That ‘70s Show’s couple to break up.
Nikki similarly doesn’t give Nate a confirmation that they’ll stay together forever, or even when she leaves for college. Rather, That ‘90s Show’s scholarly character Nikki states that she doesn’t know what will happen, but she loves him and wants that assurance to be enough. Unlike Leia’s parents Donna and Eric, the disagreement about their future doesn’t cause Nate and Nikki to break up in That ‘90s Show’s ending, but it does nearly cause an irreparable rift in their romance.
Nate’s Insecurities Are Already Way Worse Than Eric’s
Nate may not have broken up with Nikki for refusing to commit to him long-term, but his actions in That ‘90s Show’s season 1 finale are already worse than Eric’s response to Donna’s rejection. After being insecure in his relationship with Nikki and upset by her inability to choose him forever, Nate develops romantic feelings for his new next-door neighbor Leia Forman. In fact, the pair are only inches away from kissing in That ‘90s Show season 1’s ending until Gwen walks in on them. All this is happening while Nate is still supposedly devoted to Nikki, with Nate seemingly even failing to tell the truth about almost cheating on her.
Eric’s insecurities and pride may have led him to break up with Donna, but Nate’s have led him to nearly cheat on his girlfriend with his best friend’s girlfriend. Since Nate is still afraid of being alone, he isn’t apt to tell Nikki about almost kissing Leia, so his lying is even worse than Eric’s prideful breakup. Nate is a confused kid who truly just wants someone to love him the way he loves them, but the way he’s going about it is entirely wrong, even though it makes sense for an inexperienced 16-year-old with abandonment issues. Still, Nate’s response to rejection is gearing up to cause far more issues than it did for Eric before That ‘90s Show.
Will Nate & Nikki Still Be Together In That ’90s Show Season 2?
That ‘90s Show season 1’s ending implies that Nate now has stronger romantic feelings for Leia than Nikki, but, since Leia is going back to Chicago and is still dating Jay, he won’t act it. It’s highly unlikely that Nate will tell Nikki about what happened with Leia, so they’re expected to still be together when That ‘90s Show season 2 begins. However, Leia and Jay likely won’t stay together throughout the school year, meaning she’s apt to be single when she returns to Point Place.
Even if Nikki and Nate are still together at the start of That ‘90s Show season 2, the sitcom is setting up Nate and Leia’s romance, which will most likely come to fruition by the end of the next batch of episodes. It doesn’t seem that Nikki and Nate will have a happy ending like That ’70s Show‘s Eric and Donna, as That ‘90s Show’s teens are more likely to be dating new people in the show’s future. Instead, it would be a wild twist if Nate ended up with Leia and Nikki ended up with Jay, offering a major shake-up in the gang’s dynamic.
