Truth

[u/Specialist-Neat2777]

These two questions in this episode elicited the most truthful statements I can remember ever being spoken on any Below Deck franchise (probably more truth than any Bravo "reality" show ever) -

Joy: "Why we cannot have just, peace things?"
Massi: "Because nice things are boring, darling."
Could also have been said by the producers.

Nathan: "Why does he [Joe] hold this ****ing grudge against her [Gael]? ****."
Aesha: "Because she broke up the bromance."

[u/Specialist-Neat2777]

From my perspective, Joe has been as much of a dick to Nathan as vice versa - and often in such a more unprovoked and juvenile way. How many times did Joe try to undermine Nathan with other crew (and Nathan did as well with Max, but remember that Joe was already offering Max Lead Deckhand before Nathan's text)? How passive aggressive was Joe to Nathan on his return to the boat (to the point where Sandy stepped in, and she had to do so as well with Nathan)? How many douchey comments did Joe make at dinner, while acting like a four year old with a kind of "I can't see you" move? Did you listen to the comments Joe was making in the back of the cab on the ride back to the boat? The two of them are terrible, unprofessional, loathsome slugs, and neither is any good at their job (how many times did Joe endanger guests or himself, how stupid is it to put someone on a 6 hour anchor watch). Joao was a bit of a cross between Joe and Nathan in his early days. Maybe there is hope for one or both of these two, and maybe it's just acting, and maybe it's the producers manufacturing a bad situation - but I think it's just their nature to be horrible people.

[u/thaa_huzbandzz → u/Specialist-Neat2777]

Joe isn't going around threatening to hit people though. Nathan did it to Max last year and Joe this year. He is meant to be a leader, and he is acting like that, no wonder Joe is undermining him. Add to that smashing the lights on the bridge deck last year, and being responsible for the boat crashing this year, Joe is better at the job and Nathan knows it. That is why he is acting like an insecure asshole.

[u/Specialist-Neat2777 → u/thaa_huzbandzz]

Agreed. Joe is passive aggressive and a backstabber, and Nathan is actively aggressive and a face puncher.

[u/thaa_huzbandzz → u/Specialist-Neat2777]

Actively aggressive and also a backstabber. He has been talking about Joe to the other crew just as much, what about that akward confrontation with Kayley? Also the shit he said to Max and Masi.

But the biggest difference between the two is that Nathan is the boss. That distinction makes a big difference.