Character Relationship Map: mid90s

Characters

• Stevie (played by Sunny Suljic) — protagonist

  13-year-old protagonist who lives with his abusive brother and single mother. Discovers skateboarding and joins a local group, earning the nickname 'Sunburn'. He experiments with drugs, alcohol, and s...

• Dabney (played by Katherine Waterston) — protagonist

  Stevie's single mother. She forbids her son from associating with the skateboarders after his self-harm incident. Later, she visits him in the hospital and encourages his friends to see him, showing a...

• Ian (played by Lucas Hedges) — supporting

  Stevie's older, physically abusive brother. He initially intimidates the skaters but later gets into a violent fight with Stevie after a party. He experiences an emotional breakdown regarding Stevie's...

• Ray (played by Na-kel Smith) — supporting

  Charismatic leader of the skate group who nicknames Stevie 'Sunburn'. He comforts Stevie about his family situation and shares his own trauma of losing a younger brother. He attempts to pursue profess...

• Fuckshit (played by Olan Prenatt) — supporting

  Loudmouth member of the skate crew known for reckless partying. He intimidates Ian initially, embarrasses Ray during a sponsor pitch, and provokes a fight. His drunk driving leads to a severe car cras...

• Ruben (played by Gio Galicia) — supporting

  Experienced skater who introduces Stevie to the crew but grows resentful of his inclusion. His mother is an abusive drug addict. He gets into a physical brawl with Stevie at the skate shop party, high...

• Fourth Grade (played by Ryder McLaughlin) — supporting

  Quiet, extremely poor member of the group who cannot afford socks. He documents the crew's daily lives and skate sessions on camera. At the end, he screens his edited footage titled 'Mid90s' for every...

• Estee (played by Alexa Demie) — supporting

  Older teenage girl who shares a party with Stevie. She experiences her first kiss and sexual encounter with him, marking a moment of teenage exploration and transition for the protagonist.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Stevie → Estee (Romantic Sexual Encounter) — Estee represents Stevie's first major romantic and sexual transition.

  At a party, Stevie has his first kiss and sexual experience with the older teenage girl Estee.

• Ray → Fourth Grade (Power Crew Leader And Member) — Their relationship reflects Ray's leadership over the quieter member.

  Ray is described as the charismatic leader, while Fourth Grade is described as a member of the group.

• Ray → Ruben (Power Crew Leader And Member) — Ray occupies the group's leadership position over Ruben.

  Ray leads the skate group while Ruben is one of the boys introduced as part of that group.

• Stevie → Ian (Family Younger Brother) — Their sibling relationship combines abuse, resentment, loneliness, and later comfort.

  Ian is described as Stevie's physically abusive older brother.

• Stevie → Dabney (Family Son) — Stevie is Dabney's adolescent son, and their relationship becomes strained by his risky behavior.

  Dabney is identified as Stevie's single mother and lives with him in Los Angeles.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Dabney → Fourth Grade (Social Facilitated Visitor) — Dabney temporarily accepts the friends as part of Stevie's support network.

  At the hospital, Dabney sees Stevie's sleeping friends and encourages them to visit his room.

• Fuckshit → Fourth Grade (Social Crew Mate) — They are connected through the crew's collective parties and adventures.

  Fuckshit and Fourth Grade are both members of the skate group and travel with the group after the party.

• Ruben → Fourth Grade (Social Crew Mate) — They share the crew's social environment and activities.

  Ruben and Fourth Grade are both introduced as members of the skate group surrounding Ray.

• Ian → Fuckshit (Conflict Intimidated Rival) — Fuckshit helps expose Ian's vulnerability when the family conflict enters the skate crew's world.

  Ian has a tense standoff with Fuckshit, but Ian appears intimidated by the group and leaves.

• Ray → Fuckshit (Conflict Crew Leader And Disruptor) — Fuckshit's behavior undermines Ray's ambitions and authority.

  Fuckshit embarrasses Ray while Ray is speaking with potential sponsors, and Ray becomes discouraged by his friends' reckless behavior.

• Stevie → Fourth Grade (Alliance Crew Member) — They share membership in the skate crew and its recorded memories.

  Fourth Grade is introduced as part of the group Stevie joins, and later shows Stevie the crew's filmed adventures.

• Stevie → Fuckshit (Alliance Crew Member) — Stevie belongs to the same crew as Fuckshit despite their dangerous group dynamic.

  Fuckshit is introduced as part of the skate group Stevie joins, and Stevie travels with him and the others after the party.

• Stevie → Ruben (Alliance Introduced Friend) — Ruben initially serves as Stevie's entry point into the skate crew.

  Ruben introduces Stevie to Ray, Fuckshit, and Fourth Grade after meeting him at the skate shop.

• Stevie → Ray (Social Friend) — Ray becomes Stevie's most important source of acceptance outside his family.

  Ray welcomes Stevie into the skate group, gives him the nickname Sunburn, consoles him, and takes him skating at night.

Story Analysis

Stevie searches for belonging through skateboarding while confronting family violence, reckless adolescence, and the fragile support of friendship.

Plot Progression

1. Finding a Skateboard World — Stevie encounters the skaters outside Motor Avenue Skateshop and trades for a skateboard. Ruben introduces him to the crew, and Ray gives him the nickname Sunburn.
2. Dangerous Imitations — Stevie imitates the crew's reckless behavior and is injured attempting a rooftop trick. He begins using substances and has a formative encounter with Estee.
3. The Family Breaks — Stevie's intoxication leads to a violent fight with Ian and a self-harm attempt. Dabney responds by forbidding contact with the skate crew, but Stevie rejects her order.
4. A Brief Sense of Belonging — Ray comforts Stevie by describing the other boys' hardships and shares a nighttime skate with him. The crew then reunites for a party where Ray's ambitions and group tensions collide.
5. The Crash and the Film — Fuckshit's intoxicated driving ends in a severe crash that sends Stevie to the hospital. Ian, Dabney, and the crew gather around Stevie before Fourth Grade screens their recorded memories.