Unpopular Friends Opinion Suggests Rachel Was Way More Toxic Than Ross
In Friends, Ross and Rachel have a long and tumultuous relationship. While many fans of the show have long viewed Ross as the villain of the relationship, there is an unpopular opinion on Reddit that suggests Rachel was actually the more toxic partner.
The main argument for this viewpoint is that Rachel consistently showed a lack of respect for Ross's feelings and boundaries. One Redditor notes how she frequently led him on, even when she was dating other men. She also made little effort to understand or empathize with his struggles, and often dismissed his concerns as insignificant.
The post then proceeds to unpack how she often used her friendships with the other characters to her advantage, frequently lying and manipulating them for her own gain. They also highlighted Rachel's willingness to sabotage every relationship Ross found himself in, and even goes as far as blaming her for her pregnancy.
The post did not provide a lot of evidence to back these claims and was written at a very surface level at best. That enraged many Redditors who jumped to Rachel's defense.
Ross Was No Saint
Critics of this viewpoint argue that Rachel was simply a complex and flawed character and that her actions were a result of her personal growth and development. Replies to the thread also point out that Ross's actions were not always exemplary, and that he too made mistakes in their relationship.
Many called out Ross's tendency to be controlling and possessive in their relationship.
One Redditor took Ross to task for acting jealous and insecure, creating a wall fuelled by his trust issues. They proceeded to say that the worst thing a man can do is show that he does not trust his woman and that his distrust caused Rachel significant emotional pain.
Additional comments speak about him being unfaithful to her multiple times, and that his actions contributed to the collapse of their relationship.
He Brought It Upon Himself
While Ross and Rachel's relationship was certainly a roller coaster of emotions, and both brought some negativity to the table, the consensus is that it was Ross who was a bad partner to Rachel.
His possessive, selfish, deceitful acts caused Rachel pain that fuelled her resentment and jealousy. Her desire to sabotage his happiness was an act of reciprocity for all he had inflicted upon her.
With that being said, it is always important to look at a story from multiple perspectives. With a show such as Friends, unpopular opinions provide a unique spin that allows fans to analyze a perspective other than the consensus.