Steve is the quintessential TV bad boy, in a way. Rarely taking no for an answer as he pursues and seduces the nice girl. While the introverted Jonathan stares longingly at her from a distance. With that original setup, you wouldn’t be a fool to assume that Nancy would end up with Jonathan, but she chooses Steve.
Let’s take a look at how Steve remodelled the reoccuring trope in the Netflix hit, STRANGER THINGS.
From “cool” to now “a real jerk,” Dustin and Lucas blame Nancy’s change in character on her involvement with Steve, who isn’t described in the best light. Isn’t your other half supposed to bring out the best in you?
Even Barb, Nancy’s best friend, isn’t Steve’s biggest fan. Maybe she’s worried that she’ll be left behind for a cooler crowd, or she’s just being a protective pal.
Although initiated by Nancy, they do end up sleeping together. But the morning after leaves little to be desired. Steve’s most likely exhausted from a wild night, but you’d think he’d give Nancy some form of acknowledgment following her first time.
The next day as she walks the school corridor with girls staring at her, there’s concern that Barb was right. Fear and regret is visible on Nancy’s face as she wonders if she was just a conquest, but then this happens. Now you’re thinking he does care for Nancy.Â
But then he reverts to douchebag mode by smashing Jonathan’s camera. In Steve’s defence, he was taking photos of them without their consent or knowledge, but it was executed poorly.
Continuing his douchebag streak, after climbing up to Nancy’s bedroom window and seeing Jonathan with his arm around her, Steve jumps to the wrong conclusion and allows Tommy to go to town with spray paint.Â
The friends you keep says a lot about you as a person, and they can also bring out the the best or worst in you. Tommy and Carol encapsulate the mean kids, and they might’ve heavily influenced Steve’s bad behaviour, but he eventually comes to his senses…
…and starts to make amends. Beginning with Nancy.
And then Jonathan, if not at the wrong time.
There’s nothing quite like a near death experience to make you appreciate what you have, as Steve appears just in time to save Nancy.Â
Steve certainly changed for the better, ditching his “friends” who dragged him down and disrespected Nancy, so was it right that she didn’t end up with Jonathan?Â
Human beings are flawed and, much like Steve, Jonathan is not without his own faults. Like when he was in the woods trying to find clues on the whereabouts of Will and ending up taking photos of Nancy with Steve.Â
You could argue that their relationship was purely platonic, with a closeness born out of a shared interest to find their loved ones. I don’t buy it and neither does Florence.
With talk of a second series, a Jonathan/Nancy romance might still happen. But who do you think Nancy should be with –
Jonathan?
Or Steve?
