Stranger Things Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) doesn’t need Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) or Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) to make her story interesting. In season 1, Nancy was introduced as a smart and cautious high schooler who’s head over heels for Hawkins High’s resident pretty boy, Steve Harrington. When her best friend Barbara Holland (Shannon Purser) mysteriously disappears during a party, it leads her and the loner Jonathan Byers on a quest to find their missing loved ones. Nancy and Steve break up prior to Nancy and Jonathan acting out on their feelings, and they end up in a relationship for the most part of Stranger Things season 2 and season 3.

Fast-forward to Stranger Things season 4, Nancy’s relationship with Jonathan is tested by distance as the latter moves to California. With Jonathan’s apparent absence and preoccupation, Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) and basically the entire Team Hawkins have dropped not-so-subtle hints telling Steve to get back together with Nancy. The show’s decision to push Steve’s hopeless romantic narrative in Nancy’s direction has revived season 1’s love triangle plot that frankly should have stayed in season 1.

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As a force to be reckoned with on her own, Nancy has more than proven her worth regardless of her romantic entanglements. Granted that both Steve and Jonathan have contributed to Nancy’s overall character growth, it doesn’t mean that her season 5 storyline should remain chained to any of these boys’ affections to be recognized as a vital member of the gang. Stranger Things has clearly shown that Nancy Wheeler is not a damsel in distress in need of a knight in shining armor. In spite of this well-established fact, the show’s creators have effectively derailed Nancy’s character autonomy by consistently tying her down to either Jonathan or Steve in Stranger Things, whoever was convenient. Nancy deserves a higher purpose than to be the object of these boys’ desires, and her character’s ending should deliver as such.

Nancy's Stranger Things Ending Has To Be More Than Jonathan and Steve

Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan in Stranger Things

Steve and Jonathan aren’t the highlights of Nancy’s storyline. It’s Nancy’s brilliant detective skills, resilient determination, and heart of gold that sets her as one of Stranger Things' best characters. Apart from successfully solving the mystery of Barbara’s disappearance and death, Nancy’s stint as an intern in the Hawkins’ Post in season 3 solidified her knack for investigative journalism – as a studious student, her attention to detail and learned hunches have saved just as many lives as Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) telekinetic powers. Despite Nancy being belittled by the Hawkins’ Post employees because of her gender, their misogyny further fueled her ambition to be better than all of them.

What’s more, Nancy isn’t one to shy away from gunning down Demogorgons, Demodogs, and Demobats. Most prominent among her targets is Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), who she repeatedly shoots down with a shotgun in the Stranger Things season 4 finale. She is also the reason that Team Hawkins uncovered the story of Victor Creel (Robert Englund) and his son Henry/One/Vecna through Nancy and Robin's interview with Victor at Pennhurst Mental Hospital. Even Vecna praised her detective work (for finding his father) during the short period when Nancy's mind was held hostage by him in the Upside Down.

At the heart of Nancy’s character is her unparalleled resolve to never again lose someone at the hands of the monsters lurking in Hawkins from the Upside Down. The trauma and guilt that she silently endured after Barb’s death have been a constant reminder for her to protect the ones she loves, especially if there is anything she can do about it. Limiting Stranger Things' complex heroine Nancy Wheeler to being a mere love interest for either Steve or Jonathan is an insult to her and the audience. The Duffer Brothers should throw out the love triangle angle while they still can.