While Stranger Things has managed to pull off some impressive and unlikely redemption arcs over the years, the Netflix hit has never been able to fix the story of Jonathan Byers since his season 1 debut. Stranger Things might owe its inspiration to the teen movies of the ‘80s but the show subverts the character archetypes seen in John Hughes movies as often as the series plays into them. As if to pointedly underline this idea, Stranger Things season 3 cast ‘80s heartthrob Cary Elwes as the slimy, corrupt mayor of Hawkins, while Stranger Things season 2 cast the iconic Aliens villain Paul Reiser as a shady character who turned out to be a good guy.
However, some tropes are too beloved for Stranger Things to subvert, such as the bullied outcast’s big triumphant win. Eddie’s iconic Stranger Things 4 death proved that the misunderstood outsider did have the heart of gold that viewers always hoped he would, and this storyline proved that some clichés remained popular for good reason. However, Stranger Things failed to make the journey of its other, older lovable nerd character compelling. While Stranger Things has pulled off some unexpected redemption arcs over the show’s 4 seasons, the series has never managed to redeem a supporting star who was originally established as something of a creep.
Jonathan's Stranger Things Redemption Arc Has Failed
Jonathan Byers was easy to like early in Stranger Things season 1. A quiet, unassuming kid with a crush on his classmate and a missing brother, Charlie Heaton’s antihero is the sort of thinly-sketched nerd who would be at home as the hero of an ‘80s teen movie. While Steve’s Stranger Things redemption arc makes it tough to recall this, the character was originally a one-dimensional bully who broke Jonathan’s camera after catching the quiet kid spying on his party. However, while it was fun to see Jonathan kick Steve’s ass in season 1 and his relationship with Nancy started sweet, Stranger Things never actually redeemed his creepy conduct.
Steve breaking Jonathan’s camera was out of line, as he acknowledged by replacing it in the Stranger Things season 1 finale. However, Jonathan taking photos of Nancy was equally inappropriate and the characters of Stranger Things never addressed this fact. By the middle of season 3, Jonathan’s non-redemption was beginning to grate. Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship suffered due to Jonathan’s lack of faith in his girlfriend, while his inability to come out and tell Nancy about his post-high school plans in season 4 proved that he was still the same immature kid who accidentally stumbled upon Barb’s terrifying Stranger Things death. This makes rooting for Jonathan harder with each season.
Every Other Stranger Things Redemption Has Worked
Stranger Things has pulled off some truly great redemption arcs, as evidenced by the show’s earliest (and still most impressive) turnaround. Steve Harrington began life as a cliché jerk jock and gradually grew more likable until he became the almost unrecognizable fan-favorite supporting character that he was by season 4. Max’s erratic, unhinged brother Billy wasn’t as easily redeemed as Steve, and his Stranger Things season 2 role pretty much ensured he would need to do something spectacular to redeem himself. However, his efforts to resist the Mind Flayer’s control and his eventual self-sacrifice did save Eleven and ensured that unlike the earlier Stranger Things villain Dr. Brenner, Billy died a hero.
While Billy died to prove he wasn’t all bad in the finale, Stranger Things season 3 also turned Hopper into a boorish, drunk-driving bully who tried to pressure Joyce into dating him and threatened Mike instead of listening to his adoptive daughter. However, Stranger Things season 4 managed to redeem this cartoonish-ly macho version of Hopper by planting him in a Russian prison where he was quickly humbled and ended up reflecting on the traumas that drove his excessive aggression. Hopper’s pushy treatment of Joyce and his refusal to listen to her theories in season 3 may have been worse than Jonathan’s actions, but Stranger Things then subsequently changed his character.
How Stranger Things 5 Can Finally Redeem Jonathan
The fact that Stranger Things 5 opens with a time jump should help Jonathan’s story since this gives the character time to grow and mature. When Heaton’s supporting character was introduced back in Stranger Things season 1, Jonathan was an undeniably imperfect character who saw nothing wrong with photographing Nancy unawares. However, he was also a parental child who did a lot of caring for his little brother Will thanks to the financial strain his family was under. Jonathan continued to provide for his family throughout Stranger Things season 3, even noting to Nancy that he couldn’t afford to lose his job at the Hawkins Post.
This element of Jonathan’s character is his most appealing trait as, even when the character has been stuck in arrested development for years when it comes to romance, he has always been willing to go the extra mile when it comes to his family. While the Stranger Things season 4 finale didn’t bode well for Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship, Jonathan’s redemption need not come at the expense of his romantic life. If Jonathan and Nancy are still together by the start of Stranger Things season 5, the character needs to bring some of this maturity to his relationship with Nancy and show his girlfriend the same commitment that he offers his family.
Stranger Things 5 Should Lean Into Jonathan’s Good Side
When Will obliquely came out to his brother in Stranger Things season 4, a nonplussed Jonathan dropped the silly stoner persona he had adopted throughout the rest of the season to reassure his brother that he would always love and support him no matter what. It was a poignant, effective moment, particularly after Will’s disastrous earlier conversation with Mike, and a scene that proved Jonathan can be a caring presence in the lives of his loved ones. While Stranger Things almost killed Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship with the character’s season 4 indecision, Jonathan could salvage the pair’s story in Stranger Things season 5 if he brought this thoughtfulness to his love life.