In what's been called the series' penultimate season, Stranger Things 4 is set to release in two parts - May 27th, 2022 and July 1st, 2022. The hit Netflix series and the 2017 remake of the iconic film It tell two entirely different stories. However, both center around a small town where not everything is as quiet and suburban as it seems. Hawkins, IN is the hub of secret government experiments and strange supernatural forces while Derry, ME is home to an evil entity that takes the shape of a person's darkest fears.
One of the elements that make Stranger Things so special is the kids that make up "the party." Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Will, and eventually Eleven and Max - their teenage bickering and wit settle in fans' hearts and provide them with nostalgia, reminding them of what adolescence is like. Interestingly, their party resembles another friend group fans of It come to know as "The Losers' Club."
Mike - Bill
If this pair's worlds were to collide, they'd find they have much in common. They're both picked on at school and they seem to be the person in their group that brings everyone together in the first place. Mike insists that Will is still out there with the same fervor that Bill insists his brother isn't dead.
What makes both Stranger Things and It fun to watch is that there is no set "number one" in each group; everyone brings something to the table. Yet, Mike and Bill are the first to take charge. Fans get the sense that it's because they're trustworthy and genuine; the audience knows they are the best kind of friend to have in your corner.
Eleven - Beverly
When fans meet both Eleven and Beverly they are outsiders. El has just escaped Hawkins lab and has no one to turn to, while Beverly has a troubled home life and is bullied at school. They stick to themselves because they are slow to trust others on account of what they've been through.
As strong females, they take pride and pleasure in helping lead the pack (even if they both came upon theirs late), making tough decisions, corralling the group, and reminding them of the grit they have inside. Fans would agree that both Eleven and Beverly are born fighters, with Eleven proving time and time again that she's Stranger Things' bravest character.
Steve - Eddie
Whereas Eddie from It is a bit of a hypochondriac and Steve in Stranger Things is a typical jock when fans first meet him, these two share an unexpected quiet strength. Each of them is the kind of character that surprises the audience in the best way. Their courage comes through when the rest of the group needs it most.
Eddie literally takes one for the team in It Chapter Two, sacrificing himself for his friends and Steve steps up and constantly puts himself in the line of fire in both seasons 2 and 3, becoming one of Stranger Things' best characters in the process. When it matters, they both put their fears aside and come to the rescue.
Jonathan - Stanley
These two are the quietest characters in their story world. Jonathan is a loner who takes pictures of those around him. Stanley usually has the least to say, but it can't be discounted that he's still there. He shows up.
In many ways, their roles take a backseat, but their faithful presence says more than what they don't say. Both Jonathan and Stanley may be soft and reticent, but more importantly, they're always quietly observing.
Lucas - Ben
While every member of the Stranger Things party is known to express their inner nerd (Erica Sinclair certainly reminds them of this), Lucas Sinclair, much like Ben Hanscom, is the member of their group who leads with logic, making sure everything has been thought through.
While Lucas, one of Stranger Things' most likable characters, is part of the pack when fans meet him whereas Ben is more of a loner, spending his time whiling away in the public library, both tend to be the voice of reason in their respective friend groups.
Dustin - Richie
Perhaps the loudest and most boisterous of their groups, these two give the audience the comic relief they need in two stories filled with terror and drama. Dustin, known for his funniest quotes, has a penchant for sarcasm and cussing and Richie has the same love for sarcasm as well as impressions.
They're the characters that remind the audience that although they're dealing with some heavy trauma, they're still kids. Kids who laugh and fight and find joy in games like Dungeons & Dragons or by simply riding their bikes through the streets of Derry. Both Dustin and Richie provide the charm that makes fans want to be a member in each group.
Will - Georgie
Even though Georgie is never technically part of The Losers' Club the way that Will is a member of The Party, both characters are a catalyst for the plot in each story. Bill never recovers from his brother Georgie going missing and is determined to find out what really happened, and Will is the first one the Demogorgon attacks in season 1.
Throughout each season, Will is repeatedly haunted by his disappearance in the Upside Down and for years, Georgie is stuck floating with all the other kids in the sewers underneath Derry. They've each got that underdog story that everyone else in the group is willing to rally around.
Troy - Henry Bowers
Every good adolescent story needs a typical, single-minded bully. In Stranger Things season 1, fans get Troy, most known for unwittingly peeing his pants in the school gym thanks to El. In It, fans have Henry Bowers, a local teenager whose idea of bullying is a bit more dark and twisted.
When the audience meets Troy, they get the sense he's been antagonizing The Party for years, that they've learned to take it. The same is true for Henry and his treatment of The Losers' Club. These two resemble each other in that they take their personal frustrations out on others with the facade that it's "fun." They get a satisfaction from it. Perhaps it's what they were taught to do or the kind of environment they grew up in, telling fans that like all bullies, they're mostly bark and no bite.
The Mind Flayer - Pennywise
While Stranger Things is known for its human villains (Dr. Brenner, the Russians, etc.) the story always goes back to the creatures lurking in the Upside Down. While the Demogorgon wreaks plenty of its own havoc, it doesn't quite capture the same terror as The Mind Flayer who becomes the villain in both seasons 2 and 3.
Some of The Mind Flayer's most memorable attacks are when he latches onto Will in season two or when he controls Billy in season 3, who then gets an entire army of Hawkins citizens under its control. In this way, it most closely reminds fans of Pennywise, how easily these villains get into a person's head, controlling what they see and feel, how they act. Fans could argue this kind of psychological torture makes for the most catastrophic kind of villain.