Few characters on Stranger Things are as likable as Dustin Henderson. Like the other kids on the show, Dustin has had to deal with a lot of crazy stuff in his young life, but he is usually a positive presence and a genuinely nice person. He is an easy guy to root for even if we don't always agree with what he's doing.
Dustin can usually be counted on to be a smart and reasonable person in the midst of all the chaos. But no one is perfect, and even Dustin can have the occasional bad idea. Here are some of Dustin's biggest mistakes on Stranger Things, and some of his shining moments.
Mistakes: Fighting Over Max
Like a lot of boys his age, Dustin has a hard time making sense of his own romantic feelings. We see him start to go down this road with the introduction of Max. Unfortunately, Dustin isn't the only one who develops feelings for the new girl in town.
Both Dustin and Lucas find themselves falling for Max, and it begins to affect their friendship. Though Dustin is often more clear-headed than his friends, he finds himself getting bitter and picking fights with Lucas. Though he is young and in love, Dustin should know there are more important things to worry about than girls.
Shining Moment: Forcing His Friends To Make Up
Though he had a short-lived feud with Lucas, Dustin is often the glue that holds this group of friends together. Once again, with the introduction of a girl, Eleven in this case, the group finds themselves at odds.
Lucas does not trust Eleven from the beginning, and thinks Mike is foolish for trusting her. The two friends fight over this frequently until Dustin steps in. He uses some tough love to tell his two friends they need to cut out all the immature squabbling, shake hands and go back to being pals.
Mistakes: New Hairdo
Dustin knows he is something of a social outcast, as are the rest of his friends. However, more than most of them, he seems to take this in stride, and allows himself to be happy with his own life. But the pressures of social life do occasionally get to him, which causes him to take some unwise moves to become more noticeable.
When it is time for the famous Snowball dance, Dustin decides to take a page from Steve Harrington's book and try out a new fancy hairdo. The look just isn't Dustin, and while it's understandable he made the change, it doesn't get the response he was hoping for. He would have been better off being himself.
Shining Moment: Dancing With Nancy
Despite not having much luck with the girls in school, Dustin has proven himself to be a genuinely good person, and there are people who know that. After getting turned down by some of the popular girls at school, Nancy Wheeler decides to ask Dustin to dance.
While it is a kind act from Nancy, it shows that Dustin can get back on his feet, and realize that he shouldn't feel bad about himself. It also doesn't hurt that all the girls who turned him down then see him dancing with the pretty older girl.
Mistakes: Sneaking Through A Vent
Dustin is a smart kid, which is an asset in many of these dangerous situations. Unfortunately, his curiosity sometimes gets the better of him, and he puts himself in those dangerous situations too often.
When Dustin and Steve try to follow the Russian bad guys through the mall, they come across a vent leading to a mysterious room. Without knowing what dangers await him, Dustin tries to squeeze through the vent. When he realizes he's too big, he recruits Erica, putting the young girl in danger as well.
Shining Moment: Calling Suzie
After striking out with girls at his own school for two seasons, Dustin finally gets himself a girlfriend while he was away at summer camp. Unfortunately, none of Dustin's friends actually believe that this girl named Suzie really exists.
However, when the group is in a bind, Dustin radios his genius girlfriend and, after a brief singalong, she provides information that will save the day. There was really no better way for Dustin to prove his new relationship and rub it in his friends' faces.
Mistakes: Spying On The Russians
When Dustin finds himself mixed up in all the supernatural danger of the Upside Down, he bears that responsibility well. He is always willing to jump into all kinds of risky scenarios in order to help save the day. However, sometimes it seems like he's just a silly kid looking for a new adventure.
When Dustin begins suspecting Russians have invaded Hawkins, he decides he is the right person to deal with that threat instead of informing responsible adults. He also doesn't seem to understand the danger of spying on trained killers as he never takes it too seriously.
Shining Moment: Saving Steve And Robin
It goes with saying that Dustin's curiosity in the Russian spies leads to him and his friends getting caught by the bad guys. Dustin and Erica are able to escape, but Steve and Robin are taken captive and interrogated. Alas, Dustin is not one to leave friends behind.
Armed with a high-tech taser weapon, Dustin creates a distraction before charging into the interrogation room and zapping the guards. It is a great moment of Dustin taking charge of the situation and showing how brave he is when others are in danger.
Mistakes: Keeping Dart
For Dustin, all of the mayhem he finds himself in the middle of seems to be met with a combination of horror and excitement. He is a young kid after all, so it's understandable that he would find monsters from another dimension pretty cool, even if they are trying to kill him. However, keeping a Demodog as a pet was clearly not a good idea.
To be fair to Dustin, he didn't know the creature (named D'artagnan or Dart) was a Demodog at first. Still, Dustin is a smart guy most of the time, and should have known it could be dangerous. Sadly, this leads to his poor cat getting eaten.
Shining Moment: Reuniting With Dart
Leave it to Dustin to somehow get a killer monster to like him. While keeping Dart was obviously not a good idea, the bond Dustin forms with the creature becomes valuable later on.
As Dustin and his friends as in the tunnels beneath Hawkins, they run into a small army of Demodogs. While escaping, they come face-to-face with Dart, who Dustin recognizes. Showing his bravery once again, Dustin calmly approaches the creature and gives it some candy so he and his friends can safely escape.