Fans of Stranger Things will be glad to know that the Duffer Brothers have revealed story details about the fifth season. Still, it will be some time before Stranger Things 5 premieres and the plot is still reeling from the fourth season. Jonathan Byers didn’t have the most significant arc this time around, but the character remains beloved for being a lovable loner.
Interestingly enough, Jonathan has had several insightful quotes that offer a way to understand how his mind works. This ranges from words about how he perceives the world to Jonathan displaying his softer side during conversations with Will and Nancy. It’s worth checking these out to appreciate the multifaceted quality of Jonathan that many might not be aware of.
When Jonathan Quoted Murray To Deal With His Challenges
"We've Got Shared Trauma...What's A Little More?"
The popular opinion is that Jonathan is a character who deserved better in Stranger Things 4 since his romance with Nancy was completely sidelined. Still, he had some wise words to say in the previous season’s finale when he and Nancy were being separated.
Jonathan quoted Murray to let his love interest know that he was hoping they could work through the thousands of miles of distance that stood between them. Jonathan is inherently a cynical person, but part of his character development has been for him to open himself up and hope for the best.
When Jonathan Knew How To Cheer Will Up
"I Made You A New Mixtape."
Jonathan’s sensitive side comes out best when he’s around his younger brother. He feels responsible for making Will feel safe and happy, going to different lengths to make sure he accomplishes it. After Will was saved from the Upside Down, Jonathan made a mixtape for Will to cheer him up.
It’s not the kind of act he’s normally associated with, but the quote goes to show that there is a greater depth to Jonathan’s personality than he lets on. When it comes to his brother, Jonathan’s caring side is evident and he will say and do things that leave no doubt of the affection he has for his family.
When Jonathan Was Proud About Being Himself
"Being A Freak Is The Best! I'm A Freak!"
Jonathan can relate to feeling ostracized because of the loner status he had lived with. When he found Will feeling alienated from everyone else after his experience in the Upside Down, Jonathan assured him that being different wasn’t a bad thing by any means.
Jonathan thinks out of the box and would rather be right on his own than be wrong as part of a crowd. He didn’t think that being deemed as a freak was something to feel embarrassed about, and Jonathan saw it as the world not perceiving the true potential in a person.
When Jonathan Understands Will's Dilemma And Supports Him
"You're My Brother And I Love You. And There's Nothing, Absolutely Nothing, That Will Ever Change That."
The fourth season had Jonathan admit to many of his mistakes in Stranger Things, one of them being the distance he formed with Will after their move from Hawkins. He decided to rectify this by having a heart-to-heart with his brother, where Jonathan offered his unconditional support.
Jonathan noticed Will’s feelings for Mike in the car and wanted to let him know that he would be there no matter what. He’d realized that Will was hiding how he felt because he thought Jonathan wouldn’t care and set out to fix the situation by subtly telling his brother that there was nothing to fear about Will wanting to live his truth.
Jonathan Doesn't Conform To Stereotypical Masculinity
"He Made Me Kill A Rabbit. I Guess He Thought It Would Make Me Into More Of A Man...I Cried For A Week."
Jonathan seems like he would be a tough guy on the outside due to his loner tendencies, but the truth is that he’s quite an emotional person. He revealed to Nancy that he couldn’t get over shooting a rabbit that his father had forced him to hunt, which made him cry for a week.
Although he said it as an offhand comment, Jonathan clearly held the memory very fresh in his mind. He might like to keep people away, but it doesn’t mean that Jonathan actually enjoys watching anyone get hurt or lose their life. It’s just that Jonathan prefers to bottle up these memories so that he wouldn’t have to think about them.
Jonathan Voices Out The Cluelessness Of A Teenager
"What's The Internet?"
Jonathan isn’t shy about asking questions even if it makes him sound silly. He doesn’t claim to know about everything and is one of the characters the show uses to create scenes of exposition, as Jonathan has the tendency to ask aloud about the things that puzzle him.
When the characters were at Suzie’s place to try and find Eleven, Jonathan was lost in the former’s ramblings about the internet. To this, Jonathan simply asked what the internet was supposed to be, showing his curious nature and also reminding viewers that the show was set at a time when the internet was known to barely anyone.
Jonathan Takes His Time To Trust People
"I Don't Like Most People. He's In The Vast Majority."
Being an outsider pretty much summed up Jonathan’s personality when Stranger Things started out. He didn’t trust or like people apart from those who had proved themselves to him. When confronted by Nancy over Jonathan’s dislike of Steve, he had this quote to say.
It also went to show how hurt Jonathan was by the abandonment of his father since it began his knack for distrusting people. On the flip side, the ones he does come to like are special because Jonathan will do absolutely anything for them since they were able to push through the walls he’d built for himself.
When Jonathan Reveals How He Views People
"Sometimes, People Don't Really Say What They're Really Thinking. But You Capture The Right Moment, It Says More."
Jonathan’s peers thought of him as a weirdo who liked to take pictures of people from afar. While that doesn’t sound so good on paper, he gave a good reason to Nancy why he preferred taking pictures. According to Jonathan, people’s real emotions could be understood from a certain point of view.
Nancy was fascinated by his passion for photography and was impressed when he claimed that he liked seeing the layers of people through their pictures. Jonathan didn’t really get how others’ minds worked but he could try and understand them better the way he knew best.
Jonathan Puts His Family Above His Relationship
"I Just Can't Leave My Mom And Brother To Chase A Dream That Isn't Mine."
While it varies who fans think is the best Stranger Things character, Jonathan should rank high in terms of those who can be counted on. His relationship with Nancy was heavily tested in Stranger Things 4, as the distance between them got Jonathan to reevaluate his choices.
Jonathan confessed to Argyle that he was having second thoughts about moving for Nancy’s sake and worried that the unhappy situation that would cause could result in the pair resenting each other. Mainly, though, Jonathan didn’t want to leave his mother and brother behind. His family has been his greatest strength and Jonathan is a person who will feel lost without them.
Jonathan Raises Will's Spirits
"Nobody Normal Ever Accomplished Anything Meaningful In This World."
In the conversation about Will’s depression at being left out, Jonathan made his brother see that a person’s uniqueness should be appreciated. He noted that the people that are the most interesting are far from normal and it’s the ones who stand out that accomplish great things.
This got Will out of his doldrums and showed the way Jonathan reconciled the challenges of the world in his mind. He also had doubts about his self-worth but found enough motivation to not only keep himself going but to offer words of advice to those with similar problems.