All Stranger Things Season 5 characters ranked from worst to best

With the Stranger Things Season 5 finale, Netflix has wrapped up its biggest show that spanned an entire decade. As fans move into the next year, the conversations around the Netflix blockbuster are still ongoing. Debating the character ends, analyzing the ambiguous ending for Eleven, and just appreciating the final season for everything that it was, the Netflix show is all over.

The Stranger Things Season 5 characters ranked

All of the Stranger Things Season 5 characters have had an emotional journey, some more so than others, so here's a look at all the characters ranked from the worst to the absolute G.O.A.T. this season.

Disclaimer: The rankings below are purely based on the author's personal opinions. Reader's discretion is advised.

14: Joyce Byers

If you'd asked me any other season, Joyce Byers would be the absolute best, a total icon, but for some reason, the majority of Stranger Things Season 5 found her reduced to a paranoid mom. Even though the final sequence of being the one to axe Vecna's head off with an iconic montage playing out was redeemable, that spark that made Joyce shine brighter than any other character has only dulled as the season continued.

13: Jonathan Byers

For all the trauma that the Byers have been through, Jonathan Byers was way less visible throughout the fifth season. His role is scaled back to focus on just his relationship with Nancy, or the lack of it, and his animosity with Steve. If we're really honest, the narrative of the show would remain the same with or without Jonathan (well, except Steve might be dead, but the plot armor would've found someone else to save him).

12: Robin Buckley

Robin had a much more interesting arc in the last two seasons, when we found her bickering with Steve, unlocking the Russian code, or teaming up with Nancy to solve the mystery around the Creel Family. However, Robin did have some special moments this season in her conversations with Will regarding her se*uality and unlocking crucial pieces of the puzzle regarding Max this season.

11: Jim Hopper

With every passing season, Hopper is unlocking a new level of overprotectiveness and holding back Eleven. Hopper has some of the most emotionally driven moments alongside Eleven in the final season and is one of the more important characters as he takes on a picture of reliability, protection, strength, and sacrifice.

10: Holly Wheeler

A significant portion of Stranger Things Season 5 centered on Holly Wheeler after she was targeted by Vecna as one of the children he used. She represented the young and the innocent of Hawkins that Vecna was targeting, but she also embodied bravery and strength by leading herself and her friends away from danger.

9: Nancy Wheeler

Nancy is the badass powerhouse this season, and she has grown into a smart, brave, and protective leader who has a lot of personal stake in the situation and does not hesitate before taking the lead in the fight, even if it means being used as bait for the Mind Flayer.

8: Steve Harrington

The absolute fan favorite, Steve Harrington, continues to lead this season, and his track with Dustin sets up as an emotional powerhouse. Add to that, his coming up with the plan to save the world was just an added bonus.

7: Lucas Sinclair

One of the main kids in the party, Lucas Sinclair, has grown into a strong, loyal, and dependable person. The bravery and love that he shows for Max in the hospital scene has us floored, to say the least.

6: Max Mayfield

Despite being in a "coma" for the majority of Stranger Things Season 5, Max Mayfield continues to be one of the greatest characters in the show. No wonder Lucas is obsessed with her. Her montage with Holly was truly inspiring. She also represented the very real cost of Vecna's actions in Hawkins.

5: Mike Wheeler

The heart of the group, Mike Wheeler, had a much better arc in Stranger Things Season 5 than in the last couple of seasons. Returning as the emotional anchor, who does not need to be in the thick of the action to be important to the narrative. Growing into the storyteller that we've known all this time, Mike had one of the most beautiful montages in the final epilogue of the series.

4: Dustin Henderson

The nerd of the group, who is often the one to figure out the mysteries that plague Hawkins, Dustin had a tough season emotionally, but he made it out in one piece and delivered the greatest valedictorian speech of all time.

3: Will Byers

The connecting link between Vecna and the Upside Down, Will has been an important character throughout Stranger Things, but Season 5 was the glow-up that his character had been building up to for the longest time. He is at the heart of the conflict, and Season 5 places him as such, giving crucial insight into Vecna, or Henry.

2: Eleven

Always the protagonist, Stranger Things Season 5 had her in the back with Will at the center for the first half of the season, but even though Eleven was quieter this season, her goal and her dedication were stronger than ever. She is one of the most important characters in the narrative that starts and ends with her.

1: Vecna/Henry

The embodiment of evil, Jamie Campbell Bower delivers an outstanding performance as Vecna/Henry in Stranger Things Season 5. As the force behind all the evil, Stranger Things Seasons 4 and 5 delved deeper into Henry's history, making him one of the greatest characters (albeit evil), but that didn't stop the audience from feeling sympathetic towards him as they learned more about the little boy.

An honorable mention to the scene stealer this season is none other than Dipshit Delightful Derek. This season would be half of what it was if Derek were not a part of the gang.

This was our version of all the Stranger Things characters, ranked from worst to best. Comment and let us know your thoughts on the same!

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