The Duffer Brothers reveals how Nancy and Jonathan are doing in Stranger Things Season 5

Stranger Things: The First Shadow - Broadway Opening Night - Source: Getty
Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton - Source: Getty

Pick up your old walkie-talkies, Stranger Things Season 5 is taking us back to Hawkins once again and the Duffer Brothers are finally spilling some details. Stranger Things Season 5 is already hinting that it will be the largest and most insane season so far, which inevitably makes us wonder: what happens to Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton)?

The Duffers and the cast have talked of huge fights, emotional scenes, and some of the unexpected twists to our favorite characters. They have not revealed much about the plot, but have left enough hints, be it the set photos, or in interviews to demonstrate that Nancy and Jonathan are not to be shuffled off to the background as the world collapses around them.


Nancy & Jonathan’s relationship check and emotional stakes in Stranger Things Season 5

There have been occasional strains in Nancy and Jonathan's relationship, although never harsh, rather sweet most of the time. However, during Stranger Things Season 5, it will be pushed to the limit. The Duffers and the cast have alluded that the last season will not merely be about fighting monsters, but to a larger extent, the season will put relationships and friendships to the test. This implies that Nancy and Jonathan will probably have rough times together.

In a recent conversation with TVInsider, Matt Duffer, regarding Jonathan and Nancy, stated:

“He lied to her. All is not well. Steve has big hero moments. And there’s this unrequited love for Nancy.”

Their bond would either become stronger with better understanding and communication or end in a separation, or both at different stages. The Stranger Things Season 5 creators have discussed potential fights and emotive scenes and thus it is apparent that the show prefers these relationship tales not to be inserted but to be made to count.

In the case of Nancy and Jonathan, that likely translates to the moments where the investigatory energy of Nancy and the calm nature of Jonathan either complement or oppose one another in a manner that helps them grow.


Nancy and Steve in Stranger Things Season 5

Actors Natalia Dyer and Joe Keery - Source: Getty
Actors Natalia Dyer and Joe Keery - Source: Getty

The dynamic between Nancy and Steve in Stranger Things Season 5 seems like a gentle, slow-developing friendship, but with a slight undertone of what-could-have-been. The Duffer Brothers confirmed that Steve is still in love with Nancy, stating that it is an “unrequited love,” so this season may or may not provide them with a love story Stancy fans long for.

In Stranger Things Season 5, things will go super fast, “100 miles an hour,” as the Duffer Brothers are putting it, and that leaves no time for dates or teenage-love-stories. Rather, Steve assumes a more accommodating position. He stands with Nancy and the rest of the group members and assists them in encountering immense threats. And though romance is not at the heart of the story, Steve does get real hero moments reflecting his continued significance to the story.


What do we prepare ourselves for

Stranger Things Season 5 is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. According to the Duffer Brothers, much of the story will be linked back to the first and second seasons. The massive new sets, such as a devastated Hawkins, a Squawk radio base, demonstrate that they are serious about that. These large, concrete spaces (a quarantined town, a radio station as the group's new HQ) allow the camera to pay attention to minute details: burn marks, shattered shops, old houses, damaged in different new ways. Stranger Things cannot get enough of using these minor details as hints.

So when you see a reused prop or a tunnel that has been rebuilt, it must be significant. The visuals are not squandered in the show. Shooting in real-life places also gives the filmmakers the chance to have much longer and dramatic scenes, where characters are able to react and relationships to change organically, rather than cutting rapidly between shots.

The set photos and crew notes indicate that Stranger Things Season 5 is filled with references, including props, locations, and costumes that would make viewers think of previous seasons. All these touches are supposed to give old moments a new and significant touch.


For more such insights on Stranger Things Season 5, keep following SoapCentral.

Edited by Sohini Biswas