#pro-stancy

We pick up season 4 about to start spring break of 86. Once again our intrepid team of nerds and misfits are hoping that maybe this time it really is their chance to move away from the traumas of the past and live out their best lives, but unlike season 3 we can see that our crew doesn't trust that it is over. The last few years have taken a heavy toll and the losses suffered have left some heavy scars.

The Byers + El have left Hawkins entirely hoping to escape the painful memories of the past, Nancy is putting her hope for the future into her college dreams of Emerson, and the party is entering a whole new traumatic experience- high school.

This season pulls no punches, and this is made obvious from the first cold open where we see our first look at the massacre at Hawkins lab. This is different from what we have experienced before in Stranger Things not because we are unfamiliar with tragic death (RIP Barb, Bob, Alexi, etc), but because unlike before this feels targeted, more human. This time we are not just exploring the monsters that we fear, but the ones that we create.

This season also pulls no punches when it comes to pushing the emotional beats to the forefront.

This is established in El's first monologue- her letter back to Mike.

This is a great narrative choice as El does not have the life experience or the social skills to pick up on the obvious signs of impending conflict that are established in this first introduction. We see it as viewers when El comments to Mike that she suspects that Will has feelings for someone that he is keeping hidden, probably a girl. (Now while I have thus far avoided going into the Byler side of things in these analysis because that is a whole other kettle of fish as an audience by this point it has become pretty clear that Will has feelings for Mike.) So we have now set up El as a clearly unreliable narrator. She isn't able to see the clues that the narrative is setting down. She can identify that there is an issue, but is very off base as to where that conflict is going.

This is important because as she says her next line: "he has been acting... weird." We immediately make a hard cut to Jonathan's room- specifically to a picture of him and Nancy. In fact the only picture of the two of them in the room, an interesting contrast to El's numerous photos of Mike, but that could just be a matter of taste. However the narrative continues its subtle judgement as El proceeds to describe that Jonathan is also acting weird which she chalks up to his worries about his college acceptance letter and hopes that he and Nancy will be able to go to college together.

But we have just seen that El cannot see the nuance. Just like she cannot see the full picture of what is going on with Will, she cannot see the full picture of what is happening with Jonathan, and I don't just mean his new decent into Stonerdom. He isn't worried about an acceptance letter than he knows will never come. He is worried about having to be honest with Nancy.

This takes us to the next big clue- Jonathan's car. El comments that she doesn't know how Jonathan will even get to college as he hasn't taken any steps towards fixing his car. At this point we cut to a shot of the car which has clearly been neglected for a while- just like his relationship with Nancy. He doesn't need to fix the car because he has no intention of going to Emerson. But what is worse is that he isn't communicating that to anyone. A theme that is mirrored in El's lies to Mike about the problems that she is having in school.

Moving on to Steve and Robin. Steve has got his groove back- his self acceptance allowing his natural charm and charisma to once again prevail only without the baggage of high school popularity. But while he has no problems attracting dates, he knows that he has no real connection with any of these people past sexual attraction, and he knows that that isn't what he wants anymore. He is ready to move into the future and chase his dream of true love. Robin meanwhile has found someone with whom she feels she has a real genuine connection to, but is scared to take the leap of opening up to Vickie. Here we see the results of Steve's growth as he gives Robin genuinely good support and advice. This is such a contrast from his advice to Dustin back in season 2.

We cut back to Jonathan and we learn that he and Nancy will not be seeing each other over Spring break as Nancy has to work.

At first this seems like a sign that the tension between them is just a chance to explore difficulties that come from long distance relationships, but very quickly we see that once again we are not going to retreat into the safety of the obvious. Their relationship issues from last season were not just a bump in the road from a one time misunderstanding, they were part of a much bigger problem.

We literally hear a paper guillotine cutter signal the transition change to Nancy's point of view for the first time this season. Nancy's agitation about being confronted about Jonathan's absence makes it abundantly clear that she is aware but unwilling to be honest about her feelings about the state of her relationship problems. Problems that Fred, with his obvious crush on Nancy, is more than happy to gleefully point out. Fred is an antagonistic observer pointing out the truth that the relationship is failing enough that even he can see it, and that the lack of communication and excuses make no sense. But then we cut back to Argyle. Argyle is an ally to the J*ncy relationship and especially to Jonathan, but even this supportive point of view is pointing out the same issues that Fred is spelling out to Nancy.

Now of course both Jonathan and Nancy retreat back into denial, instead acting like everything is fine when it clearly isn't and listing off what they love about the other person. But the endorsements themselves ring hollow. Nancy talks about loving the good loving person that Jonathan is, especially in regards to his family, but nothing that she says about him relates back to how he is as a boyfriend or what he gives to her in the relationship. Jonathan meanwhile is praising Nancy for her independence and tenacity, something that he has never allowed himself to indulge in, but while he may love that about Nancy it is the very trait that has repeatedly caused issues between them because he is unwilling and unable to meet her at her level. In fact he is openly hostile to her when these very traits threaten his security. And again, there is no mention of what he loves about being WITH Nancy. The back and forth cuts between them do not make this scene seem sincere, it instead reads as rehearsed. This is the lie they tell themselves because neither one is willing to call out the obvious. They aren't communicating, they aren't building any connection. They are both hiding. They are still guilty of the very same sins and insecurities that Murray called them out on in season 2. The issues that were supposed to be magically solved by them choosing each other and uniting over their shared trauma.

Trust issues- Jonathan is refusing to communicate with Nancy because he doesn't trust her with the truth. This will become even more explicit later when he explains his motivations to Argyle.

You, your harder to read. Probably, like everyone, afraid of what would happen if you accepted yourself for who you really are and retreated back to the safety of... name?- this is exactly what Nancy is doing. She knows she is unhappy with her relationship. She knows she wants and quite frankly deserves more. And while Murray was right and she was harder to read- (he assumed as Jonathan did in season 1 that her hang ups were external and not internal and much more focused on her guilt)- she is also retreating to the safety of... name... Jonathan. With Jonathan she doesn't have to communicate. They don't push each other. But Nancy has grown since season 2, and she has grown past this surface level safety. And yet here she is retreating into it.

(Also since I forgot to mention this in my season 2 analysis even back then Nancy's hesitation to say that she loves Steve is literally the same as Mike's hesitations in the beginning of season 4 when confronted by El. And regardless of if you think Mike should ultimately end up with El or Will or Alone questioning his life choices I think it is true that he DOES love El be it romantically or familiarly and just has issues due to his parents unhappy situation much like Nancy).

The exchange ends with both parties claiming in unison that everything is "Perfect". But it is obvious that they are fooling no one. Not Argyle, not Fred, not themselves, and not the audience. This scene has been framed to make it clear that their communication has collapsed and their bond is strained. Fred even punctuates the scene by stating that he is still rooting for his Alt. And before any of you come for me saying- but Fred's Alt is that the Tigers lose and they win the game! Please go back and read what the text is:

Tigers Devoured- Blood and Tears Shed. This is literally telling us what is coming with Vecna. The statement is a commentary on the relationship. The article is a giant forshadowing of what is coming in the plot where Vecna literally devours the life essence of 4 students as blood and tears are shed.

Anyways I could go into even more depth about this particular exchange but as I have already done so in a previous post and this particular essay is about understanding the narrative voice so let's keep going.

Our next subtle narrative point happens at the Tiger's game with the introduction of Tone-deaf Tammy. This is an important because we get to see Robin's reaction to seeing her first "the one" vs. Steve and Nancy's reunion later in the show. Robin has no attachment to Tammy and in fact is able to laugh about her terrible Muppet singing with Steve, this moment of self reflection and growth triggering a moment of true connection with Vickie. The narrative is showing us the different between a real connection and infatuation, and giving Robin that context as well.

The next Stancy important scene we see is Steve and Robin back at the video store where Robin is grappling with her anxiety about Vickie. She had a genuine moment with the girl of her dreams but now doesn't know how to proceed. She thinks that her pursuit of Vickie is destined for failure and says that she is hopeless, to which Steve replies- 'we both are,' leaning on the wall next to her. Robin then proceeds to joke with Steve about how they should combine, since he can go on a million dates and she knows what she wants, to which Steve gives a fairly non committal acknowledgement before they commiserate together that 'alone, we suck'.

Yet once again, the narrative is telling us something more subtle than the surface conversation.

Both Steve and Robin are actually in the same place- back against the wall, hopeless, and feeling that the world doesn't want them to succeed in love. They both know what they want, they have both found the girl of their dreams, but neither believes they can have that. It is hopeless. And when they have tried to get through life alone, it has sucked.

But we know that they aren't alone anymore. They have each other. They are part of a bigger team. And the strength and confidence that comes from that- from forming those healthy bonds and connections- is what will help carry them into a brighter future. A future where their dreams aren't hopeless but are a real attainable possibility. They just have to not give up.

Robin pulls out a copy of Dr. Zhivago for them to watch- a story of doomed love, (Yes it is, but no real deeper parallels here Russian lit is a whole other level of pathos) but are interrupted by the report of Chrissy's murder. Doomed love has been put on hold.

After checking in with the basketball team, we cut over to Nancy who is having her own struggles with the news. References to Barb bring her grief and trauma to the surface and push her need to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it. Meanwhile Dustin along with Max, recruits Steve and Robin to help him clear Eddie's name.

Just like in Season three we now get to see the two parallel investigations, one following Nancy and Fred, the other Dustin Steve and company with both teams putting together vital information on what they are going to be up against. But there is a big difference. Nancy has a stand in this time. Something that is immediately pointed out.

Fred wants to know what Nancy and Jonathan would do to which Nancy quickly calls out that he is not Jonathan.

"Obviously not. I am here, present and accounted for."

This is a direct hit for Nancy. Jonathan is not here to help her with this investigation. He isn't even here in the state. Not only that, but this isn't the first time that he wasn't here. We know because we saw it in season 3, where just like now, Jonathan bailed on her investigation when things got too difficult and when she didn't have enough 'proof'. History is repeating itself for Nancy, only this time it isn't just a problem, its a pattern. And for the first time she loses her composure. She admits to Fred that she is upset with Jonathan's absence and that she knows that something is wrong with him that he isn't telling her. We learn that Fred is marked by Vecna- once again Nancy is on the right track and about to be put in the thick of it. Then cut to-

Jonathan and Argyle at the scrap yard.

Jonathan is likewise upset that Nancy isn't here in California. Part of him was expecting her to come out to see him instead of working. (Even though he really doesn't have any obligations to be home other than his self imposed insistence that he needs to be home for Will. But Will is old enough to take care of himself, Joyce works from home, and when these plans were made there was no immediate danger for them in CA and the idea of going to Russian wasn't even on the radar. But maybe I am being mean.) Jonathan has gotten used to Nancy carrying the emotional burden of their relationship and has even come to expect that. He says that he admires her ambition but he doesn't understand it. But then he confesses that while part of him was annoyed, a bigger part of him was relieved, because once again, the burden of connection and accountability has been taken off his shoulders. Her not being here means that he doesn't have to confess the truth- that he has been lying and hiding things from her. And not just recently either but for months. Long enough for him to submit (or not submit) college applications and get replies from them. Not only that, but he is playing out a slow motion break-up (one that he is clearly hoping she will pull the trigger on) because he has convinced himself that she would give up her dreams to come out to CA for him. This is such a fundamental misunderstanding of who Nancy is that it is staggering. But when you take a deep breath and take a step back to look at this it is enlightening on a whole other level.

Jonathan sees Nancy as the person who takes care of him- they have this deep trauma bond that he has never had to really have open conversations with her about she just understands him and loves him. He sees her filling the role for him that he plays for Will. This is why he believes that she would give up her dreams for him- because that is what he is doing for Will. This is also why he simultaneously fears this because he has become a stand in for his father for Will.

But this is so unhealthy from every possible angle. He is not his father. For as much as I think this scene more than anything is the first death knell for J*ncy Lonnie is a piece of work on a whole other level. But Jonathan struggles to internalize that because he has never had the chance to actually prioritize and focus on himself. The most he is willing to do for himself is indulge in escapism- both in how he is in his relationship and in his overindulgence in weed. (I say overindulgence based on Will's reaction throughout this season.) But when the only person whom Jonathan is willing to be honest with is Argyle- who to his credit is doing his best to give good advice and is calling out Jonathan on how truly asinine his behavior is- he is setting himself up for failure. He is still refusing to make real connections.

Meanwhile back in Hawkins Stancy Investigations is meeting with a good amount of success, with Nancy getting Mr. Munson to open up to her about Victor Creel and Team Scoops (because they will always been that to me) tracking down Reefer Rick and subsequently Eddie.

Sadly for Fred, Vecna strikes again and the plot thickens.

(On the bright side El decks Angela in the face with a roller skate so small victories.)

Speaking of victories- We have finally arrived! The true return of Stancy!

With Fred's death we get our first meet up between our two romantic leads, and if this isn't a stark contrast to what we have seen before I don't know what is.

Nancy is emotionally in the worst place she could be, with the death of someone who came out to the trailer park with her. She is alone, facing down the scrutiny of people who are far less equipped to deal with any of this that she is but who also have more power than she does, exhausted... when suddenly she sees a familiar BMW.

For the first time in two seasons Nancy doesn't have to carry this alone. Someone else is there not just to follow along but to help. A whole team who are just as invested as she is in getting to the bottom of things. Her relief at there arrival is palpable.

The gang discuss theories and we get to see how well they all work as a unit with everyone having unique contributions that help unravel the mystery. Nancy spearheads the investigation, pointing out the pieces that are missing, the lack of connections between the victims. Dustin having the best grasp on the supernatural elements at play. Robin- always one of the most intellectual of the group- makes the intuitive leap that they should be looking at this like a serial killer who didn't choose either victim at random but likely stalked his prey. Steve- the one who observes the obvious that no one else is noticing- points out that this is the sort of thing that you would tell someone about. And Max makes the final practical deduction that this is the sort of thing you wouldn't tell just anyone, but you might tell your shrink. It is a really beautiful moment that showcases how far all of these characters have grown both in their skill and in their confidence.

They head off to go see Miss Kelly but Nancy hesitates. She has another lead to follow, a shot in the dark that isn't worth mentioning. You can see the negative effect that her investigations with Jonathan last year had on her. She assumes that she needs to act on her own until she can prove she has something of substance to offer.

And here is our second Stancy triumph. Steve is horrified of the idea of her doing this on her own, but not because he thinks its a bad plan, not because she doesn't have 'proof' the way everyone else has demanded of her in the past. No, he just cares that she doesn't have support. He trusts her instincts and her plans, he just don't want to risk her being on her own in case all hell breaks loose. He knows the kinds of danger that Nancy keeps finding herself in and he wants to make sure she is as safe as possible. (And given that all of them have almost died a million times I think he has a pretty good leg to stand on.)

You can see how much this clearly means to Nancy. She doesn't argue with him, she doesn't girlboss out and tell him 'I don't need anyone.' She is grateful, because Steve isn't looking to hold her back, he is looking to lift her up. She has a lead to chase and he is going to help her do it. It is the kind of support that she hasn't gotten from anyone except her mother up to this point. It is certainly a contrast to how Jonathan was in season 3 where when he did join her it was reluctantly until he baled on her completely.

Of course Steve is still Steve and did not really think through the logistics of this plan as he and Nancy are the only qualified drivers. Ultimately Robin goes with Nancy and Steve once again is in charge of the kids. But while Steve grumbles about this a little, ultimately he doesn't object. His concerns have been met and he trusts both of the girls.

Having Stancy split up also means narratively that we get a chance to confront them both about what we just saw.

Dustin confronts Steve about his now blatantly obvious feelings for Nancy. For people who have not been paying attention they might say that this is the show trying to force feelings back onto Steve, after 'all this time.' But the truth is that this is the simply first time Dustin has really seen Steve and Nancy together since their break up. We the audience know that the last time they were together Steve rammed into another car at 60 mph for her so we know that this is NOT out of character for Steve.

Dustin, and through him the narrative, is now spelling out what was hinted at in season three and is now clear as day in season four, Steve is still in love with Nancy and always has been. His half hearted protests that she is just a friend are clearly just that.

Meanwhile Robin is sussing out Nancy's feelings. Like Dustin, this is her first real chance to get a read on the entire Stancy dynamic since they were a couple (which she was only a distant observer to in the first place.)

However Robin is also much more insightful that Dustin and catches on very quickly that there is a lot to unpack. Nancy finds herself getting irritated with Robins quirks and her own lack of progress which leads to her lashing out. She mischaracterizes Robin's neurodivergence as irritation at the thus far fruitless search. This brings her frustration and jealousy to the forefront. She is on the verge of having to admit defeat in front of what she believes is Steve's new girlfriend/crush/whatever the hell Robin is right after Steve was the first person to show her some actual support and encouragement and she is clearly unhappy about the entire situation.

Robin who while not good a social cues is very intuitive picks up on this and tries to smooth things over, letting Nancy know that there is nothing between her and Steve. Robin points out that she hadn't realized that this could be a potential source of tension between the two of them what with Nancy and Jonathan being the 'power couple,' to which Nancy can't fully hide her frustration even though she lies and says there is no problems or tension. We know she is lying because A. it is only slightly less obvious than Steve's denials to Dustin, and two the narrative tells us as much. The narrative always rewards characters when they are the ones making connections and being authentic which in this case is Robin not Nancy. And while Nancy fails in her search Robin- the one trying to build a connection through open communication- is the one who finds the answers. They uncover another piece of the Creel murder puzzle and head off to reunite with Steve who is helping the children commit petty larceny.

That is part one my friends and fellow Stancys hopefully you are enjoying this deep dive as much as I am. (Even if it is totally me procrastinating being stuck on a specific section in my fanfic) I will be back soon with part 2 as I am quite determined to get all of my deep dives out before volume 2 drops on Christmas!

Steve has found Watergate and it looks like things are finally going well for our heroes. But nothing is ever that simple in Hawkins and before anyone can stop it Steve is violently dragged back into the water and into the upside-down.

This is Steve's first time in the nightmare world but like most things for Steve he doesn't get much of a chance to process anything before the danger is already upon him. In true Steve fashion he grabs the nearest melee weapon and starts to swing as a small swarm of demobats attack. He gets in a few hits but is quickly overwhelmed when one of the bats captures him in a choke hold, effectively incapacitating him. This allows the other bats to begin gnawing at his exposed flesh. Things are not looking good.

Meanwhile back on the surface things are in chaos. The police have arrived on the scene and Max Dustin and Lucas are forced to flee, hoping to lead them away. Eddie Robin and Nancy are frantic, knowing that Steve's life likely hangs in the balance of what happens in the next few seconds.

It is easy to get lost in the action of this scene how much of a pivotal moment this truly is for Nancy and how much symbolism is on display. So let's break it down.

We have just seen Nancy finally taking the first steps towards healing from her trauma of the events of season 1. We see her making real connections with Robin and Steve as friends, being honest about her emotions both with herself and with others. But here is all of her fear and trauma manifesting again in real time. Someone that she loves has been pulled through the water into the hellscape that is the upside-down. It is literally Barb all over again only this time she isn't blissfully unaware of what is happening while caught up in the passion of a new relationship. This time she has a front row seat. And yet still it happens in the blink of an eye. She is still powerless to stop it.

But she isn't powerless to fight back.

Nancy couldn't save Barb but she can save Steve. She isn't the same person that she was then. Her trauma may have changed her but it has not defeated her. This time she doesn't have to just accept this fate.

She doesn't hesitate, she dives in after Steve.

This is such a defining moment for Nancy's character arc narratively speaking without even looking into the implications for the romance.

We know as the audience that there is nothing that Nancy could have done to save Barb. Her belief that her actions are the reason that her friend died is misguided and tragic, fueled by unwarranted guilt and grief. Barb was an innocent victim of happenstance who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that wasn't Nancy's fault, it's just terrible luck.

But Nancy has clung onto her grief and her self-accusation both as a way to hold onto the memory of her friend, and as a way to feel in control. If it is her fault that Barb died then she can keep the same thing from happening to other people that she loves. So she isolates herself. She assumes all of the responsibility. But that isn't healthy. And the narrative is ready to start moving us in a new direction.

Here we see the narrative telling us that the bad things are going to happen, no matter how prepared you think you are. That is just how life is. The control is the illusion. The real power is in moving forward, looking to the future and becoming better and stronger so we can face these things the best we can. The power is in the bonds we form with others so that we aren't facing things alone.

And in this moment we see Nancy take her first step in realizing this truth. Even though she still has a long way to go, even though some of this may still be subconscious, she is moving forward unflinchingly. And even more importantly she isn't alone anymore.

Nancy followed by Robin and Eddie dives into the upside-down and arrive it time to save Steve from being bat chow.

(Also you cannot tell me that the way Steve kills the final demobat isn't insanely hot. )

The immediate danger passes and we see Nancy is immediately fussing over Steve- this is not inherently romantic he was the one who was injured so it makes sense. But Steve despite clearly having taken some real damage doesn't complain, or blame her, instead he laughs it off. He knows what he signed up for and isn't backing down when the stakes get too high. And we see how this shifts Nancy's perspective, she meets his eyes with a smile. For the rest of their time this season she is no longer pulling away. They are a team. This is where the change happens from seeing Steve's growth to accepting it.

Our quartet are chased away from watergate by the arrival of a new swarm of demobats and head off into the woods. Steve finally falters from blood loss and we get Nancy bandaging him up. This is just pure sexual tension and awareness. Nancy has opened that door of seeing Steve and she definitely likes what she sees. They make plans to head for the Wheeler's in search of guns and at this point have migrated from stolen glances into casual flirting which is called out by Eddie. (For your modesty dude.)

While they travel through the upside-down Steve pulls Eddie aside to thank him for coming in to help save him. This is another often overlooked moment in the narrative that will also play in to the justification for Eddies upcoming commentary on Stancy. Steve isn't saying anything to Eddie to impress Nancy, she and Robin are up ahead and unaware that anything is happening. He is thanking him because he understands that Eddie was under no obligation to help, that he could have chosen to stay away. Steve has grown into someone who knows how valuable people choosing to do honorable things is and wants to make sure that they know that it is appreciated because he also knows how easy it is to NOT treat people well and just ignore the world around you. Steve knows that he has been unfair to Eddie in the past (not in any direct sense as all of their dialogue this season implies that they really only knew each other by reputation not any meaningful interaction) and he is holding himself accountable. He is reaching out to Eddie the way he attempted to reach out to Jonathan at the end of season 1, but because of his growth and maturity he is much more successful this time around. (Honestly as much as I knew from the start of the season that Eddie's fate was sealed I am sad that we didn't get to see this friendship develop more.) The conversation between them is a really lovely moment of two people from very different circumstances realizing that who someone truly is is not the same as how the world tries to define them. Eddie has judged Steve the same way that Steve has judged Eddie and their mutual understanding of this gives them a real connection. They both are choosing to be better versions of themselves. Eddie is acting as a stand in for the audience, we are supposed to learn this same lesson. We are supposed to see the narrative theme- that growth and connection are the way to a better future. This has been Steve's character journey this entire time. Which is why Eddie is able to be a voice for the narrative here as well as he encourages Steve to not give up his dreams of a life with Nancy. An unambiguous sign of true love.

Eddie is saying that diving into the upside-down is a sign of true love. But the narrative is saying that being open, forming connections, and putting in the work- THAT is the real unambiguous true love. That is what will make for a lasting love.

It is the opposite of the conversations that we saw earlier with Nancy, Fred, Jonathan and Argyle.

But as is most things in the Stranger Things universe, we don't have a lot of time to dwell on our Romance because there is still a lot of bigger problems afoot.

They all arrive at the Wheeler's and discover that it is frozen in time. Fortunately they are able to make contact with Dustin and crew and make a plan to escape via the gate at Eddie's trailer.

A lot of great stuff happens through all of this (not just for our Hawkins team but also the other bigger plots) but as it isn't particularly relevant to the Stancy narrative we are going to skip ahead to the next important scene- Nancy's being trapped in Vecna vision.

It begins with Steve telling Nancy that he will see her on the other side, and her agreeing before climbing the rope only to be thrown to the bottom of Steve's pool.

Already we have a hugely important and subtle clue because when we look carefully, Nancy never even made it to the rope.

The other side, returning to the world away from the upside down, is a parallel for Nancy finally growing away from her trauma. Which we have finally seen her start to do this season. We have seen her even in the midst of the chaos and danger find lightness, friendship, have real understanding with others.

We talked earlier about her facing her trauma when she dove into the water. Here Steve is symbolically offering her a future beyond her trauma- see you on the other side. But when Nancy agrees, she then has it thrust into her face. She is locked in place by her trauma. How dare she let go after what she did to Barb? She should be forced to suffer for her sins. We see the cruelty in this belief, this idea that it was Nancy who killed her friend. That she was the architect of Barb's pain and death.

But that is Vecna talking and this is who Vecna is. He is a metaphor for trauma and depression. He is the monster that will consume us if we do not allow ourselves to heal and form connections and accept help when we need it. Vecna is giving into the darkness that threatens to overpower us. By having Vecna target Nancy who is a different sort of victim than we have seen with the others- who was not the direct target of outside abuse like Max or Chrissy, the narrative is making the metaphor explicit. Vecna isn't just a demon praying on the venerable, he is the voice of our own self loathing. He is the trauma that we internalize.

And the great thing about how this metaphor plays out is that it doesn't demonize Vecna's victims. It doesn't shame them for not being stronger. We feel the tragedy of Chrissy's death, and Fred's and Patrick's. We ache for Max who has survived so much and yet is still suffering inside the darkness in her own mind. Instead the narrative is telling us that these are battles that no one should face alone. Because alone we are more likely to fail, not because it is deserved but because it is a hard battle.

Here the narrative is also giving us hope. We have seen Nancy's journey on the road to recovery. We have seen her begin to build connections instead of retreating into solitude, and here again we see her begin to climb out. She faces Vecna and in doing so learns the truth about who he is.

Fortunately for Nancy's fate, Eleven has been going through mental bootcamp and Vecna knows that he has bigger problems heading his way. So he turns Nancy into the 'messenger' showing her visions of his plans to destroy Hawkins. The gates open, the world on fire, everyone she loves dead.

But we know that Vecna works with misdirection and half truths. He feeds on the darkness and prays on fears. His visions aren't prophecy they are tactics. His goal is to manipulate by making it seem like there is no way out.

But we already know that there is a way. The way is by working together, but building connections and allowing ourselves to face our trauma and grow in spite of it. To know that we can build towards the future we want, not just accept the one we are told.

And when Nancy wakes up from her vision Steve is there with her. Because that is what this relationship represents- allowing ourselves to have the future we want, not the one we are told we should have. They just have to fight for it.

The gang gather at Max's place to discuss everything they know, and while they are hopelessly outmatched they also are aware that they are out of time. If Vecna succeeds it is the end of the world and he is only one kill away. But they have an opportunity. He has already targeted Max and has a psychic connection to her that would allow him to enact his plan. If he started over with someone new it would take more time. They have the bait they need to lure him into a possible trap. It is a long shot but it is the best they can do in the time they have. So they rally together in the hopes that they can stop what is coming. Luckily for everyone involved El choses this time to spy on the Hawkins team via her own powers and knows what is happening.

So Eddie helps the gang commit some grand theft auto and everyone loads into the Winnebago to head out to the War Zone.

We have arrived gentle Stancys- the infamous Winnebago scene. The scene that makes the Antis scream and shout and gnash their teeth because HOW DARE WE THINK THAT... checks notes... WANTING TO BE PART OF A HAPPY LOVING FAMILY IS A GOOD THING!!!!

Now that I got my sarcasm out of my system lets actually look at what this scene is saying to us.

Our heroes are in a place where they are having to actually contemplate not just facing life and death circumstances, but voluntarily walking right into them, much more so than we have seen in the past. They don't have Joyce and Hopper calling the shots. They don't have El carrying the worst of the burdens with her supernatural abilities. Its just them and a ticking clock, literally and figuratively. So we see that everyone is beginning to contemplate what they want their story to look like.

This is a moment of intense vulnerability for Steve. But this also shows us as the audience the start of his motivations in the first place. Why did he choose Nancy? What inside of him made him chose her over Carol and Tommy in the first place, much less keep coming back through all of this chaos? And why is that important?

It shows us a lot- it shows us that at his core Steve has always been a romantic. This is someone who prioritizes the connections and love that he didn't feel he had in his childhood. I don't know how well the rest of the ST fandom is versed on affluent midwest culture in the 80s/90s- but I can tell you from my (admittedly biased) understanding if you were well off like the Harringtons the expectation would be airplanes and nice hotels not cramming an entire family into a camper, especially as luxury travel was increasingly affordable for the booming suburban middle class. So for Steve to be idealizing what would have been considered a "poorer" form of travel that focuses much more on time spent together than the destination says a lot about who he has always been at his core. It also adds a deeper context to his send off to Tommy and Carol back in season one. Nancy is someone who cares about other people, who isn't miserable all the time. She is someone who personifies what he has always valued but didn't know how to achieve back then, instead avoiding loneliness through popularity. Falling in love with her gave him the courage to actually break away from his archetype and chase his true dream of a loving and happy home life. And the picture he paints isn't about himself or his legacy, it isn't about wanting a woman to cater to him while raising his children, its about being part of a loving homelife as different to the one he knew as he could imagine. The number of kids is irrelevant- its a fun Easter egg of his makeshift found family that he has been creating with the kids (Three girls- Max Erica and El, Three boys Dustin Lucas and Mike. Will is separate because Steve has never really been directly responsible for Will the way he has the other boys plus he has Jonathan.)

We see that Nancy is not put off by this notion (regardless of what the Anti's cry in the comments) in fact she is genuinely moved by this open honesty from Steve and sees something that she herself values- wanting to be part of a LOVING home. The narrative has never told us that Nancy doesn't want love or a family, she just doesn't want one where she gives up her dreams to have them. She doesn't want to settle for a loveless marriage because it is what is expected and safe and promises financial security. The sort of marriage her parents have. The sort of marriage Steve's parents have. The very thing that he is showing her in this conversation that he also rejects.

She tells him that his dream sounds nice and the two share a very poignant moment just staring at each other before she deflects. Because of course she deflects! They have only just found this new place of trust and friendship and she is still in a relationship with Jonathan regardless of how absent he has been. So instead she makes a joke about six kids being a nightmare. (Notice its not about the dream itself just about the total number of kids which we already pointed out above is irrelevant in the bigger scheme of things.) But even this is another telling statement because Steve doesn't turn it back around on her like 'oh I guess that might be true, or well you never know.' Instead he says 'If only I had some practice.' The expectation is that taking care of them is HIS responsibility, not hers.

But sure tell me again how Nancy and her dreams of having a career are somehow hindered by the guy who literally wants to be the stay at home parent.

Again we see them slip into a comfortable silence as Nancy takes in all of this new information. She has been presented with an alternate idea for what a future could look like, a future not dependent on her trauma. And she likes what she sees.

But right now we are still talking about hypotheticals. Because as we know, Steve has left out the most important part.

And that my lovely Stancys is the end of PART 3.

I am going to TRY to get part 4 written up and posted here before the drop of S5 Vol. 2 this evening but that may not happen. Hopefully this will be a nice hype for you all to get us through whatever the Duffers have in store.

Regardless I will finish this analysis with the final part of the Season 4 analysis and then the season 5 analysis. (which depending on how things go tonight will either be very joyous or a deep dive into when writing jumps the shark.)

Season 1-

Africa- (The studying scene.) We all know this one. This song is about longing but less about a specific person so much as a longing for a world that you have only ever imagined not one you have personally experienced. Specifically dreams of new experiences and places.

Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you...

Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree- (Play's while Nancy and Barb are driving to Steve's) a song asking a loved one to stay loyal to someone who has gone away (usually associated with POWs and soldiers.)

I Melt With You (Play's during the pool scene) a deceptively upbeat song about finding intense, all-consuming love amidst the bleakness and fear of the Cold War era, with the core lyric literally meaning symbolizing extreme connection during an apocalyptic moment

I'll stop the world and melt with you You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time There's nothing you and I won't do I'll stop the world and melt with you

Dream of better lives the kind which never hate Trapped in the state of imaginary grace I made a pilgrimage to save this humans race Never comprehending the race had long gone by

Hazy Shade of Winter (The start of Steve and Nancy's hook up while Barb is being pulled into the upside down) This is a song about the passage of time and being unable to go back in time to have do overs through the metaphor of the seasons. But while we move into the winter of adulthood we also can move from there into the hope for the future.

Ah, seasons change with the scenery Weaving time in a tapestry Won't you stop and remember me At any convenient time?

Waiting for a Girl Like You (Barb is gone, Steve and Nancy consummate their relationship) Title is pretty self explanatory its about finding your dream girl.

I've been waiting for a girl like you To come into my life I've been waiting for a girl like you A love that will survive I've been waiting for someone new To make me feel alive Yeah, waiting for a girl like you To come into my life

Sunglasses at Night (Steve showing up to check on Nancy and finding her with Jonathan) A song about a cool guy wearing sunglasses at night to hide from his fear that his girlfriend is cheating on him.

Season 2-

Talking in Your Sleep (Nancy and Steve in the car talking about Steve's future and him offering to stay in Hawkins with Nancy after graduation) This is a song that is about listening to your lover talking in their sleep and sharing their true hidden thoughts. It is intentionally ambiguous with different artists purposefully trying to present different meanings- with some saying it is about infidelity and having split loyalties and others about repression and being unable to reveal feelings outside of your unconscious mind (What the OG artists in 1984 said was the hidden meaning)

You tell me that you want me You tell me that you need me You tell me that you love me And I know that I'm right 'Cause I hear it in the night

Girls on Film (Tina's Party Nancy being drunk) A song about exploitation, depression, and emotional spiraling (specifically in the entertainment and modeling industry)

Lipstick cherry all over the lens as she's falling And miles of sharp blue water coming in Where she lies The diving man's coming up for air 'Cause the crowd all love pulling dolly by the hair By the hair And she wonders how she ever got here As she goes under again

Love Is A Battlefield (Dropping Dustin off at the Snowball) The complexities of love and resilience, the difficulties of knowing if/when to break away from a relationship but having the strength to navigate the complications of love.

You're making me go Then making me stay Why do you hurt me so bad? It would help me to know Do I stand in your way Or am I the best thing you've had?

Twist Of Fate (Steve Seeing Nancy through the Window) Literally a song about second chance love

And I gotta get it right this time Life doesn't mean a thing Without the love you bring Love is what we found The second time around