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Because damn. I think it truly highlights the character's inherent selfishness, which wasn't really thought out. Instead of worrying about screwing up his kids, he's worried that they won't love him.

I know the Duffer Brothers wanted us to dislike the couple, but the more I read the reasons to hate it, the more I feel like the hate is more ridiculous than subjective (maybe I'll make another post to list every reason I heard and explain why I think this is nonsense.)

The only real reason to hate Steve is because he slut-shamed Nancy. At first, it seems as bad as Jonathan taking half-naked pictures of her. But let's not forget that Steve got punishing for it: Nancy slapped and after that, he still tried to fix his miss. Jonathan, on the other hand, gets away with it. The only bad thing is that Steve broke his camera but then again, he bought him another one at the end, so it doesn't count either. What's ironic is that not only every reason Nancy listed in S4 of why she loves Jonathan works well for Steve. Sometimes even better. The "only love can make you so crazy and so stupid" line is supposed to be about Jonathan beating up Steve but he only did it because he insulted his family, not because he disrespected Nancy. This however...

...feel more like crazy in love.

The only thing confusing is Nancy's feelings. In S1, she looked at Steve with desire. In S2, she said she wasn't in love and couldn't say she loved him. And the show is acting like she doesn't in fact love him but then, why would she stay with him for one year if she felt guilty on choosing him over Barb? Then in S4, she looks at him again with desire but because The Duffer Brothers listed more their young fans than themselves, suddently Nancy feels nothing for Steve and is annoyed by him. "It was never like this." Translation: forget the chemistry they built in S4:

"It was never like that." I hate this line so much. The Duffer Brothers did something brave and brought back something that almost no one asked for. Many Stancy fans became Stancy fans thanks to Season 4. And then after waiting three years, they decided to act like nothing happens and it's such a betrayal and coward move. I also hate how they made fun of Steve's dream. Granted, it wasn't Steve's best move but it was "In case we died, I want you to know..." moment and they turned it into a joke for Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve himself. You know, what it remains me? This scene from Batman Returns:

Bruce Wayne is calling out Alfred for letting Vicki Vale into the Batcave because many fans were mad at Alfred for letting her know that Bruce Wayne is Batman without telling Bruce. The problem is that in the previous movie, Bruce was on his way to tell Vicki anyway, AND after getting shot by the Joker, he disappeared out the window like Batman would. I think Vicki would have putting two and two together. But Tim Burton decided to agree with the fans, even though it shouldn't have been a big deal.

Anyway, back to Stranger Things, the problem with retconning their chemistry in S5, it was completely pointless to set up this "Nancy might be into Steve" plot point. What was the point? So that Steve can learn to move on from Nancy? He already did that in S2! He told her to go with Jonathan! It would make more sense if Nancy who couldn't make her choice herself in S2, actually chose herself in S5. But no, she broke up with Jonathan (and then again, it was so rushed, so the fans didn't even know it was a break-up) but she didn't talk to Steve. 18 months after he told her his feelings, she couldn't tell him that 'it was never like that." Honestly, it made me hate S5 Nancy.

I hated S5 Nancy. She was kind of mean and less likeable. Yeah, I know she was stressed because of Vecna's vision. But even in S4, she was not this bossy with everyone and so close. I also hated how childish was S5 Steve, after the previous season ended with Nancy saying "he growed up a little bit, you know?" Their character arcs were damaged in S5 and their ending was not satisfying.

Steve had the most steorotype job for a jock kid. He wanted to travel around the world but instead, he stayed in Hawkins and went from date after date, meaning he didn't change since S3. Nancy just said "screw up school, I want to see the world" as if she was Arya Stark. Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't women not taken seriously in the 80s? Weren't they seen by men as just pretty to see but too emotional to listen or something? Remember how she struggles with her intership in S3 because of this? They both gave up their own dream, and the show is so casual about it! I'm not buying that Nancy would just gave up school like she could find a job easy-peasy. But I guess, after she killed a bunch of trained soldiers without getting shot and without getting arrested, she suddently can do anything. This is ridiculous! Nancy was so ridiculous in S5! She wasn't a character anymore! She was a modern stereotype strong independant woman. This show was supposed to be against 80s clichés, so instead it bring out modern clichés. The Breakfast Club did the "screw stereotypes" way better.

Remember when female characters could have a partner AND be independant women? Imagine if Steve was a woman. Fans would be way more upset that Steve still tried to find a partner at the end of the show. I mean, following this logic, this is like saying Han Solo is a trash character for starting like a badass character and ending out like a more tender man.

So yeah, call me sexist, but I don't care! S4 did an amazing job, bringing back a couple nobody liked and yet brought a great arc for both characters. This is how they should have ended: Nancy fighting her trauma about Barb (it should have been brought out, Vecna literally used that against her in S4!!!) and getting back with Steve, Steve breaking the stereotype jock character and being a tender version of himself, respecting his girlfriend and supporting her to accomplish her dreams. Here's something someone did on TikTok:

If you love Steve&Nancy (Stranger Things) and you want reblog or like,this is the link of my reblog couples :)

Just felt like the writers (or just the Duffers) wanted to make Jonathan main again and instead of giving him any kind of arc, they just let him act exactly the same as he did in season 1, if not worse, and continue to let him be rewarded and apologized to without ever acknowledging any of his own wrongdoings (taking nude pics of Nancy, chastising Nancy for being upset about the sexism she faced at work while Jon said/did nothing, lying to Nancy about applying to Emerson, slow motion breaking up with her from Lenora and then getting insanely jealous when he’s back in Hawkins??)

They just missed every opportunity to give Jonathan any kind of arc or development or anything— and I’m not even saying he had to change his opinions about Steve or Nancy, or whatever, but he never has a single story arc that gives him the opportunity to question his original beliefs about others and the world, he never has to question that he is always right and everyone else is wrong, it just makes his character so…. Flat.

And I know a lot of fans (both Jon fans and antis) didn’t like his characterization in season 4 when he’s just ignoring his problems and smoking weed with Argyle, but honestly? Of all the seasons in the show, that was one of the ONLY times he’s had to confront the fact that he might be wrong about something, when ARGYLE tells him he can’t just lie to Nancy and string her along instead of facing the issue head on.

Nancys just gone upstairs with him to change clothes when suddenly a far older, more grizzled version of her boyfriend is there, scars wrapping around his neck like a choker, brown leather jacket and red bandana working together to make him look like he just walked out of a post-apocalyptic action movie and instead of explaining anything to her, he takes a second to survey his surroundings with terrified grim eyes and bolts down the stairs.

He pulls out a bloody homemade spear and jumps up to slash at some creature that she now sees had been looming over Barb. It takes a while and so much dodging that Nancy fears for his life on numerous occasions but he eventually decapitates it gives a tired ‘oh fuck’ and collapses.

Tommy and carol have no clue what to do, just stand there in shock with no concept of what has just occoured but Nancy acts. She takes Barb inside and makes her a cup of tea, examines the demos body and determines it to be a real life monster but before she spends more precious time debating how that shifts her world view, she lays old Steve on the couch and checks him over for injuries, resolving to wait for answers with Tommy and carol moving back into the house to loudly yell and pace behind her.

Meanwhile a young Steve with wet clothes lands with a splat on the floor of WSQK while all the others are planning to break into a military base and screams because who the fuck are all of these strangers why are they all armed to the teeth and staring at him.

Nancy is literally the only one he should trust and he is terrified of her, his version of nance never toted around a shotgun like a second limb, he feels like he doesn’t know her anymore and that scares him. Jonathan doesn’t have any luck either , having a version of Steve call him a freak again brings up some not so nice memories and he gets angry and has to be held back from yelling by Robin.

So instead it’s Dustin who is actually able to aproach him because sure he never knew this version of Steve but he did hear about him for years and years in Steve’s self loathing rants so he aproaches him differently. It’s easier of him to be trusted by s1 Steve too since he isn’t some strange version who’s shifted to become unrecognisable of an old acquaintance, he’s new and blunt, exactly what Steve needs in this moment.

He tells him that things have gone to shit and actually answers his questions, while this Steve doesn’t have that same history with him he still has a similar sense of humor so he starts up a more toned down form of banter that gets him to relax.

He’s still lashing out at everyone because no matter what time he’s from, Steve doesn’t like change and this future is full of it but it’s clear there’s no bite to it.

Nancys just gone upstairs with him to change clothes when suddenly a far older, more grizzled version of her boyfriend is there, scars wrapping around his neck like a choker, brown leather jacket and red bandana working together to make him look like he just walked out of a post-apocalyptic action movie and instead of explaining anything to her, he takes a second to survey his surroundings with terrified grim eyes and bolts down the stairs.

He pulls out a bloody homemade spear and jumps up to slash at some creature that she now sees had been looming over Barb. It takes a while and so much dodging that Nancy fears for his life on numerous occasions but he eventually decapitates it gives a tired ‘oh fuck’ and collapses.

Tommy and carol have no clue what to do, just stand there in shock with no concept of what has just occoured but Nancy acts. She takes Barb inside and makes her a cup of tea, examines the demos body and determines it to be a real life monster but before she spends more precious time debating how that shifts her world view, she lays old Steve on the couch and checks him over for injuries, resolving to wait for answers with Tommy and carol moving back into the house to loudly yell and pace behind her.

Meanwhile a young Steve with wet clothes lands with a splat on the floor of WSQK while all the others are planning to break into a military base and screams because who the fuck are all of these strangers why are they all armed to the teeth and staring at him.

Nancy is literally the only one he should trust and he is terrified of her, his version of nance never toted around a shotgun like a second limb, he feels like he doesn’t know her anymore and that scares him. Jonathan doesn’t have any luck either , having a version of Steve call him a freak again brings up some not so nice memories and he gets angry and has to be held back from yelling by Robin.

So instead it’s Dustin who is actually able to aproach him because sure he never knew this version of Steve but he did hear about him for years and years in Steve’s self loathing rants so he aproaches him differently. It’s easier of him to be trusted by s1 Steve too since he isn’t some strange version who’s shifted to become unrecognisable of an old acquaintance, he’s new and blunt, exactly what Steve needs in this moment.

He tells him that things have gone to shit and actually answers his questions, while this Steve doesn’t have that same history with him he still has a similar sense of humor so he starts up a more toned down form of banter that gets him to relax.

He’s still lashing out at everyone because no matter what time he’s from, Steve doesn’t like change and this future is full of it but it’s clear there’s no bite to it.