Showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer talk “Team Jonathan” vs. “Team Steve” and hint at Nancy’s upcoming romantic life in Season 5 of Stranger Things.
Matt and Ross Duffer talk about stranger things season 5 and Nancy’s love triangle. The stranger things the character is used to the upheavals of his love life. In Season 1 of the popular sci-fi show, Nancy pursues a relationship with Joe Keery’s character, Steve, and reunites with him despite his ties to Charlie Heaton’s Jonathan. In Season 2 however, she and Jonathan slowly ignite a romance after her messy breakup with Steve. In the show’s most recent season, Nancy and Jonathan’s physical distance begins to equate to emotional distance. At the same time, she and Steve have to work together at Hawkins and she witnesses firsthand how much her old beau has matured.
Although Season 4 ended in early July, there are already talks about stranger things season 5, which is confirmed to be the show’s last. With plenty of stories to wrap up as well as a confirmed time jump and hints that Season 1 character groups will return, the internet has been ablaze with theories. Development on the final season is set to begin the first week of August, so more information will definitely be forthcoming. For now, the showrunners and main cast have responded to some comments about where the season might go, while confirming that they know where it all ends. In a show that often brags about having something for everyone and likes to pay homage to ’80s movies, including their love triangles, those who support Nancy and Jonathan might have a few surprises in store.
In an interview with TVLinethe Duffer brothers were asked if they were “Team Jonathan” or “Team Steve” leading up to stranger things season 5. Here is what they said:
Ross: We love all the characters so much, it’s hard to choose. The last time Nancy really spent time with [Steve] was the first two episodes of Season 2, where he was a very different person. This was even before her bromance with Dustin, so the Steve Nancy knew and spent time with isn’t the Steve we all know and love.
Matt: Steve has grown tremendously, as has Nancy, so what happens when you add that to the fact that she and Jonathan [were] separated by such a distance?
While Steve’s character growth was immensely praised by viewers of the show, it’s true that his previous on-screen love interest didn’t have much interaction with the person he became. This shows that Steve’s growth was genuine and not fueled by an attempt to win back favor with Nancy. However, it’s clear in Season 4 that he harbors feelings for his ex, and their chemistry can’t be denied. Where does that leave Jonathan? Throughout Season 4, Nancy has been ambitious, advancing her career and making attempts at closure in her personal life. Jonathan, on the other hand, expresses a feeling of being blocked and seems to delegate at certain points in the season.. While he deserves a much-needed break from the pressures he’s faced, perhaps he and Nancy simply got past each other during their split.
Regardless of what happens, the Duffer Brothers’ comments confirm that they only have the characters’ best interests at heart. Whether Nancy reunites with her old flame, rekindles her bond with her current boyfriend, or even decides to take on the next chapter of her life solo, it’s sure to be based on respecting the character’s trajectory rather than to be a love triangle for fun. With all of the high-stakes scenarios still to be resolved in the stranger things universe, romance between older teens may not seem particularly important. But for those who tuned in to Nancy’s story of balancing independence with vulnerability, Season 5 is sure to provide a satisfying conclusion to her arc (though not without drama first).
Source: TVLine
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