Stranger Things 4 Takes a Stand in the War on Pineapple Pizza

By Charlie Ridgely

"Too much flavor awesomeness can't overpower your battery, can it?" This is the question Argyle asks Eleven in the opening act of the Stranger Things 4 finale, after dropping a freshly-baked Surfer Boy Pizza pie on the table between her and Mike. Argyle mentions earlier in the season that people should "try before you deny" when it comes to putting pineapple on pizza, a debate that will likely rage on until the end of time. In the finale scene, Argyle finally gets someone else to try his hot fruit creation and, in doing so, gets Stranger Things involved in the eternal pineapple pizza war.

Both Mike and Eleven look puzzled by the idea of pineapple on a pizza, but they take two very different courses of action. If you watched Ted Lasso, you probably have the famous phrase "Be curious, not judgmental" seared into your brain. That life lesson plays out in real time as Mike and Eleven are gifted with Argyle's pie. 

As he does with most things, Mike Wheeler immediately complains and throws a fit when presented with the mere concept of pineapple on pizza. "That's insane," he tells Eleven, disgust across his face. "That's blasphemous. Putting fruit on pizza?!" Mike is judgmental. Eleven, on the other hand, is curious.

While neither Mike nor Eleven have ever tried pineapple on pizza before, the latter chooses to take Argyle's catchphrase to heart. "Try before you deny." After a puzzled look, she ignores Mike's complaints and goes in for a bite. You can see the delight spread across her face as she realizes she's been missing out on something spectacular for so long. "It's good," she says. "Really good." She tries, and therefore has no reason to deny, proving Argyle was onto something all along.

Stranger Things isn't afraid to take a stance in the pineapple on pizza argument. Yes, Mike is against the idea, so one might argue that the series is simply showing two sides of the debate. But the hypothesis presented by the show itself paints Mike not as someone who has another opinion, but as someone who is too judgmental to miss something great, even when it is sitting right in front of him. After all, this is the kid that didn't notice his best friend sobbing uncontrollably in the car not even a foot away from him. 

When it comes to pineapple on pizza, or just life in general, follow Eleven's lead. Try before you deny. Be curious, not judgmental.

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