Why Nancy & Jonathan Breakup In Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 6 (& What About Steve?)

Warning: Spoilers below for Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. The relationship between Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) has served as a cornerstone of the Stranger Things narrative since the investigative duo first united during the search for Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) in 1983. While the first season established an unlikely alliance between a mainstream student and a social outcast, their shared mission to uncover the truth about the disappearance of Barb Holland (Shannon Purser) created a connection that appeared unbreakable for several years. However, the strength of this partnership began to erode significantly during the fourth season of Stranger Things as geographical distance and divergent life goals exposed deep-seated incompatibilities. Season 5 officially dismantles the couple, providing a definitive resolution that honors their individual growth over romantic convenience.

Nancy and Jonathan’s breakup happens during a harrowing sequence in the Upside Down version of the Hawkins laboratory. After nearly destroying the exotic matter that holds the Upside Down together, Nancy and Jonathan are trapped in a room with no exit. As white matter liquefies and begins to flood the space, the duo is forced onto a table to escape the substance. Believing they are facing their final moments, Nancy and Jonathan confess all the things they despise about each other, from music taste to drug consumption. Then, Jonathan produces the engagement ring he had been hiding, asking Nancy to agree not to marry him.

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The fourth season of Stranger Things had already demonstrated Nancy and Jonathan’s inability to communicate effectively while living in different states, and their breakup scene in Season 5 serves as the final admission that their bond was a consequence of crisis rather than genuine compatibility. They mutually chose to end their relationship, acknowledging that the shared trauma that brought them together is not enough for a sustainable future. While they possess a deep affection for one another, their relationship has transformed into a cage that prevents them from pursuing their separate identities. Jonathan eventually discards the ring, and it clinks against the hardened floor, symbolizing the end of their romantic entanglement.

Will Nancy End Up with Steve in Stranger Things?

Within this same intense conversation atop the table, Jonathan asks Nancy is she has been drifting apart because of Steve Harrington (Joe Keery). Nancy admits that Steve makes her laugh, but that he has nothing to do with her decision to end things with Jonathan. In fact, Nancy explicitly defines Steve as a friend rather than a romantic replacement, which allows Stranger Things to avoid the typical clichés of a television love triangle.

Through the fifth season of Stranger Things, Steve continues to show his interest in Nancy, leaving the door open for them to become a couple once more. Still, while there is a chance the series finale could offer a traditional romantic resolution, the current trajectory suggests a more nuanced ending where Nancy prioritizes her identity as an individual over her status as a girlfriend. This approach respects the history of all three characters while ensuring the emotional stakes of the final battle remain focused on the survival of the group.

Volume 2 of Stranger Things Season 5 is currently available for streaming on the Netflix platform. The final chapter of the epic supernatural drama is scheduled to arrive on January 31st. 

Do you think Nancy Wheeler should end the series as a single woman or should she give Steve Harrington another chance? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!