SPOILERS are ahead for Stranger Things 5 Vol 2, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.
When Vol. 1 of Stranger Things 5 teased Jonathan Byers’ plans to propose to Nancy Wheeler, I shared my negative thoughts about an engagement amidst what’s been going on in the hit Netflix series. So, you can imagine my relief when the “un-proposal scene” happened in Season 5’s Episode 6, “Escape from Camazotz”. But what was the Duffer Brothers’ reasoning behind Jonathan and Nancy’s breakup?
When CinemaBlend talked to Matt and Ross Duffer about the Vol. 2 reveals (including how they arrived at the long-awaited explanation of the Upside Down), I had to ask them about this now much-talked-about sequence between Nancy and Jonathan. In Ross Duffer’s words:
We've talked for many years about where we wanted these characters to end up. And specifically, Nancy has her little love triangle. Anytime we talked about her being with Jonathan at the end, or with Steve, felt wrong. It felt like she needed to go on her own, and so did Jonathan.
For years, there’s been tension between Nancy, Jonathan and Steve, and which of them might be endgame. I don’t think a lot of fans were expecting what actually went down, which was a quite mature conversation between Jonathan and Nancy regarding how they’ve grown out of their relationship, and need to stop forcing it.
It’s actually a really sweet and amicable breakup scene that I really appreciated seeing on screen. As Ross Duffer continued:
And, I think what's complicated about that though is that they've been through so much together. Yes, there are experiences very unique in that they've got a trauma bond due to finding monsters and her losing her best friend to a demogorgon. So, it's very specific. But at the same time, I do think it's a relatable experience in that so many of us will go through life, and we go through these experiences with someone else, and you go, how can someone else ever understand what we've been through? But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's meant to be for the rest of your life. And, people are able to move on.
In another interview, the Duffers confirmed the scene is definitely “a breakup” before bringing up the point that many people don’t “wind up” with their high school sweetheart. Ross also added this in our interview:
For Nancy to grow, she had to let this part of herself go, even though she still clearly and obviously loves Jonathan and he still loves her.
I, for one, am really grateful that the Duffers went in this direction, because I felt the same way that they did. At this point in the story, it just doesn’t make sense for Nancy to “end up” with either one of them. Especially considering this whole season has revolved around Nancy dealing with Vecna kidnapping her little sister and putting both of her parents in the hospital. It’s not really the best time for big romantic scenes – or for a young woman to have her head clear to decide who she wants to spend the rest of her life with.
Following the events of Vol. 2, there’s just one episode left, and what’s high on the mind is whether there will be any heartbreaking deaths in the finale. Ahead of the last episode of Stranger Things dropping on Netflix at 5 p.m. PT (and theaters at the same time), a finale trailer has dropped that has us wondering what’s next for the beloved characters from Hawkins we’ve been following for nearly a decade now.
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