How Come Will and Steve Have Never Spoken in Stranger Things?

How Come Will and Steve Have Never Spoken in Stranger Things?

As someone who has been a dedicated Stranger Things fan since its inception, I find it quite amusing that the show’s characters, despite their sprawling and intricate relationships, have managed to keep two of the main characters, Will and Steve, apart for four whole seasons! It’s like they’re living in separate universes.


Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things” showcases a wide array of peculiar yet captivating personalities. Initially, the characters were grouped into three somewhat separate entities: the kids – Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp), and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown); the older teenagers – Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and Steve (Joe Keery); and the grown-ups – Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour). However, as time has passed, these character groupings have started to intermingle more frequently. For the most part, that’s true.

As a devoted cinephile, I can’t help but notice an intriguing anomaly in the narrative of Stranger Things. While Will and Steve have shared the screen for four seasons, they’ve yet to engage in a one-on-one conversation. Despite hints of familiarity—like when Steve aided the younger gang to sneak into a terrifying movie at Starcourt Mall during Season 3’s premiere—their interactions have been limited to group dynamics thus far. I find it fascinating how these characters have found ways to skirt around personal dialogue throughout their screen time.

A (Separate) History of Will and Steve

From the start, Steve and Will have been significant characters in Stranger Things, but due to different circumstances, they haven’t had a chance for a one-on-one conversation. At the beginning of Season 1, Will went missing, and even if he hadn’t, Steve was older than both Will and his brother Jonathan, which kept him preoccupied with bullying Nancy and Jonathan, leaving little room to notice Will.

By the end of the first season, both Will and Steve had made their returns and Steve showed signs of change. In Season 2, it appeared that Steve and Will would finally have a chance to talk. However, things took an unexpected turn when Will was taken over by the Mind Flayer. As a result, instead of engaging with Will, Steve found himself safeguarding Dustin, Lucas, and Max (played by Sadie Sink) from demodogs. Meanwhile, the Mind Flayer was kept at bay due to Will being heavily sedated.

In Season 3, Will primarily returned to a normal state, but their on-screen interactions were minimal outside of the initial movie in that season. To add, Steve was predominantly held captive by the Soviets, keeping him preoccupied. Later, in Season 4, Will and his family relocated from Hawkins, Indiana to the West Coast. Consequently, this move once more limited their opportunities to spend time together.

Steve and Will Don’t Talk Much and Maybe That’s Okay

How Come Will and Steve Have Never Spoken in Stranger Things?How Come Will and Steve Have Never Spoken in Stranger Things?How Come Will and Steve Have Never Spoken in Stranger Things?

Even though Steve and Will haven’t had a chance for a personal conversation yet, they don’t share many common interests. For instance, Steve is a popular high school graduate who struggled post-high school, while Will is a fan of Dungeons and Dragons and isn’t well-liked by his peers. This disconnect between them wasn’t unexpected for Stranger Things fans when the news broke about their lack of communication on Reddit. Given that their characters pursued different paths throughout the four seasons and appear to come from different social circles – with Steve as a symbol of coolness and Will not fitting that mold due to his bowl cut – it seems they wouldn’t have much to discuss.

It appears that some Reddit users have expressed the opinion that Will, a character in the show, is not well-developed or given much attention. One user described him as more of a plot device than a fully realized character. There are discussions about how Will’s role in the series has been limited and underutilized. In contrast to his supposed close relationships with Dustin and Lucas, Will seems to interact little with them, which is a notable oversight. Despite confessing his homosexuality to his brother Jonathan in Season 4, a scene that was emotionally heavy, it also highlighted the fact that Mike, who Will has feelings for, does not reciprocate due to being straight. Overall, these observations suggest that Will has been portrayed as a less compelling character, with storylines primarily focused on his struggles.

As a passionate movie critic, I’ve noticed an intriguing dynamic between Steve and the significant characters in the series – particularly Jonathan, Will’s brother, and Joyce Byers, Will’s mother. In seasons one through four, Steve appears to either underestimate or neglect these crucial figures in Will’s life. Fans have pointed out that Steve’s interactions with them are minimal at best.

In Stranger Things’ four seasons, several characters haven’t interacted much, such as Joyce and Steve not having a conversation, and Steve also never speaking to Hopper. It’s quite intriguing because while Will doesn’t seem to connect with Hopper like he does with others, there are similarities between him and Hopper that could make for interesting dialogues. Similarly, Will hasn’t spoken to Robin (Maya Hawke), another character who shares a queer identity and might empathize with his experiences. As the show heads into its fifth and final season, it would be great if these characters finally share some meaningful conversations they’ve been missing out on for so long.

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2024-09-20 02:31