Stranger Things Creators Spoil Who Nancy Ends Up With At The End Of Season 5

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It looks like the Duffer Brothers may have hinted at how Nancy Wheeler’s love life will end in the final season of Stranger Things. Throughout the series, Nancy (played by Natalia Dyer) has been torn between two boyfriends: the popular Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and the more reserved Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton). With the fifth season promising increased romantic drama, it seems the show creators may have already revealed who Nancy will ultimately choose.

Nancy and Jonathan have been a couple since the first season of Stranger Things, but their relationship faced serious challenges in the latest episodes. Season 4 split them apart geographically, and it became evident they were growing distant after years together. Meanwhile, Nancy and Steve reconnected while fighting Vecna, suggesting a possible romance could develop between them.

In Season 5, Steve and Jonathan both competed for Nancy’s affection, and things were made even more difficult by the fact that the Byers and Wheelers were living together.

Did Nancy and Jonathan Break Up in Stranger Things 5?

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Stranger Things 5 Vol. 2.

In the final episodes of Season 5, Jonathan and Nancy faced an incredibly difficult situation. They became trapped in the Upside Down while a strange substance caused the lab around them to dissolve into a gooey mess. With no clear escape, they finally had an honest conversation, sharing their frustrations and issues with each other.

Jonathan saw this as a chance to tell Nancy he’d been planning to propose, believing it might solve their problems. But he quickly realized that would actually make things worse. Instead, he jokingly asked Nancy if she’d accept his “un-proposal.”

Jonathan confessed to Nancy that he’d been trying to decide if he should ask her to marry him, but realized it wouldn’t solve their problems. He’d been carrying the ring for two days, agonizing over it, and finally admitted he was essentially asking her not to marry him – or, as he put it, accepting his ‘un-proposal’.

Nancy: “I accept your un-proposal.”

Jonathan: “I loved you. I love you, Nancy Wheeler.”

Nancy: “I love you, Jonathan Byers.”

The scene was confusing, leaving viewers unsure if Nancy and Jonathan were still a couple. While it initially seemed like they might have just decided to hold off on getting engaged, the creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers, have since clarified to PEOPLE that they have officially broken up.

Matt Duffer: “That’s a breakup. They are broken up.”

Who Will Nancy Wheeler End Up With in Stranger Things?

This recent development complicates things for viewers who were rooting for Jonathan and Nancy to end up together on Stranger Things. But it doesn’t automatically mean Steve is now the frontrunner, either.

Earlier in the conversation, Jonathan worried that Nancy might have feelings for Steve instead of him. Nancy quickly reassured him, saying she and Steve were simply not a match and never had been. She explained that Steve had a clear idea of what he wanted from life, but her experiences with the Upside Down had stopped her from figuring out her own path.

Now that Nancy’s two major relationships are failing, fans are wondering who, if anyone, she’ll end up with on Stranger Things. Interestingly, the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, hinted at the answer in a recent interview with PEOPLE, stating they always intended for “Nancy to end up on her own.”

We—the writers and I—realized Nancy needed a chance to become independent and discover who she is as an individual. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when that idea first emerged, but we all agreed it was the right path for her.

With the final season of Stranger Things arriving on Netflix and in theaters New Year’s Eve, it appears the show has resolved the love triangle involving Nancy. Season 5, Episode 6 suggests that any hopes for a relationship between Nancy and either Jonathan or Steve won’t come to fruition.

Although many fans hoped Nancy would end up with either Steve or Jonathan, it actually fits her character arc better if she doesn’t. Throughout Stranger Things, Nancy’s storylines have often revolved around her relationships, and she hasn’t really had the opportunity to explore her own goals and become independent. It makes sense for her to focus on figuring out what she wants outside of romance.

By letting Nancy end her romantic relationships, the author allows her character to grow independently and resolves the tension between Steve and Jonathan without choosing a side.

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2025-12-27 18:06