Steve and Nancy in Stranger Things: from first love to friendship
Characters · Steve and Nancy · Seasons 1 to 5
On November 7, 1983, according to the wiki, Steve climbs through the window for a chemistry test. The slap is in front of the marquee, the breakup the day after October 31, 1984, and the dream of six kids fits in an RV, in March 1986.
From November 1983 to the spring of 1989, Steve and Nancy go from couple to friendship. In between, a window, a slap, a party, and six kids dreamed up in an RV.
The essentials
- Start: Around November 1983, according to the wiki. On the 7th, the window and Kaminsky
- Marquee: The slap first, then “Go to hell, Nancy.” Tommy H. paints
- Breakup: The day after Tina's party (October 31, 1984), she does not say she loves him
- 1985: Ice cream for him, the paper for her. He no longer loves her
- March 1986: The lake, then “Six little nuggets.”
- 1987: “me and Nance were never really in the cards”
- 1989: The roof, “Sweet Jane”, the Herald
Contents
The window, the party and the marquee
On November 7, 1983, Nancy is studying for Kaminsky's test. “I have to study for Kaminsky's test.” Steve Harrington suggests “I'll climb through your window.”, and he does: “Ninja.” “Which polymers occur naturally?” She answers “Starch and cellulose.” A piece of clothing for each right answer: “Uh, pass.” “I'm not Laurie, or Amy, or Becky.” Then “You're an idiot, Steve Harrington.” and “You are beautiful, Nancy Wheeler.” According to the wiki, they are dating around November 1983. This night is in the opening chapter. Earlier, she tells Barb: “made out a couple times”.
At the party at Steve's, Nancy goes up with him, Barb stays alone by the pool. In the sixth chapter he comes back at night with Tommy and Carol. “Steve has a heart.” “Princess' castle.” Through the window he sees Jonathan in the room.
The next day the marquee is covered in insults. Tommy H. paints, Steve, Carol and Nicole with him. Carol: “Tommy, you write like a three-year-old.” Nancy arrives, slaps Steve, asks what is wrong. He turns the question around, accuses her, and ends with “Go to hell, Nancy.”
The fight with Jonathan follows straight away. The bat, later on, is in the trap story. In the seventh chapter he breaks with Tommy and Carol: “neither of you ever cared about her”, “She actually cares about other people.” At Christmas they are together again. He spends Christmas Eve at her place. She is the one who gives Jonathan the camera he paid for, according to the wiki.
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November 7, 1983 The window
The test. He climbs through the window.
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November 1983 The party
She goes up. Barb stays by the pool.
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The sixth chapter The marquee
The slap, then “Go to hell, Nancy.”
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October 31, 1984 At Tina's
The couple falls apart.
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The next summer Two summers
The ice cream, then the paper.
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March 1986 The RV
Six kids.
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November 1987 The Abyss
“Never really in the cards.”
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Spring 1989 The roof
Two friends.
Brown shoulder-length hair, orange jacket, beige striped sweater, light pants, black radio, gray bike with a headlight.
In the shopBuildable mini figure Steve Harrington on a bike14,90 €See the product
At Tina's, then the babysitter
Nancy reminds Steve that Barb's parents are selling their house. On October 31, 1984, at Tina's, Nancy is drunk. Steve is “bullshit”. They pretend, as if they had not killed Barb. “You don't love me?” “It's bullshit.” The party is in episode 2 of season 2.
The next day, at basketball, he wants to hear her say it. “Well, then tell me.” Teammates call: “Harrington!” She does not say it. This scene is in episode 3 of season 2.
He rehearses an apology outside her house. On the tracks he tells Dustin that “Nancy's different”.
In the ninth chapter, before she leaves, he tells her to go with Jonathan. “You should go with him.” She refuses to leave her little brother. Steve: “I may be a pretty shitty boyfriend”, but a “pretty damn good babysitter”. Then: “It's okay, Nance.”
Two separate summers
In 1985 Steve sells ice cream at Starcourt. Nancy is an intern at the paper, with Jonathan. Their plots run separately.
The counter that summer carries the name Scoops Ahoy.
Nancy's summer at the paper is cut short: she and Jonathan are fired.
Under truth serum, Robin asks: “Have you… ever been in love?” “Yep. Nancy Wheeler.” “First semester, senior year.” Whether he still loves her: “No.” “I found someone who's a little bit better for me.” Then she tells him who she is. This face-to-face is in episode 7 of season 3.
The lake, then six kids
Before the lake, the Creel house is a stop along the way. At Lover's Lake Steve dives, is pulled into the Upside Down, and Nancy is the first to jump in.
In the Upside Down, Robin asks whether the bats have rabies. Later, Nancy treats his bites.
In the woods Eddie comes back to the image. “But Wheeler right there, she didn't waste a second.” “She just dove right in.” “if I were you, I would get her back.” It is “as unambiguous a sign of true love”.
In March 1986 Eddie has hot-wired the neighbors' RV, according to the wiki, and Steve is driving. Over “Fire and Rain”, by James Taylor: “How's it handle?” “Not half bad.” Then the dream: “a full brood of Harringtons”, “five, six kids”, “Six little nuggets.”, “Three girls, three boys.” “the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone”, then “some beach side town in California”. Nancy: “That sounds nice.” Except the six kids: “That sounds like a total nightmare.” This drive is in “Papa”.
Short curly auburn hair, white dress with a purple pattern, blue and brown belt with a gold buckle, black accessory, gray bike.
In the shopBuildable mini figure Nancy Wheeler and her bike14,90 €See the product
In the Abyss, then the roof
In November 1987 the car has broken down. Steve wants to see Nancy at the hospital, with flowers: “You think we should go see her at the hospital?”, “bring Nance, like, flowers”. Jonathan explodes. “This bullshit macho competition for Nancy's attention.” “You selfish, chauvinistic meathead!” Steve: “my good friend, my friend”. Then “more miserable in that relationship than you”, “is Nance”.
In the fifth episode he offers to go up with her. Dustin: “chasing somebody else's girlfriend while the world is ending”. Steve: “Nancy is a friend. She's a friend, okay?” In the melting room, Nancy: “Steve's a good guy. He makes me laugh.” He has better hair than Jonathan, “Like, way better.” And “He wants six kids.”, “Six little nuggets.” Jonathan: “That's like a Happy Meal.” Nancy: “he knows what he wants, and that's great.” She does not. She and Jonathan split up in that room: the breakup is told with the couples.
On the antenna, Steve topples into the void. Jonathan, played by Charlie Heaton, catches him just in time and hauls him up. All the rest of that night is in “The Rightside Up”.
In the Abyss: “when I was away in California”, “you were there for Nancy when I couldn't be”, “our problems had nothing to do with you”. Steve: “me and Nance were never really in the cards”, “she's independent”. “Six little nuggets?” “She told you that?” “You think it would've been better if I'd said four?” “Maybe just not calling them nuggets.” “I'd rather have her as a friend than nothing at all.” “Special.” Jonathan concludes: “I still don't like you, though.” In the spring of 1989, on the roof of WSQK, a local radio station, Nancy says “I dropped out” and “I took a job at the Herald”. Then, over “Sweet Jane”, Steve says “I think Kristen might be the one”. The rest is in Nancy in season 5.
What the actors say
On October 28, 2017, Refinery29 cites TV Guide. Natalia Dyer says “I think it's ambiguous for a reason”. The same article says Joe Keery sees feelings still there and does not think Steve is right for her.
On July 4, 2022, Variety, Emily Longeretta: “It's a bit complicated”, “maybe she needs some self discovery time”, “Nancy and Steve have come so far”, “do care about each other and that hasn't gone away”.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, August 11, 2022. Megan Thee Stallion: “I feel like you like Steve, still”. “I have options, I guess?” “a little 'me time'”. Neither “Team Jancy” nor “Team Stancy”.
In December 2025, Polygon, Samantha Nelson: “in a deeply satisfying way that bucks clichés”. In real life Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton are a couple.
Acrylic: a wooden bat bristling with nails, black bats, a carabiner. A drawing, not the on-screen object.
In the shopNail bat keychain12,90 €See the product
Frequently asked questions
When are Steve and Nancy together?
Around November 1983, according to the wiki. On the 7th he climbs through the window for Kaminsky's test.
Why do Steve and Nancy break up?
On October 31, 1984, at Tina's. It is “bullshit”. The next day she does not say she loves him.
What does Steve tell Nancy in the RV?
“Six little nuggets.”, three girls, three boys, the Rockies, the Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone, a beach in California. For Nancy, the six kids would be “a total nightmare”.
What does “Six little nuggets” mean?
Six kids, three girls and three boys, in March 1986. Nancy brings it up again in 1987, Jonathan in the Abyss.
Does Nancy get back with Steve at the end?
No. “me and Nance were never really in the cards”. In the spring of 1989, two friends on a roof.
Who is Steve with in 1989?
Kristen, on the roof: “I think Kristen might be the one”. She is not on screen.
Do Steve and Jonathan make up?
Jonathan says Steve was there for Nancy. Steve prefers her as a friend. Even so, Jonathan concludes: “I still don't like you, though.”
What does Natalia Dyer think?
October 28, 2017: “I think it's ambiguous for a reason”. July 4, 2022: “maybe she needs some self discovery time”. August 11, 2022, she does not pick a side.
