The release of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 on Christmas Day brought major changes for the show’s characters. One of the most talked-about moments is a serious conversation between Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers. While trapped in a dangerous situation, the couple makes a big decision about their future.
The new episodes, which are over three hours long, are streaming on Netflix now. This brings fans closer to the end of the series.
The Melting Room Confession
The key scene happens in Episode 6, titled “Escape from Camazotz.” Nancy and Jonathan are inside the Upside Down version of Hawkins Lab. After Nancy shoots a strange energy sphere, the walls around them begin to melt into a dangerous goo.
Trapped in a room filling with this substance, they believe they might die. This leads them to finally talk honestly about problems in their relationship they have ignored for a long time. They start with small confessions, like Nancy admitting she has never liked Jonathan’s favorite band, The Clash. Jonathan confesses he does not enjoy reading Nancy’s newspaper articles because he feels she only wants praise.
The talk then moves to bigger issues. Jonathan tells Nancy the truth that he never applied to Emerson College in Boston. Nancy had already guessed this. They both realize that the shared trauma of their experiences in Hawkins has been the main thing holding them together. Nancy says that while this connection once felt safe, it now feels “suffocating”.
Jonathan’s “Un-Proposal” and the Final Goodbye
After their honest talk, Jonathan has one more secret to share. He pulls out a cassette tape case. Inside is an engagement ring he got earlier in the season with plans to propose. Knowing that getting married would not fix their problems, he does the opposite. He makes what he calls an “un-proposal”.
“I figure that I have screwed up enough with you that it’d be nice to get something right for once, in the end,” Jonathan says. “Nancy Wheeler, will you not marry me?”
He explains that he thought an engagement might solve their issues, but he knew it would only make things worse. Nancy accepts his un-proposal. They both say “I love you” to each other one last time. Nancy then throws the ring. Instead of sinking into the goo, it bounces on the now-hardened floor, showing the melting has stopped and they can escape.
Creators Confirm the Breakup and Nancy’s Future
For viewers unsure if this was a true breakup, the show’s creators have given a clear answer. Matt Duffer told People magazine, “That’s a breakup. They are broken up.”
The decision for Nancy and Jonathan to separate was made because the writers felt Nancy’s story should end with her being independent. Matt Duffer explained that they wanted Nancy to have the opportunity to find herself on her own. Ross Duffer described their relationship as a “trauma bond,” suggesting that surviving terrible events together does not always mean a couple has a healthy future.
This moment also seems to end the long-running love triangle involving Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve Harrington. During their conversation, Nancy tells Jonathan that her need for space is not about Steve. She says that while Steve is a good person, they want very different things in life. She references Steve’s known wish for a big family with “six kids,” which does not match her own goals.
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What Happens Next?
Nancy and Jonathan survive their ordeal in the Upside Down. They are later rescued by Steve and Dustin. However, their romantic relationship is over.
The story for these characters and the rest of Hawkins is not finished. The series finale of Stranger Things, labeled as Volume 3, is scheduled for release on December 31. It will be available on Netflix at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET. This final episode is expected to run for about two hours and will conclude the battle against Vecna and the mysteries of the Upside Down.
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