Jonathan Byers has always been one of ‘Stranger Things’ quietest characters, present, empathetic, deeply loyal, yet often overshadowed by stronger personalities. Season 5, however, might draw him into the heart of the emotional hurricane.
And if one heartbreaking theory proves true, Jonathan could become the most devastating loss the series has delivered. The worst part of this theory is not only that it places Jonathan in direct danger, but that it revolves around the one thing he has never been able to communicate with: his feelings. His infatuation with Nancy Wheeler can be the emotional center of his last chapter.
Jonathan Byers May Be At The Center Of Tragic ‘Stranger Things’ Mystery
The seed of this theory is a moment blink-and-you-miss-it: the engagement ring that Jonathan got in Season 5, Episode 3, given to him by Murray. He hid it in a John Coltrane cassette case in hopes of finding the right moment to give it to Nancy. Not when her parents are in the hospital. Not when her little sister has been taken by Vecna. And definitely not when their relationship is on the verge of breaking.
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Jonathan has never been good at timing. Or with confidence or by choosing himself. This makes him relatable, and one of the reasons why this theory is so brutal. Fans are fantasizing about a chilling scene in Season 5: Jonathan falling into a Vecna trance, just as Max did in Season 4. The stakes are even more major this time. Nancy rushing to save him would be a reflection of Lucas trying desperately to save Max. And her only way to Jonathan would be that secret ring.
Imagine Nancy going through his possessions to find something significant enough to loosen Vecna. During the scramble, she cracks open the Coltrane case and discovers the ring, the tangible evidence of a promise that Jonathan was too frightened to reveal. It would be a gut punch. The bittersweet moment when Nancy realizes Jonathan loves her. And in the darkest version of this theory? She discovers it too late.
Jonathan’s death, as she is holding the ring that he wanted to give her, would be the type of emotional punch ‘Stranger Things’ is not afraid to take but can certainly execute. Even those who had never been attached to Jonathan would experience that heartbreak. Quiet sacrifice has been the foundation of his whole personality. So, to die without uttering his love may be the tragic climax of his arc.
Jonathan And Nancy Are Already In A Difficult Stage
Although the Duffers may not be heading for full tragedy, the writing is already on the wall for Jonathan and Nancy. The cracks were not a new development in Season 5. The feelings for Steve that Nancy had long suppressed resurfaced in Season 4. Steve freely admitted that Jonathan and Nancy appeared to be miserable, and Jonathan did not argue it. Their futures diverged the moment Jonathan lied about the Emerson letter, avoiding a confrontation he wasn’t emotionally ready for.
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Memories have been keeping their relationship together rather than aligned. They are together by habit more than harmony. These tensions are only heightened in Season 5. Nancy is struggling as her family is in shambles. Jonathan is struggling to keep himself together as Hawkins collapses once more. They are close, but not in sync. Loving, but lost. That is why the engagement ring remains so emotionally charged.
It is not only a sign of commitment, but a desperate effort to fill a gap. And that is what makes the theory even more convincing. The fact that Nancy only realizes the magnitude of his love when she’s running out of time to return it. Tragedy or not, the direction Stranger Things is taking heavily suggests Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship is nearing its final chapter. Season 5 has already made significant swings in the first act.
