As Stranger Things heads into its final episodes, the Netflix series has many plot lines to wrap up, but one can be settled offscreen between seasons 4 and 5. The science fiction horror drama TV show has become a cultural phenomenon in the past eight years, and its impressive run is finally coming to a close. The Stranger Things season 4 ending featured several cliffhangers, including Vecna’s win and the Upside Down merging with Hawkins, Indiana, meaning season 5 has many conflicts to address. However, one story that began in Stranger Things season 1 can be left in the past.

Stranger Things season 5 will premiere sometime in 2025 and consist of eight episodes — “Chapter One: The Crawl,” “The Vanishing of [TBA],” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape from Camazotz,” “The Bridge,” and “The Rightside Up.”

Over the course of Stranger Things season 4, Vecna almost killed Max (a few times), Vecna was revealed to be Henry Creel/One, Joyce and Murray saved Hopper, Will all but confirmed his feelings for Mike, and much more. So, it’s safe to say that season 5 has a lot of work to do to answer season 4’s questions and solve the show’s overarching mysteries. But if there is one story that doesn’t need to be wholly explored in Stranger Things season 5, it’s the love triangle that has been plaguing the series since the beginning.

Stranger Things Should Just Resolve Nancy’s Love Triangle Offscreen

Season 4 Brought The Nancy/Jonathan/Steve Love Triangle Back

As many know, Stranger Things‘ resident love triangle includes Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve, and it can be traced all the way back to season 1. It was seemingly resolved in season 2 when Nancy broke up with Steve and later started dating Jonathan. However, Stranger Things season 4 resurrected the love triangle (for no good reason). Now, the Netflix series must address the question of who Nancy will end up with (or if she will end up with either of them). This resolution can easily happen offscreen before season 5, especially because the premiere will feature a time jump.

Nancy’s love triangle is just a bad story that Stranger Things never should have brought back, and she might be better off single during the show’s last season.

Stranger Things season 5 will take place one and a half years after season 4, as the last episode’s events transpired in March 1986 and season 5 will pick up in the fall of 1987. So, it would make more sense to end the love triangle before season 5’s events. It would be rather strange (pun not intended) if Nancy hadn’t decided between Jonathan and Steve by then. Ultimately, Nancy’s love triangle is just a bad story that Stranger Things never should have brought back, and she might be better off single during the show’s last season.

Stranger Things Already Has Way Too Many Stories For Season 5

Season 5 Has Too Much On Its Plate To Worry About A Tired Love Triangle

Stranger Things season 5 already has enough to deal with without having to worry about resolving a love triangle that many agree is frustrating and uninspired. As mentioned above, season 4 ended with Hawkins in flames. The next episode must explain what happened after Vecna began merging the Upside Down with reality, especially since the hour’s beginning will feature a lengthy time jump. The Stranger Things season 5 premiere has to explain the events between the season 4 finale and season 5 (without using too much exposition) and reveal where the characters are now, both physically and emotionally.

Stranger Things 5 Cast
Role

Millie Bobby Brown
Eleven/Jane Hopper

Finn Wolfhard
Mike Wheeler

Noah Schnapp
Will Byers

Caleb McLaughlin
Lucas Sinclair

Gaten Matarazzo
Dustin Henderson

Sadie Sink
Max Mayfield

David Harbour
Jim Hopper

Winona Ryder
Joyce Byers

Joe Keery
Steve Harrington

Maya Hawke
Robin Buckley

Natalia Dyer
Nancy Wheeler

Charlie Heaton
Jonathan Byers

Linda Hamilton
TBA

Bret Gelman
Murray Bauman

Jamie Campbell Bower
Vecna

Amybeth McNulty
Vickie

Priah Ferguson
Erica Sinclair

Cara Buono
Karen Wheeler

Joe Chrest
Ted Wheeler

Nell Fisher
Holly Wheeler

Jake Connelly
TBA

Alex Breaux
TBA

Aside from disclosing what happened after season 4’s ending and addressing its cliffhangers (e.g., if Max survived), Stranger Things season 5 must also reveal the fates of every character and solve some of the show’s biggest mysteries (e.g., the origin of the Upside Down). So, a tired love triangle should be the least of the writers’ concerns. They would be wise to simply resolve the question of who Nancy ends up with offscreen, whether that means her fully committing to Jonathan, leaving Jonathan for Steve, or becoming single. Whatever the case, Stranger Things season 5 has to leave the love triangle in the past.