Stranger Things fans still find themselves immensely moved when they reflect on some of the most emotionally charged scenes of the hit sci-fi series.
A Redditor called Fillimilli asked fans what they think are the most heart-wrenching moments of the hit Netflix show, offering their personal pick of Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) experiencing a painful rejection to kick off the discussion.
The question caught fire in the r/StrangerThings subreddit as fans revisited some of the most powerful scenes in the series.
RalphTheNerd agreed with the original post about the relatable Dustin’s heartbreak. However, they also think it was trumped by the scene when Dustin tearfully opened up to Wayne Munson (Joel Stroffer) about what happened to his friend.
While fans seem to easily identify and empathize with Dustin, many hearts also went out to Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) who found himself navigating a painful and complicated situation with very little support. Redditor JudgeJudyScheindlin chose the distressing public conflict between him and his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder).
Other fans were still lamenting the demise of Joyce’s big-hearted boyfriend Bob Newbie (Sean Austin) and the crushed hope of their future together.
The most sorrowful scene according to Sudden_Pop_2279 was the violent death of the good-natured Patrick McKinney (Myles Truitt) at the hands of Vecna and how it affected Jason Carver (Mason Dye) and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn).
Redditor Shelbholtz chose the monumental car scene with Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), and his brother Jonathan that saw Will project his romantic feelings for Mike onto Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) as he delivered the poignant line, “When you’re different sometimes you feel like a mistake.”
As with many epic tales about the battle between good and evil, Stranger Things has its share of melancholy moments and loss, but it’s equally compelling in the way that it depicts other aspects of the human condition. There’s an aching beauty in how it illustrates the ways that kindness and connection thaw the anguish of isolation, how acceptance and belonging can heal the hardest of heartbreaks, and how the things that make us laughable are often the very things that make us lovable to our true friends.
Stranger Things is currently streaming on Netflix.