They say everyone has their demons. And while that statement takes on a literal form when it comes to Stranger Things and the numerous monstrosities of the Upside Down, fans have been debating which teen character in the Hawkins ensemble had it the worst from a psychological standpoint.
Trauma is the cornerstone of compelling characterization in Hollywood, and the Netflix hit series, being one such popular series that pertains to many of the same storytelling tropes, has the whole package; abusive parents, poverty, romantic heartache, illegal experimentation, physical aggression, death, take your pick.
Now, we all know the story has been rather tough on the original Hawkins gang — namely, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and El, not to mention latecomers like Max — but the older teens have also grown to play a significant part in the ongoing war against the Mind Flayer, each contributing to a part of this story while carrying emotional baggage of their own.
In the interest of not allowing the youngsters to overshadow the metaphorical old-timers of Hawkins, fans have been debating about which one of them had it toughest. Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, Billy, Robin, Chrissy, Argyle, Eddie, and even the perpetually- ignorant Jason Carver. Who would you choose?
Here’s a compelling argument for why Billy, Jonathan, and Eddie had it worse than others.
Jonathan is getting a lot of love from the fandom, if not from Nancy, with whom his relationship is slowly creeping up to a dead end.
Many fans may have perceived Billy as an absolute douchebag — and justifiably so — but at its core, he might be the most tragic character in all of Stranger Things.
The rest are pretty much leaning either towards Billy or Jonathan.
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things is currently in development, with the Duffers just starting to get into the nitty-gritty of the story.