WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for Stranger Things season 5, vol. 2!

Seemingly bringing an end to the show’s biggest love triangle, Stranger Things season 5 has broken up two major original characters ahead of the series finale.

Though the ultimate fate of their relationship left some audiences confused after Stranger Things season 5 volume 2’s ending, the Duffer Brothers have now confirmed via People that Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers are officially broken up. Their romantic relationship truly began toward the end of season 2, with Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton’s characters remaining together until their breakup in the latter half of season 5.

The first volume of season 5 revealed that Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship had been rocky since the season 4 finale, with Jonathan then having Murray procure him an engagement ring in the hopes that proposing would “fix” their problems. When the couple were put in a near-death situation pairing up in the Upside Down in Stranger Things season 5, episode 6, Nancy and Jonathan were finally forced to confront their relationship struggles, leading to Jonathan showing Nancy the engagement ring, asking her not to marry him, and Nancy accepting his “unproposal.”

With Nancy and Jonathan still declaring their love for one another, smiling through tears, and being on good terms throughout episodes 6 and 7, some viewers were left confused about whether they had actually broken up or just decided not to get engaged. Though they had bigger fish to fry in combating Vecna’s plans to merge The Abyss with their world, Nancy and Jonathan never disclosed their breakup on-screen to another character.

However, co-creator Matt Duffer has officially clarified that the scene in “Escape from Camazotz” was indicative of Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship ending:

“That’s a breakup. They are broken up.”

Though they were one of the series’ most prominent couples, alongside Mike and Eleven, Lucas and Max, and more recently Joyce and Hopper, Nancy and Jonathan’s breakup wasn’t too big of a shock. The two main Stranger Things characters spent almost the entirety of the previous season apart, with season 4 even reigniting the Steve-Nancy-Jonathan love triangle when the former made his enduring feelings for Nancy more obvious.

Why Stranger Things Season 5 Broke Up Nancy And Jonathan

The Duffer Brothers also revealed that they knew Jonathan and Nancy’s breakup was coming for “a while,” with the writing team settling on a specific vision for how Nancy would end Stranger Things. But, while Nancy and Jonathan are now broken up, that doesn’t mean Nancy and Steve will rekindle their relationship in Stranger Things‘ series finale. Rather, as Matt Duffer explains, Nancy is set to conclude the show “on her own:”

“It’s hard to recall when exactly that idea came up, but I think us – and the writers – all felt that Nancy needed to end up on her own and be independent and have an opportunity to find herself. I mean, how many people wind up with their girlfriend or boyfriend that they met in high school?”

However, the Duffers still admit Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship was built on much more than just meeting in high school – an issue the characters themselves raise in their breakup/unproposal scene. Per Ross Duffer, Nancy and Jonathan’s complicated relationship is a “trauma bond,” with their shared history and traumatic experiences keeping them together longer than they should have.

Though their romance has come to an end, Nancy and Jonathan being on good terms is expected to carry over into the series finale, which premieres on Netflix on December 31, 2025. The couple is confronted with a dire situation much bigger than themself, with Nancy needing to rescue her sister, Holly, from Vecna’s clutches while the entire Hawkins gang works together to defeat Vecna and stop his plans with The Abyss in the saga-concluding Stranger Things season 5, episode 8.

Release Date

2016 – 2025-00-00

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

Directors

Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz

Writers

Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock