When it comes to certain characters from Stranger Things that I’ve grown to love, there are a good amount of great moments that come to mind. Several, of course, involve the amazing Eleven, with all her badassery and best moments, but another character that I have a place for in my heart is the one, the only, Steve Harrington.
Yes, the perfect example of a "bad-boy-turned-good," Steve Harrington is one of those characters who is truly hard not to like. . Through good and bad times, Steve Harrington has had some hilarious, badass, and awesome moments. Let’s take a look back at some of his best so far, from the very beginning of his story arc to the latest episodes of Season 4.
Steve Stands Up For Jonathan (Season 1, Episode 6)
In the sixth episode of Season 1 of Stranger Things, Steve and Jonathan get into a fight about Nancy, ending up with Steve getting a pretty big shiner on his eye from a punch Jonathan landed on him. But, instead of continuing to belittle him with his “friends” after their encounter, Steve instead stands up for Jonathan when they are insulting him, saying that they’re the real assholes.
I personally believe this was one of the first moments we saw where Steve isn’t just some pretty boy with a bit of an ego. He actually realizes how much of a dick he’s been and sees how awful his friends can be, and decides that he wants to be better than that.
Steve Vs. Demogorgon - Plus Nancy And Jonathan (Season 1, Episode 8)
I mean, every monster in Stranger Things is also terrifying to look at, but there’s something about the demogorgon in Season 1 that always makes me shiver. Which is why this scene of Steve, Nancy and Jonathan fighting the monster in the Byers’ home will always stand out to me.
I’m always going to love this scene, just because Steve goes full-on Negan from The Walking Dead and beats this demogorgon to the best of his ability while trying to lure it towards the trap that would hopefully kill it. Plus, it’s always amazing to see these three work together.
When Steve Gives Dustin Advice - And Reveals The Secret To His Hair (Season 2, Episode 6)
While out trying to lure back Dustin’s pet-turned-monster in Season 2 of Stranger Things, Dustin and Steve have a heart-to-heart about trying to get girls; a real “big brother” talk where Steve tries to convey to Dustin how it feels to be with a girl.
In my opinion, I think this is where everyone started to fall in love with Steve. Him being so open with Dustin about how he feels he gets girls, while also trying to warn him about the consequences of young love. And, to top it all off - telling him exactly how he does his hair, including the Farrah Fawcett spray, and then telling him he’s dead meat if he tells anyone - perfect way to cap off that conversation and start a new friendship.
And When Steve Becomes Babysitter Extraordinaire (Season 2, Episode 9)
In the season finale of Season 2 of Stranger Things, Steve is helping the gang try and stop the monsters from killing everyone in Hawkins, often hiding out with them, taking out some monsters, and everything else that is needed to attempt to keep people safe.
This whole episode is just Steve being a mom to these kids while also trying to act badass, and it’s hilarious. From comical quotes like “You want some?!” that he yells to one of the monsters from the Upside Down, to attempting to stop the kids from using a crazy plan because he’s trying to look out for them, saying “Yeah, and then we all die,” Steve is just in full-on babysitter mode in this episode.
When Steve Drives Dustin To The Snowball Dance (Season 2, Episode 9)
At the very end of Season 2 of Stranger Things, the gang finally gets to go to the Snowball Dance - and Steve takes it upon himself to drive Dustin to the school. Saying that he’ll look like a million bucks, he encourages him to go in there and have fun.
Another moment at the very end of Season 2 with Steve that I love. It’s amazing how just a couple of episodes has me loving him and Dustin together, but this scene in particular always makes me smile. It shows Steve actually cares about Dustin and how he feels about his self-worth, and wants to see the little guy achieve his goals.
When Steve Lets The Kids Sneak Into The Theater (Season 3, Episode 1)
At the very beginning of Season 3 of Stranger Things, it’s revealed that Steve has taken on a summer job working at Scoops Ahoy in the mall. Later on, the gang comes to where he works, asking him to let them sneak into the movie theater through the back way, which he begrudgingly does.
The moment is quick in the premiere, but I love it for one reason - and that’s because it shows Steve actually doesn’t just care for Dustin. While he does like Dustin the most - which we see plenty of during Season 3 - he wants to make the other kids happy too, while still keeping his tough guy demeanor up.
And When Steve Reunites With Dustin (Season 3, Episode 1)
After Dustin was away at a summer camp for some time, he returns and heads to the Starcourt Mall, going to Scoops Ahoy to find Steve. When he first runs into Robin, Steve ends up coming out from the back, looking excited as all heck, and does his special handshake with him to commemorate the moment.
I mean, do I need to tell you why this moment is awesome? The actors have such great chemistry and really sell this moment of two friends reuniting after weeks of being apart. What really puts the cherry on top is Maya Hawke’s excellent acting and sarcasm as Robin to him right after, asking how many child friends he has.
When Steve Actually Wins A Fight For Once (Season 3, Episode 5)
In Season 3, Steve, Robin, and Dustin - alongside Lucas’ sister, Erica - discover a secret Russian base under the mall, and while there, end up getting in fights. Steve, who takes on one of the Russians, finally gets the upper hand and knocks him out before anything could happen to them.
There’s been this running gag in Stranger Things that Steve can’t really win a fight. He fought against Jonathan and lost, against Billy and lost, but now, he fought a Russian soldier and finally won. Not only is this a hilarious moment, with Dustin calling him out for it, but it shows that even Steve can take on someone and actually win a fight for once, despite never winning one before. Talk about character development.
When Steve And Robin Get Drugged (Season 3, Episode 6)
I could do a whole article dedicated to Steve and Robin and their hilarious friendship in Season 3 of Stranger Things, but one of my favorite parts is when they are drugged by the Russians down in the lab. And, while they are interrogated, they don’t seem to care, because they are too high to even notice.
What makes this even better is the series of moments that happen after they’re drugged, from their escape to their trip to the movie theaters, to how they talk - both of them create such hilarious moments that it had me laughing like crazy.
And When Steve Is Accepting Of Robin’s Sexuality (Season 3, Episode 7)
Near the end of Season 3 of Stranger Things, when they’re finally coming down from their high, Steve admits to Robin that he’s developed a crush on her, however, Robin tells him that she’s actually gay, and that she’s known since high school, saying that she had a crush on a girl that had a crush on him. Steve doesn’t get upset at the fact that she’s gay - instead, he welcomes it openly.
I mean, how can you not love him? Not only does Steve not get mad because Robin doesn't feel the same about him, he’s still her friend and still cares for her, showing that no matter who she likes, he’s always going to like Robin and be there for her. And, their hysterical duet right after, imitating the same person that she had a crush on, is just perfect. Definitely one of the best moments of Season 3.
When Steve Realizes Max Isn’t Okay (Season 4, Episode 4)
One of the biggest moments of Season 4, Vol. 1 of Stranger Things was when Max (Sadie Sink) was suddenly placed under Vecna’s curse after being haunted by him for a couple of days, and she listened to her favorite song to get out of it. While it seemed that, at first, she was just looking to speak with her brother while at his grave before her potential demise, Steve starts to notice that Max isn’t acting right from the car, and against her friends’ wishes, he goes up to check on her.
It’s because of how far he has come as a friend to the rest of the Stranger Things kids - and in his babysitting skills, to be honest - that he’s able to sense that something is wrong. He’s come a long way from just calling Max a “weird girl” in Season 2 to actually caring about her wellbeing now.
Steve (And Everyone Else) Vs The Upside Down (Season 4, Episode 7)
Oh, the Upside Down will truly never die, and it most certainly did not in Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1. When Steve and his crew of high schoolers (including Robin, Nancy, and newcomer, Eddie (Joseph Quinn) find another gate that leads to the Upside Down in a lake, Steve dives into the water to investigate but is suddenly pulled in.
There, he is attacked by Demo-bats, and while at first it seems he is going to be overwhelmed, the rest of his friends come down right after to save him - and it turns into an all-out brawl between them and the creatures, using whatever weapons they can to take them out. Talk about being versatile in your weaponry.
It’s funny how we literally have a moment on this list about Steve finally winning a fight against a human, but bat creatures? That’s an easy battle. However, I have to be honest - I’m feeling a little nervous since Steve was practically eaten alive by those Demo-bats. There is no way I believe Steve is going to be completely okay after this season - which scares the crap out of me.
Steve And Eddie’s Talk While In The Upside Down (Season 4, Episode 7)
While there were a plethora of new Stranger Things Season 4 characters that were introduced, no one stood out quite as much as Eddie. A high-schooler with a whole lot of hair, a love for D&D, and a heart of gold underneath all those Hellfire shirts, Eddie became an all-star of the show and fans loved him in no time. So, leave it to the writers of Stranger Things to have the two fan-favorites have a talk about everyone’s favorite nerd, Dustin.
Dustin, over the course of Season 4, has a strong relationship with both Eddie and Steve. The latter is for reasons that we’ve already seen, but Eddie was one of the few upperclassmen at Hawkins High who actually cared about Dustin and welcomed him into the Hellfire Club with open arms. It’s revealed during Eddie and Steve’s conversation that Eddie is actually jealous of Steve, because Dustin talks about him all the time.
He even told Steve that he wished he was an “asshole” because it would make hating him so much easier, but now that he’s met him, he gets why Dustin likes him so much. And that little grin that’s on Steve’s face after that - ugh, makes the moment so perfect. I’d like to see more of these two characters before, ya know, something bad happens to both of them.
Stranger Things does have a habit of killing of beloved characters before the end of their season when they are introduced - i.e. Barb, Bob, and Alexei - so I wouldn’t be surprised if Eddie (or Steve) ended up being the next. Praying that won’t be the case, though.
Stranger Things Season 4, Vol 1 debuted and broke records all around, giving us even more Steve Harrington moments to love and enjoy. Now, with Season 4, Vol 2 right around the corner, I have so many questions going into it - but the biggest is going to be “Is Steve going to make it through this relatively unscathed?” Only time will tell.
