The following contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1, now streaming on Netflix.
In the pilot episode of Netflix's Stranger Things, viewers were introduced to an arrogant, shallow bully named Steve Harrington. Steve was a character that nobody expected to care about, but he ended up going through incredible character development in Season 2, primarily through his friendship with Dustin. Steve has become the favorite character of many fans, often referred to as the group's babysitter.
In Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1, Steve continues to act as everyone's babysitter, looking out for Dustin, Lucas and Max in particular. He regularly complains about being the babysitter and always getting stuck looking out for the younger teens, but he very clearly cares about them a lot. Steve has found his place on the show, and it is a beloved one. However, in the last two episodes of Volume 1, Steve becomes a true hero when he faces his deadliest fight yet. Unfortunately, this may put his character in danger in Volume 2.
In Season 1, Steve Harrington was the most popular guy at Hawkins High. He was just this bully that Nancy happened to have a crush on, and he was an obstacle between her and Jonathan. It wasn't until Nancy dumped Steve in Season 2 that he started to reveal a softer, goofier side of himself. He ran into Dustin while dropping off flowers at the Wheelers' house, and the two of them began an alliance that developed into a real friendship. He became a babysitter and older brother to Dustin and the rest of the group. By Season 3, Steve was already a fan-favorite character, and this only grew through his friendship with Robin.
After spending a large part of Season 4 complaining about being everyone's babysitter, Steve gets the chance to break out of this role at the end of Episode 6, "Chapter Six: The Dive." Steve, Nancy, Robin and Eddie all get into the boat on Lover's Lake with the compass to try to find Vecna's gate to the Upside Down. When they realize that it's underwater, Steve gets out of the boat to dive in and look for the gate. Steve says that it's because he's a former swim captain and lifeguard, but it seems that he's also trying to prove himself to be something more than a babysitter. Steve then bravely leaves behind the safety of the boat and dives into the unknown.
When Steve finds the glowing red entrance to the Upside Down, he swims back up to tell the others. Steve is resting his arms on the side of the boat and talking to them right as he gets pulled back down by a tentacle. Steve then winds up alone in the Upside Down, being attacked by Demobats at the end of Episode 6, and at this point, it is looking like this might be the last fans see of him. That is until Nancy, Robin and Eddie show up to help him at the beginning of Episode 7, "Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab." Steve becomes the leader of the group as they all continue to fight off Demobats, and he even ends up biting one of the monsters.
It is here in the Upside Down that Steve really seems to find his purpose, bravely and calmly looking out for the others. Volume 1 ends with Steve still alive but trapped in the Upside Down with Nancy. With just two episodes left in the penultimate season of Stranger Things, there is every reason to worry about Steve's fate. He's essentially completed his character arc, going from bully to babysitter to hero. He's also in the middle of a love triangle with Nancy and Jonathan, and he could end up sacrificing his life to save Nancy like Bob did for Joyce in Season 2. Hopefully, Steve will live through the end of Volume 2. Stranger Things sure wouldn't be the same without him.
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 is now available on Netflix. Volume 2 will be available on the platform on July 1.
