There have been some great friendships in Stranger Things: Nancy and Jonathan, Steve and Dustin, Joyce and Hopper, you name it. But Dustin Henderson and Will Byers aren't on the list. They are two individuals whose storylines call for their growth to be separate from each other which means their friendship is weakening in the process, unlike Lucas and Mike who have been fortunate and have been growing together during the series.
How has Dustin and Will's friendship been defined during Stranger Things? Are they actually friends? Dustin is a sarcastic, funny, neutral member of the Party while Will is mild-mannered, loyal and humble. Here are 10 reasons why Will and Dustin aren't real friends and could put in some more effort towards getting to know each other.
They Don't Each Other
In Season 1, everyone from the Party wanted to find Will. It was the irable, obvious, caring thing to do. But outside of saving someone, where is the daily ? It's easier to show someone love and help them when things are down. How many intimate moments were there between Dustin and Will?
Will pushed away anyone who was concerned about him in Season 2 and Dustin didn't put in as much effort as he could have in helping his friend. He didn't push back. And did anyone come to Dustin's aid to not make him feel so alone during the Prom that wasn't Nancy? is lacking.
Dustin Is Best Friends With Steve
Mike and Lucas are best friends despite Mike's objections that he has many best friends. Eleven and Mike are a couple. Max and Eleven are best friends, and Max and Lucas are a couple. Dustin is best friends with Steve.
Their friendship was given time during season 2 to become something special, and their level of comfort around each other is shown in season 3. Steve is the brother that Dustin never had, someone he can go to for advice and . When Dustin loses Dart he goes to Steve.
Will Tells Mike About His Visions First
Will starts seeing visions and feels like he is between Earth and the Upside Down. At first, he tries to ignore it. He knows something is wrong but he doesn't want to it it to himself. He doesn't want to be worried about by his friends and for them to treat him differently like his mom does. But eventually, Will talks to Mike about it. He makes Mike promise not to tell anyone else what he told him.
Will wasn't the one to tell Dustin and Lucas what had been happening to him. He didn't tell them at the same time as Mike even though they've all been through so much together.
Dustin Doesn't Listen To Will's Warnings
As hard as Dustin tried to sell the fact that Dart was a new species to the Party, they weren't convinced. Dustin explains how he found him in the trash foraging for food. At first, he thought Dart was a Pollywog. But on closer inspection, realized that reptiles are ectothermic while Dart hates any form of heat or light.
Mike explains that Will saw something that looked like Dart last year and that the noise Dart makes sounds familiar. Lucas, Will, and Mike come to the conclusion that Dart is from the Upside Down due to Will's True Sight. Dustin doesn't agree when they all want to take Dart to Hopper and stops Mike from harming Dart, leading to Dart's escape, and endangering Hawkins.
Will Leaves Dustin On The Hill
Dustin had just come back from a summer away from his friends after spending some time at science camp. It must have been weird having things back to normal again and not having his Party around him to just spend time with. He hardly had any time around them that wasn't involved in saving the day and a whole lot of adrenaline.
When he comes back and shares his awesome inventions, and says that he has a girlfriend, he tries to prove it to the Party. But Suzie isn't on the other side to pick up. One by one, everyone leaves Dustin on the Hill. And even though Will was the last one to leave, he didn't wait for Dustin so they could go together. He just left him there.
Dustin Forgets About Will
Will and Dustin have both been slightly on the outside since the beginning. They know that Mike and Lucas are closer to each other than they are with either of them. But instead of Dustin and Will becoming closer to each other, they start to drift apart. Dustin knows how it feels to be forgotten but he forgot to his friend. Dustin ultimately spends more time with Steve and Lucas's sister, Erica, than Will.
Dustin left Will to be the third wheel with Lucas and Mike, and the fifth wheel when Lucas and Max, and Eleven and Mike were together. Dustin never did play that game of Dungeons and Dragons that Will suggested they do another time when Will left the hill.
Will Is Part Of The Original Three
Lucas, Will, and Mike all met and knew each other before Dustin ed their party. They had years to become closer to each other and create that bond of trust. Even though Will isn't as close to Lucas and Mike as they are to each other, Will is still able to turn to Mike and feel closer to him than any of the others.
However, Dustin doesn't feel this way with any of them. Dustin knows that Mike and Lucas are best friends - after all, he was the one who reminded them about it on the day of the junkyard fight. He knew that Lucas was upset because Mike was getting closer to Eleven and he felt left out. The reason for Dustin knowing this could possibly be because he feels the same way with Will, Lucas, and Mike.
They Don't Spend Time Together
Dustin and Will don't have a lot of memorable moments. Due to the progression of their individual stories, there aren't many scenes where they can grow their friendship. If they don't spend time together, they can't become closer.
In Season 1, Will is in the Upside Down and the Party spends their time trying to find him. In Season 2, Will is possessed by the Mind Flayer and is in hospital for most of the time. In Season 3, Dustin is on a mission with Robin, Steve, and Erica. Where are the small bonding moments between them?
Will Moves Away
Season 3 ends with the Byers packing their things and moving away. Joyce, Will, Jonathan, and Eleven are no longer going to be living in Hawkins. What does this mean for Dustin and Will's friendship? The two of them didn't spend much time with each other while they lived in the same town. Are they going to put in the effort needed to stay in touch?
Will their friendship become stronger because they can't rely on the Party gatherings as their only way of seeing each other? Or will they fall apart completely? Season 4 is yet to be released, and the audience has no way of knowing how much time has ed from the end of Season 3 and the impact it will on the Party.
They've Been Growing Apart For A While Now
Will's growth has been more staggered than the rest of the Party. It's for obvious reasons. His time spent in the Upside Down was traumatic, something that he can't fully explain and as much as people try to, they'll never be able to understand. After being taken from somewhere familiar and put in danger, Will was suddenly in danger in the place he felt the safest.
He was being invaded physically and mentally while in his home and surrounded by the people he loved. But Dustin has been moving on. Actually, the whole Party has. Time stands still for no one, and Will is forever trying to stay in his friendship loop despite falling behind.