There are many awesome and inspiring friendships in Stranger Things.Steve and Dustin, Mike and Eleven, Jonathan and Nancy, Jonathan and Will, just to name a few. But not all of the friendships in the series have been given enough material to make them strong enough to be classified as true friendships. Will Byers and Lucas Sinclair have known each other from a young age and played many Dungeons and Dragons campaigns together.
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Lucas was a vital key in finding the Hawkins Lab and the gate to the Upside Down. But other than those key interactions, the two Party members have a nonexistent on-screen friendship. Where are the intimate moments? Where are the displays of friendship outside of death-defying heroics? Here are 10 reasons Lucas and Will need to analyze their interactions and work on their friendship.
Sneaking Into Day Of The Dead
After having saved the world twice, the Party decides to sneak into a movie theatre to watch a preview for a film that features Zombies, the end of the world and high tension situations. A group of adolescence watching a movie, what could go wrong? Except the Party didn't take into consideration the impact such a high stakes fast-paced science fiction film could do to Will. Will, the one who was the most mentally and physically violated member of the group.
Will, who had his childhood stolen and corrupted, and is still obviously suffering from post-traumatic stress. They didn't stop and think that maybe something they think is simple and fun could actually be a trigger for their friend.
Ruining The Party
This can be seen in many ways as both Lucas and Will's fault. Lucas stopped paying attention to Dustin and Will, not noticing them in daily life. Will was constantly being dragged along with him and Mike everywhere they went. Most of the time Will can be seen in the background, complaining while the others are talking over him or ignoring him completely. But it's Will who leaves Hawkins.
And with Will goes Eleven. How will Mike and Eleven handle the distance? How will Max and Eleven stay close? Will Lucas and Max get tired of each other? The Party has officially been broken and how it repairs itself is a question for season 4.
Lucas Telling Max Without Thinking Of Will
Lucas and Dustin took an instant interest in Max. Through their intervention, she was swept into the world of the Upside Down without having any true understanding of what it implies and the consequences of being involved. So to ease her mind and fill her in on the details, Lucas decided to tell her everything. A kind thing to do, of course.
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But it was without the permission of the Party. He didn't consider that Will wouldn't want a stranger to know everything that he's been going through, especially when he's being bullied at school and being called a zombie. Strangers haven't exactly been kind to him.
Will's Inconsideration Towards Lucas's Relationship Troubles
Will is still trying to hold onto his broken childhood. He doesn't want to enter the world of relationships, moving on and growing up. But Lucas, Eleven, Mike, Dustin, and Max are thriving. When Lucas and Mike are trying to figure out how to fix their relationships, Will just complains to them and blatantly tells them that there is nothing to fix, that their relationships are over.
Will doesn't try to understand or help, or even ask Jonathan to help them by giving advice that he can't give. This creates a tighter bond in Mike and Lucas, ultimately making Will feel left behind by his own hand.
Leaving Will Alone On The Hill
During Dustin's time at science camp during the summer, he met Suzie. Dustin tells everyone that his Cerebro ham radio will be able to contact his girlfriend and prove she exists. However, when the Party travels up the hill to set the radio up, Mike and Eleven ditch the group. Max and Lucas leave a couple of hours later. The only two people left on the hill? Will and Dustin.
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But Will has to leave despite wanting to spend time with his friend. Will is the only one to stop and have a conversation with Dustin while the others just leave. Lucas and Max go without waiting for Will. And even though Will isn't a baby and doesn't want to be seen differently, he might not want to walk home alone in the dark after his past experiences. Or maybe he would simply like some consideration and be included in decisions.
Sabotaging Dungeons And Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons has been the glue keeping the Party together. But in season 3, Will is the only one who seems to want to keep the tradition alive, saying with every chance he gets, that they should play together. He sets up the board and actively tries to get the attention of his friends.
He even wears his Will The Wise robes and puts on music to create the atmosphere of the campaign. But Mike and Lucas end the game by sabotaging it, using their lives as a sacrifice to save everyone. Will gets into an argument with them and leaves. He knows that his efforts aren't being recognized.
Will Turning To Mike Before Lucas
In season 2 of Stranger Things,Will has visions of the Upside Down, but he didn't reveal them to anyone and dismissed the concern his friends had for him after his experiences in the Upside Down. On Halloween night, Mike is one of the first people that Will speaks to about his current state of being and how he feels connected to both worlds.
After Will has an episode where he is left in a catatonic state in front of Lucas and Dustin, Mike tells them everything he was told by Will. Lucas and Dustin were both hurt that Will didn't tell them anything and that they had to be told by Mike.
Lucas Spending More Time With Max
Most of the time Lucas has free he's with Max, or with Mike, trying to figure out how to communicate with Max and Eleven without messing things up again. Besides the group interactions, Will and Lucas don't have much one on one time with each other, especially in season 3.
Besides from constantly saving each other from impending doom, they don't have one on one conversations. Will is always seen as the one who needs saving. He's the victim and the others are his saviors. But how much time do they really spend getting to know him?
Lucas and Mike Are Best Friends
It's hard to create a close bond with someone when they are already close to someone else. If the friend is mutual, someone is always going to be left out. Lucas and Mike are best friends. Dustin knows this. Will knows this. But despite the two of them knowing that Lucas and Mike are close, Dustin and Will aren't best friends.
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They're both the outsiders. But Dustin is close to Steve, leaving Will to be by himself. And although Will is close to Mike and Lucas through a bond created from childhood, he is losing his bond to them as they grow up.
Will's Loyalty Is Undeserved
Will doesn't get his way most of the time in Stranger Things. He's the one who is captured and trapped in the Upside Down and the one possessed by the Mind Flayer. In most of season 3, all Will wants to do is play Dungeons and Dragons with his friends, that's it, just one campaign. But the group is distracted and preoccupied with other things that they deem more important. But Will doesn't leave.
He stays and hangs around because he wants to be around his friends. When Will puts his Dungeons and Dragons game in the donation box when he leaves, he gets asked by Mike, what he'll do if he wants to join another Party. Will's response? Not possible.
NEXT:Stranger Things: 10 Reasons Why Steve And Robin Aren’t Real Friends
