Stranger Things 5: Steve and Dustin Are Fighting All Because of 1 Heroic – And Sad – Moment

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The final episodes of Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2, explained the difficult reason behind the near-breakup of Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson’s friendship – a surprising argument. Dustin was deeply affected by the events of Season 4, particularly the heartbreaking death of Eddie Munson. Eddie tragically died after being attacked by demo-bats in the Upside Down, and Dustin witnessed the entire event.

Dustin was deeply shaken by a recent event, and it strained his relationships, especially with Steve. He’s been acting distant, reckless, and easily angered, which worries his friends. As a key player in the fight against Vecna, his changed behavior could seriously jeopardize their efforts. This came to a breaking point in the second volume of Season 5 of the Netflix series, during a dangerous mission with Steve in the Upside Down version of Hawkins Lab.

Why Steve and Dustin Are Fighting In Stranger Things Season 5

In the first part of Stranger Things Season 5, Steve and Dustin experienced increasing friction, frequently arguing and sometimes saying harsh things to each other. This tension came to a head in Episode 5 when they clashed over Steve dismissing Dustin’s ideas about the Upside Down, with Steve jokingly comparing its protective barrier to the Death Star from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

The last thing Steve said that really upset Dustin was calling Eddie’s heroic act “a dumb call,” and explaining how it led to his death in Season 4. This comment pushed Dustin over the edge, and he immediately confronted Steve, firmly believing Eddie hadn’t done anything wrong by sacrificing himself.

Steve Harrington: “But really, you’re so angry because you know what happened. Eddie tried to be a hero, he made a mistake, and it cost him his life.”

The main reason Steve and Dustin argued in Stranger Things Season 5 was Steve making negative comments about Eddie, which deeply upset Dustin.

It was understandable that Dustin was upset with Steve, especially since he’d become close to Eddie and was working hard to prove Eddie’s innocence after the events of Season 4. Continuing to wear an Eddie Munson Hellfire Club shirt in Season 5 was Dustin’s way of honoring Eddie’s memory and ensuring his heroic actions weren’t forgotten.

In an interview with Mashable, Gaten Matarazzo highlighted that Steve never actually strikes Dustin during their confrontation in Volume 2. This, Matarazzo argues, demonstrates that Steve still has genuine concern for Dustin, even as Steve is struggling with his own issues.

What I found fascinating about that fight is that he didn’t actually try to hit me at all. He spent the whole time trying to keep me away from him. He pushed me against a wall and kept pushing me, simply because I was trying to hurt him.

However, Steve had a good point: Eddie didn’t have to die in the final battle against Vecna. Many viewers agree that Eddie’s sacrifice wasn’t necessary, and he could have lived if he hadn’t bravely distracted the demo-bats.

It was actually quite appropriate that Steve was the one to tell Dustin, given how close they’d become over the years in the show. Steve’s mistake wasn’t what he said, but how he said it. He reacted angrily to Dustin when Dustin was already upset, instead of being more gentle and sincere.

Did Steve & Dustin Resolve Their Issue in Stranger Things Season 5?

In Season 5, Episode 6 of Stranger Things, Steve and Dustin had a heartfelt talk about their friendship while trying to rescue Jonathan and Nancy from Hawkins Lab. When Steve almost died, Dustin finally explained why he’d been acting differently.

It turned out Dustin couldn’t bear the thought of Steve (or any of his friends) dying, because witnessing Eddie’s death had deeply affected him.

Dustin pleaded with someone to stop taking such dangerous risks. He explained that he couldn’t bear to go through the pain of losing them again, begging them not to be so reckless and promising it would break him if they died. He repeatedly asked them to please, please not put themselves in harm’s way again.

Steve and Dustin resolved their conflict with a heartfelt hug, which happened just before the upcoming battle against Vecna and his followers. Although it’s not certain Eddie will be back in the fifth season of Stranger Things, the disagreement and subsequent reconciliation between Steve and Dustin showed how much Eddie still matters and continues to strengthen the bonds between his friends, even after his death.

In the second-to-last episode of Stranger Things‘ final season, Dustin gave Steve the items—a sphere and shield—that Eddie had used during their last big fight. This gesture suggested Dustin was beginning to heal from Eddie’s death.

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2025-12-27 05:05