10 Biggest Ways Stranger Things Has Changed Since Season 1

Ever since Stranger Things dropped on Netflix back in 2016, viewers have been hooked on the goings-on in Hawkins and the Upside Down. With a motley crew of characters, a lot of strange occurrences, and an absolutely killer '80s soundtrack, the show had the perfect recipe from the start. The pilot immediately draws audiences in by juxtaposing a warm and lovely friendship group dynamic with a dark and eerie atmosphere. The feeling of fear is mixed with an insatiable curiosity to know what happens next, and each chapter brings only more questions about a world of monsters and mysterious occurrences.

As the show goes on, the enigma that is the Upside Down is explored more, and new characters shake up the dynamics established by the core cast of players. Season 1's events are catalysts that take the group on life-changing adventures that eventually merge into one united goal. However, by season 4, the stakes have grown beyond measure and the heroes have grown into multidimensional individuals, with legions of supporters. Stranger Things has grown on many levels, the most recent installment very strong in terms of quality and reception, which shows how much can change over only a few years.

10 Eleven Speaks More

Hawkins' Superhero Finds Her Voice

With very few words uttered throughout the first season, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) navigates her new reality and new people with trepidation and an inquisitive mind. As she experiences more of life outside the confines of the Lab, El learns how to adapt and communicate more. The time she spends with Hopper (David Harbour) in season 2 gives her a taste of a true family dynamic, and as she integrates more with the group in season 3, she becomes better at expressing herself.

Viewers learn exactly what caused her to go mute in season 4, and it's no wonder she suppressed her trauma after everything she saw. While her speech patterns have been a bit of a bone of contention among fans of the show due to the constant inconsistencies, it's clear that it serves as a device to show just how different she is from the rest of the kids. Whenever she does speak, it's with intent, like when she says "I dump your ass" to Mike (Finn Wolfhard), or even the quiet "Hi" she says to Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) when they first meet.

9 The Older Hawkins Teens Get Paired Up Again

Steve & Nancy Reunite

Each season of Stranger Things creates groupings that are a joy to watch. Season 1 shows the kids joining forces, Hopper and Joyce (Winona Ryder) creating an iconic double act, and the older teens uniting to take down the Demagorgon. Seasons 2 and 3 split the standard teams up a bit, with new characters joining and some original pieces of the puzzle being shifted about. Steve (Joe Keery) is a highlight as he takes on the mantle of Dustin's (Gaten Matarazzo) mentor, and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) has been coupled up with Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) for two years.

However, season 4 sees the older teens reunite and take on the Upside Down together. The group shot of them cycling through the vines and endless night is iconic, as they try and make their way back to the real Hawkins. After all they've been through after seasons apart, it's satisfying to see them interact so much again. Nancy and Steve seem to have a lingering spark, and seeing her spar with Robin (Maya Hawke) is a delectable dose of comedic tension. Eddie (Joseph Quinn) is also an excellent addition to this group, especially through his relationship with Dustin.

8 The Addition Of Robin Buckley

Miss Buckley Brings A Lot To The Table

When Robin was introduced in season 3, it seemed she would become Steve's new love interest. The pair has great chemistry, hilarious banter, and makes a very good team of spies. Robin takes to solving mysteries like a fish to water, and her friendship with Steve becomes a huge part of that season. Especially when she feels safe enough with him to open up about her sexuality. The 1980s were not as welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, so Steve's reaction shows just how much he's grown as a character and a person.

By season 4, Robin is an integral part of the team. She helps with the plan to interview Victor Creel (Robert Englund), pieces together the fact that music is the key to saving Max (Sadie Sink), and follows Steve and Nancy into the Upside Down, no questions asked. Robin's one-liners are still a great source of tension relief, and her influence on Steve can be seen. Even though she obviously isn't part of the early series, it's hard to remember a time before Robin.

7 The Evolution Of Joyce & Hopper

Hawkins' Adults Go From Friends To Lovers

Throughout season 1, Joyce is a heartbroken, extremely determined mother, trying to find her son, Will (Noah Schnapp). She goes through various stages of grief as she searches for the truth, but she never loses hope. Chief Hopper begins the series as a gruff brute with substance abuse issues and a heart of gold. His compassion towards Joyce and dedication to helping her is what leads him to discover an underlying mystery that eventually takes them straight to the Upside Down. The romantic spark between the two can be felt but is underplayed due to the distress Joyce is experiencing.

After losing Bob (Sean Astin) in season 2, a road trip filled with sexual tension in season 3 brings Joyce and Hopper closer than ever. As they make their way through the underground tunnels of the Russian complex, a date is made at Enzo's, but not before Hopper seemingly vanishes as the gate closes. The two spend all of season 4 trying to get back to each other, which shows just how much closer they've grown over the four seasons. Joyce also takes care of Eleven in Hop's absence because of how dedicated he was to helping her find Will.

6 The Addition Of Max Mayfield

Mad Max Gave Lucas The Confidence He Needed

Season 4 put Max at the forefront, making it hard to believe she hadn't been in the show since the first season. When she first skated into Hawkins with her brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery), she made a huge impression on Dustin and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and, with some push-back from Mike, eventually joined the core party. Max and Lucas became one of the couples to root for, as they bicker and care for each other through all the madness. In season 3, Max and El form a great friendship, and she helps her find herself outside just being with Mike.

Max starts off season 4 processing the loss of Billy; she's isolated and sad, which makes her a perfect target for Vecna. Her story arc and Sink's performance in the "Dear Billy" episode are both such huge moments for the show. The cinematography is that of a motion picture, and even the season 1 finale can't compare to just that fourth episode. Max's addition impacted every character in a very real way, and having her step into the limelight in season 4 proved just how much of an asset she is to the show.

5 Dustin & Steve's Friendship

Arguably The Best Hawkins Duo

Season 1's Steve Harrington is a completely different person than Season 4's Steve Harrington. He starts the show as a slightly arrogant, ditzy character who likes Nancy and enjoys being popular. By season 4, he's one of the most beloved and cherished characters, which has influenced fan petitions to protect him at all costs in the final outing. Viewers saw a glimpse of greatness from Steve at the end of the first season when he came back to the Byers house to help fight the Demagorgon, but it was the friendship that blossomed with Dustin in season 2 that gave him the "Babysitter" moniker.

These two have become the heart of the show, as the unlikely duo bonded whilst throwing some meat on the train tracks. Seeing the sweeter side of Steve put all his attention on Dustin and the other kids melts the heart, a jarring contrast to how he behaves at the start of the show. In the hands of anyone other than Joe Keery, Steve could easily have been a character that lasted only a few episodes. But, as it stands, he's one of the most popular residents of Hawkins, thanks, in most part, to Dusty Buns.

4 The Introduction Of Eddie Munson

A Coward No More

Each new season brought with it new characters and new dynamics. Bob is Joyce's partner and a father figure to Will, Max seamlessly slots in with the younger group, and Billy is one of the antagonists. Erica's (Priyah Ferguson) development over the seasons has also been one of the best additions to the show, as she brings humor and confidence to the group. The Duffers are clearly great at creating impactful characters because even Chrissy (Grace Van Dien) manages to leave a lasting impression with just one episode.

Perhaps the most beloved of the new characters has been Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). His involvement in season 4 brings so much to the group and elevates the storylines to new levels. He is great at leading the D&D campaign, his exchange with Erica is priceless, and he went viral for his reaction to Chrissy's Vecna possession. Dustin seems to be a magnet for lovable big brother figures, as the two share a beautiful bond. Season 1 Dustin wouldn't have been able to comprehend if told that one day he'd be witnessing the most "metal" guitar solo the Upside Down had ever seen.

3 The Disappearance Of The Wheelers

Parental Guidance Seemingly Not Needed In Hawkins

When the show began, the children were much younger, and parental supervision was seemingly much more necessary. Sneaking around behind Karen Wheeler's back to conceal Eleven was part of the enigma of the show, and even Nancy had to answer to her parents. Cara Buono was still listed in the opening credits, and there were multiple scenes at family dinner or breakfast. Season 3 even gives Karen her own storyline with Billy, where she contemplates beginning an affair with the resident bad boy.

By season 4 the cast of characters is so stacked that the Wheelers have been relegated to supporting roles. The parents and Holly appear in a handful of episodes and the focus has firmly shifted to scattered groups. Mike and Nancy are separated for most of the action as well, so the Wheelers as a family unit are very much missing for most of the last season.

2 Stranger Things' The Geographical Scale

Growing More & More Beyond Hawkins

Hawkins is very much the sole setting for season 1 of Stranger Things. There's the Lab, the school, the Byers house, and the Wheelers' basement, which reign among the most recognizable sets. And, of course, the Upside Down. This is all still set within the city limits. Season 2 sees some of the characters venture to Chicago and its surrounding areas, and season 3 takes viewers all the way to Russia. Not to mention, a whole Russian underground town of tunnels.

In the latest series, not only are audiences transported across America and the world, but back in time too. As the season sees Joyce, Eleven, Will, and Jonathan living in California, they're all trying to navigate this new setting, away from Hawkins and the Upside Down. Hopper is held at a gulag in Kamchatka, Russia, and Joyce and Murray (Brett Gelman) stop over in Alaska on their way to save him. Mike, Jonathan, Will, and Argyle (Eduardo Franco) drive to Nevada, via Utah, where they visit Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo). Meanwhile, Eleven goes back in time to discover the secrets of her past.

1 Stranger Things' Number Of Monsters

From One Hawkins Monster To Infinity

As the audience is introduced to the strange events taking place in Hawkins, the main supernatural threat is the Demagorgon. A mysterious figure at first, it's mostly heard and not seen for the longest time. By the time viewers get the full open-mouth effect, the monster has been teased in many different ways. Season 2 goes big with the Demo Dogs, the hive-mind vines, and the huge shadowy version of the Mind Flayer, which can be seen throughout the 9 episodes.

The version of the Mind Flayer shown in season 3 is on a whole other scale, and it is clear that the Duffers are keen to lean into more gore and visual horror as they get closer to the end. Vecna combines the human-like silhouette of the Demogorgon with the visceral, squelching attributes of the season 3 Mind Flayer. Each season of Stranger Things ups the ante when it comes to the scale and the look of its monsters. With the barrier between the worlds now gone, it'll be interesting to see what other beings the Upside Down has to offer.