Stranger Things: 10 Reasons Why Nancy & Barb Aren’t Real Friends

Nancy Wheeler loses her best friend, Barbara Holland, to the Demogorgon early in Season 1 of Netflix’s Stranger Things. Barb’s character irrevocably affects the narrative of the hit sci-fi show, however. Nancy seeks justice for her friend in Season 2 and orchestrates the downfall of Hawkins Lab alongside Johnathan Byers and Murray Bauman.

Fans first meet Nancy and Barb as best friends living in the small, sleepy town of Hawkins. The fractures in their friendship are present from the beginning of the series, however. Nancy drifts away from Barb and it could be said that the two were never real friends after all.

10 Barb Was A Bit Of A Downer

Barb only featured in the first few episodes of Stranger Things but she was hardly the life and soul of the group. She discouraged Nancy’s fun and told her friend “this isn’t you” when she starts becoming more popular whilst dating Steve Harrington.

Barb reacted negatively to Nancy having fun at Steve’s party in Season 1. Although her friend tries to involve her, Barb remains a bit of a downer and sours the atmosphere at Steve’s house.

9 Nancy Left Her To Be With Steve

Barb accompanies Nancy to Steve’s house in Season 1 for a small party, featuring the jock-turned-hero and his two friends, Tommy and Carol. Barb is visibly uncomfortable and asks Nancy to leave with her. Nancy rejects her friend, however, and decides to spend the night with Steve instead.

A dejected Barb leaves to mope by the pool. She is captured by the Demogorgon and taken to the Upside Down before she is killed. Barb’s fate could have had a happier ending if Nancy had heeded Barb’s words and gone home with her friend.

8 Barb Shamed Nancy For Being Sexual

Fans first meet Nancy Wheeler as a young woman who is slowly exploring her sexuality. Nancy dates Steve in Season 1 of Stranger Things and sleeps with him for the first time whilst Barb is taken by the Demogorgon. This subverts typical 80s film tropes that feature female characters being punished for their sexual activities.

Barb herself shames Nancy for her behavior. She disparagingly remarks that Nancy has brought a new item of clothing to impress Steve, before reacting disapprovingly to her friend’s decision to spend the night with her boyfriend.

7 Nancy Wanted To Be Popular

Nancy is a different character in Season 1 to the fiercely determined, novice journalist she is in Season 3. The teenager secretly delights in dating popular student Steve Harrington, and Barb remarks that Nancy is becoming more popular at school.

Barb appeared to be jealous, at times, of her friend’s blossoming social status. Nancy could also be accused of slowly pulling away from her best friend Barb as she prepared to progress up the social hierarchy at Hawkins High.

6 Nancy Cared About Steve More

Nancy chose to remain with Steve rather than accompanying Barb home, despite her friend having hurt herself. It could be argued that Nancy cared about her boyfriend more, as she disregarded the feelings of her friend.

Barb promises to chaperone Nancy when they go to Steve’s party. However, Nancy later rejects her friend’s help and tells her to go home, despite seeing how visibly upset she is.

5 Barb Wasn’t Supportive Of Nancy

Barb didn’t seem happy for Nancy when her friend began dating Steve and shows no enthusiasm for Nancy as the teenager falls in love for the first time. Barb worries more about losing her friend to the popular group and tells Nancy that she is behaving superficially.

It could be said that Barb, as Nancy’s best friend, should have shown her friend more trust and encouragement. It mostly appeared as though Barb disapproved of Nancy’s actions and shamed her friend rather than supporting her.

4 Barb Accused Nancy Of Being Superficial

Nancy’s relationship with Barb initially seems solid, but cracks soon begin to show in the foundation of their friendship. Barb accompanies her friend to Steve’s party, though makes her sour feelings evident all night. When Nancy tells Barb to leave her with Steve, the redheaded accuses her friend of being superficial by stating “this isn’t you.”

Barb may have had a point here, though she may have been speaking out of jealousy. Nancy was becoming more popular and branching out socially. Barb’s comment provokes a lot of insecurity within Nancy that affects her strongly after Barb’s death.

3 Nancy Lied To Barb’s Parents

Barb is killed by the Demogorgon after being taken to the Upside Down in Season 1. Her death is covered up by Hawkins Lab, and the shady government subdivision forces Nancy to lie to Barb’s parents about their daughter’s death.

Admittedly, Nancy has little choice here. Opposing the government could have put her and her family in danger. However, the teenager still lies to a distraught Mr. and Mrs. Holland, who believe their daughter to be missing until the fall of Hawkins Lab in Season 2.

2 Barb May Have Been Nancy’s Only Friend

Nancy was said to be growing in popularity in Season 1 due to her relationship with Steve Harrington. Yet fans only ever see her hanging out with Barb. After Barb’s death, Nancy spends most of her time with Johnathan and is never seen with another female friend her age.

This suggests that Nancy and Barb’s friendship may have existed purely from necessity. Both girls had few friends and spent the majority of their time together before Barb’s death. This could have been more of a result of loneliness than genuine friendship, especially considering Barb’s criticism of her friend.

1 They Were Growing Apart

Barb and Nancy shared a handful of scenes in Stranger Things, but it was obvious that the two friends were drifting apart. Nancy was becoming more outgoing socially, whereas Barb seemed to disapprove of her friend’s new life direction and behavior.

If Barb had lived, then her friendship with Nancy may have fallen apart gradually anyway. The two teenagers were growing apart and forging different paths in life. Their friendship was flawed, and it is fair to suggest that Nancy and Barb weren’t real friends after all.

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