What Happened to Vickie on Stranger Things?
Stranger Things 5 dropped that series finale this week, and some fans are wondering what happened to Vickie in the closing chapter. Well, Luckily for you, we were paying attention.
Its important to note that both Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) and Vickie both survive the entire ordeal with The Upside Down. There is an important update about their relationship. But, it’s hiding in a piece of dialog some people were either checking their phone during or talking over. (We’re not going to discount that some people were already in tears and it didn’t stop…)
Okay, so Vickie Dunne is played by Amybeth McNulty in Stranger Things. As Robin’s love interest, they’ve had some friction this season as they disagree on how to handle the incoming threat of Vecna and The Upside Down. Astute viewers will recall that Vickie tried to turn Robin in to the military occupation forces in Hawkins, Indiana. Apparently, telling the truth is frowned upon in this establishment.
So, Robin is sitting up on top of the WSQK building with Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan. Everyone is dropping important life updates, and the viewer learns that Robin is attending Smith College. Feminism theory seems like a good fit for the character as she moves into the future. Pay close attention to Steve’s toast to “nothing ever keeping us apart” and you hear Robin go “including overbearing significant others.” Ouch!
Vickie breaks up with Robin because their relationship ran its course
A big theme of this season of Stranger Things is the kids coming to terms with adulthood. Just because Steve, Nancy, Robin, and Jonathan are a little bit older doesn’t mean that they aren’t ready to level up too. Matt and Ross Duffer talked about taking these characters into the next stage of their lives with TUDUM. They revealed that Robin’s tenure at Smith College was a Maya Hawke idea. But, each one of the older set had some soul searching to do when they put The Upside Down to bed.
The creative team have heard your cries about Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and the rest. All of the older teenagers’ choices are rooted in both the actors’ dreams for their characters, and where they would logically end up. As Matt Duffer explains, “A lot of the finale is about growing up. It’s the end of a long coming of age story and part of coming of age is leaving your parents and making your own decisions.”
Sometimes, those decisions can come in packages that are hard to swallow. Robin and Vickie’s apparent relationship was a joy for a lot of queer viewers of the show. Them not getting to have a completely happy ending together is a reminder that these things don’t always transpire the way we think they are going to. Ditto for Mike and 11’s heartbreaking farewell to each other in Stranger Things’ finale. The real world doesn’t tend to make room for perfect little outcomes. Sometimes, they’re not what you need in the first place.
(featured image: Netflix)
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