Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 premiered with 3 episodes on Netflix on December 25, 2025. These new episodes pick up immediately after the intense finale of Volume 1. In the previous part, it was revealed that Will Byers can channel Vecna’s powers to fight the demogorgons. Volume 2 continues this story as the group searches for a way to rescue Holly Wheeler from the Upside Down.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the show. Viewer’s discretion is advised.
Tensions rise high as Dustin finds out that the Upside Down is actually a wormhole and that its collapse could destroy both worlds. Besides all this chaos on one side, Nancy and Jonathan face a major turning point in their relationship during Episode 6, titled Escape from Camazotz. They do break up in this episode of Stranger Things season 5 volume 2.
What happened between Nancy and Jonathan while they were trapped in the melting room in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2?
In Stranger Things season 5 volume 2, Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers find themselves trapped in a room that is rapidly melting into a strange, grey goo. Believing they are about to die, the couple finally has a brutally honest conversation.
They confess secrets they had been keeping for years, such as Nancy admitting she hates Jonathan’s favorite band, The Clash, and Jonathan revealing he never actually applied to Emerson College.
In a surprising twist, Jonathan pulls out an engagement ring he had been carrying. Instead of a traditional proposal, he offers an “un-proposal,” asking Nancy if she will not marry him. Nancy accepts, and while they share a tearful “I love you” and a final kiss, the scene left many people confused about whether they were fixing their problems or ending things for good.
To clear up the confusion, the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, confirmed in an interview with People that the scene was indeed a breakup. Matt Duffer stated:
“That’s a breakup. They are broken up.”
The Duffer Brothers explained that they wanted Nancy to finish the series as an independent woman. They felt she needed space to find herself outside of her high school relationships. He added:
“It’s hard to recall when exactly that idea came up, but I think us – and the writers – all felt that Nancy needed to end up on her own and be independent and have an opportunity to find herself. I mean, how many people wind up with their girlfriend or boyfriend that they met in high school?”
In episode 6 of Stranger Things season 5 volume 2, Jonathan and Nancy admit they want different things from life and acknowledge that their connection was mostly a “trauma bond” while they decide to end their relationship.
Stay tuned for more updates on Stranger Things.
Edited by Suchita Patnaha
