Stranger Things Season 5 Sets Up Nancy’s Choice Between Steve And Jonathan

The following post contains spoilers for “Stranger Things” Season 5, Volume 1.

We here at TVLine have our “Stranger Things” priorities in order, so of course we know the fate of Hawkins, Indiana, is more important than the resolution of Nancy’s long-simmering love triangle.

That said, we don’t not care who Nancy (Natalia Dyer) will ultimately choose. And a pivotal moment in Season 5, Volume 1 — now streaming on Netflix — gave us a hint as to whether Nancy will end up with Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) or Steve (Joe Keery), if anyone.

During Episode 3 of the drama’s fifth and final season, it was revealed that Murray (Brett Gelman) had procured an engagement ring with which Jonathan planned to propose to Nancy; Murray had tucked the ring into a John Coltrane cassette tape and passed it off to Jonathan, but Jonathan had yet to pop the question. In addition to the already-strained vibes of Jonathan and Nancy’s ongoing romance, Nancy had been understandably distracted by a Demogorgon recently kidnapping her little sister and nearly killing both of her parents, and Jonathan was hesitant to propose at such a fraught time. (Fair!)

Murray, of course, countered that Nancy’s current misfortune might actually be the ideal circumstances under which to propose.

“The death of a loved one is the painful but necessary reminder that life is delicate, precious — that one must not take those around us for granted, that one must strengthen bonds,” Murray urged. “Hell, man, the two of you were brought together by shared trauma in the first place. This is the stuff of fate, of destiny.”

Unfortunately for #Jancy ‘shippers, this lone scene was the only indication of where Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship might end up when the show concludes. The battle against Vecna took center stage soon after Murray and Jonathan’s conversation, and the ring wasn’t brought up again.

Still, even though Jonathan has a ring in his possession, we’re not so sure he and Nancy will get their happy ending. There’s no telling how the impending fight for Hawkins will impact their struggling relationship — and though Nancy’s no longer with Steve, he’s still very much in the picture as a man vying for Nancy’s heart.

“Stranger Things” fans, how do you hope the Jonathan/Nancy/Steve love triangle will conclude? Drop a comment below with your thoughts!