Nancy Wheeler, the older sister of Mike Wheeler on Stranger Things, undergoes several changes in the first two seasons of the show that have led many fans to describe her as one of the most complex characters on television right now. From rule-abiding student to rebellious punk rocker with preternatural powers, Nancy has been through an incredible journey both physically and emotionally during the course of Season 1 and 2. We’ll explore that here in this article about Nancy Wheeler’s strange transformation on Stranger Things. Nancy Wheeler’s Strange Transformation on Stranger Things
Table of Contents
What It Means To Be Nancy Wheeler
In Season 1, Nancy was portrayed as a stereotypical good girl. But in Season 2, Nancy undergoes a transformation: she puts on red lipstick, starts hanging out with strange boys and gets drunk. It’s clear that being in charge of her own company has been good for Nancy—she doesn’t have to follow her parents’ rules anymore and is free to be whoever she wants. She uses her creativity and newfound confidence to launch an underground newspaper at school (an idea inspired by real-life paper The Manitou Messenger ). And then there’s her alcohol consumption… What kind of a role model is Natalia Dyer portraying here? She says drinking helps you get past your fears but it also creates new ones.
The Birth of Barb
In season 1, viewers met Barbara Barb Holland, who is briefly and tragically seen as a corpse before she becomes a key member of Nancy’s investigation into her best friend Will Byers’ disappearance.
Played by Shannon Purser, Barb is everything Nancy isn’t: impulsive, romantic, and more than a little prone to making bad decisions—especially when it comes to boys. It was that rebellious streak that got her killed in season 1—after discovering that her boyfriend Steve Harrington was cheating on her with one of his cheerleader friends (and telling him off), Barb went to Hawkins Lab alone. She never made it out alive.
The Mindset Behind Becoming an Investigator
Natalia Dyer, who plays Nancy Wheeler on Netflix’s smash hit Stranger Things, said she had to undergo a major mindset shift before accepting her role as an investigator. For a character that can be so hard and tough in certain scenes, it’s important for Dyer to see things from Nancy’s perspective—one of empathy and compassion. Dyer drew upon a variety of sources for help with changing her mindset. While reading up on investigative techniques is helpful for many roles, playing Nancy has been an especially complex task due to how far removed from it she is personally in her own life.
Her Romantic Life
In Season 2, Nancy is forced to come to terms with the post-apocalyptic hellscape around her when she sees that Barb died in vain and has been reduced to a skeleton. Throughout Season 1, Nancy played by Natalia Dyer stands as a foil for Mike, who was spending his time investigating what happened to Will. While her character is shaped by her brother’s love of horror films and interest in Dungeons & Dragons style fantasy, she’d prefer to focus more on science facts than elaborate theories about demogorgons. However, she has one fear: death itself.
A New Kind of Leader
The most common question viewers have about Nancy is how she will handle life in a post-apocalyptic society. The truth is, we’re still not sure how she will react; she’s been a great friend to Jonathan and his friends but we don’t know if that loyalty extends to their mission. Will she continue to help Jonathan or would it be better for her and Joyce (her mother) if they left Hawkins? In season 3, viewers get some insight into Nancy’s feelings towards Jonathan as well as her general moral compass when they encounter a man on their journey who has murdered two police officers.
How Will She React To The Hellish Future?
All Nancy wants to do is study for her SATs and get a good job, but she can’t outrun what happened to Barb. When Joyce, Jonathan, and Steve all leave Hawkins in search of Will, Nancy becomes increasingly isolated and determined to find out what’s really going on. There are enough hints in her scenes with Mike (Finn Wolfhard) that we have a pretty good idea of where Nancy’s story might go if there is a Season 3—and if there isn’t, we know enough about her character to fill in some blanks. After all: A heroine needs a goal. Does she seek vengeance? Does she fight back? Or does it break something inside of her?
Who is Nancy Wheeler in love with?
Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler,daughter of Karen and Ted and older sister of Mike and Holly. Studious and rule-abiding, Nancy finds another side of herself while investigating the Hawkins Lab and the death of her friend Barbara. In season 2, she starts dating Steve Harrington , a former bully turned good guy who has grown an interest in mechanics (mainly car) while he was away. They stay together through Season 3.
What condition does Natalia Dyer have?
Natalia Dyer has Mysophobia, an intense fear of germs. As a result, she is excessively neat and tidy to avoid contaminating herself with dirt or germs. She constantly washes her hands and frequently wears gloves when outside. What if someone sneezes or coughs in front of her? There’s a good chance she’ll start panicking! The best part about Mysophobia is that there are no known treatments for it—although therapy may help some sufferers cope better with their fear. This means that Natalia Dyer is likely to still have Mysophobia throughout her career as an actress!
How old is Nancy Wheeler Stranger Things?
Nancy is a sophomore in high school at age 14 during season 1 of Stranger Things . She is born April 11, 1995 as a Libra. As an older teenager and young adult, Nancy plays an important role in not only Mike and Dustin’s lives but also Will’s. Nancy has a strong relationship with her mother, especially since her father, who was once an alcoholic has died by suicide when she was nine years old.
What age is Nancy Wheeler in Season 1?
This is a question only those involved with making Stranger Things can answer, and they’ve kept that information secret. Nancy appears to be a high school student during Season 1. She shares her scenes with other kids her age and there’s no indication she could be older than them, although Nancy does have an older sister who could have graduated from high school by then. Whatever age she is in Season 1, Nancy develops from a girl who follows rules into one who makes choices she believes are right even if it breaks rules or laws.
