Steve Harrington

Steve Harrington is one of the deuteragonists of the franchise.
Originally the popular boy of Hawkins High, Steve was known as "King Steve" and was dating Nancy Wheeler during the disappearance of Will Byers. When he thought that Nancy was cheating on him with Jonathan Byers, Harrington decided to ruin her name before having a change of heart and to make amends with the two. After helping them stop the Demogorgon, Steve turned into a better person, and has become the unofficial babysitter of the Party during their quests to stop whatever travels from the Upside Down.
He is portrayed by .
==Biography==
===Background===
Steve Harrington was born in 1966 and lives with his parents in Hawkins, Indiana, whom were relatively wealthy. He has a strained relationship with his father, calling him a "Grade-A asshole". Steve was close friends with Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins, and was known to be sexually active and have superficial relationship with numerous girls, such as with Laurie, Amy, and Becky. Steve would start dating Nancy Wheeler during his sophomore year, and would constantly show himself to be cruel towards Jonathan Byers. He was also classmates with Robin Buckley, but was either unaware or acknowledge her existence. 
===Season One (1983)===
In November, Steve attempts to have sex with Nancy after helping her study for a chemistry test, but she dissuades him. The next door, Steve threw a party since his parents were gone for a conference, and Nancy brought Barbara Holland as well. Becoming intoxicated, Steve and Nancy had sex for the first time, and later buff off Nancy's concern for Barbara not coming to school.
Steve and his friends later confronted Jonathan Byers over him taking pictures of them at the pool party. Seeing the naked pictures of Nancy, Steve called Jonathan a pervert, and dropped his camera after ripping up the photos. Nancy became more concerned over Barbara's disappearance, but Steve was more concerned over that his party would be caught by his parents. Steve was caught by his parents, but went to Nancy's house to apologize for his selfishness. Steve attempted to comfort Nancy, and asked her did she want to go to the movies, but she couldn't.
Noticing that Nancy was acting weird, Steve and his friends drove to her home, and climbed up her window to see her with Jonathan. After seeing him place a jacket over her, Steve came to the conclusion that she was cheating on him, and decided to get revenge. With the help of Tommy and Carol, Steve placed obscene messages on the theatre, and later gloated behind an alleyway with his friends. Nancy and Jonathan confronted him, and this would lead to Steve and Jonathan to fight, but it was broken up by the police. Afterward, Steve listened to his friends talk trash about Nancy, but stopped them, and called them miserable and admitting his regret for doing the act.
Driving off, he returned to the theatre and helped get the paint off the marquee, and later went to the Byers' residence to make amends. There, he saw Jonathan and Nancy, who held him at gunpoint and told him to leave. The Demogorgon came through Will Byer's room, and caused the trio to hide until Steve panicked and tried to call the police. Ordered to leave, Steve returned with a spiked bat and help Jonathan and Nancy fight the monster.
A month later after Will was found, Steve and Nancy reconciled and spent Christmas with her at the Wheeler residence. Steve gave Jonathan a new camera that Nancy bought to apologize, and the two became friends.
===Season Two (1984)===
In 1984, Steve and Nancy were still dating, with the former trying to help the latter overcome Barbara's death. The following year, Steve would meet Billy Hargrove, who would attempt to become his rival after beating his keg drinking record. At a party, Nancy became intoxicated after drinking spiked punch, and confessed that she didn't have feelings for Steve. Hurt, Steve left the party and asked Jonathan to take her home.
Following the incident, Nancy confronted Steve on what happened, and told her every detail on her confession. Nancy attempted to deny that she didn't mean it, but was unable to say she loved him, causing him to leave. When Steve attempted to reconcile with Nancy, Dustin Henderson stopped him and asked him to come with him, and bring his spiked bat. Dustin informed him of Dart, a creature that he believed was some type of lizard, and kept him in a cellar. Entering the cellar, they found that Dart had molted, but escaped by digging a tunnel.
Steve and Dustin decided to trap Dart, and the former gave Dustin relationship advice and told his secret to his hair. Arriving at the junkyard, Steve meet Lucas and Max and helped them build a trap for Dart. Dart arrived with Demodogs, causing Steve to be overwhelmed and hide in the bus with the kids, but the demodogs left and went to the Hawkins Lab. Going there, they found Jonathan and Nancy looking for Mike and Will. The power went out in the lab, causing the group to leave the Hawkins lab and meet Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers.
Steve helped the group interrogate Will to find the Mind Flayer's weakness, remodeling the Byers' backyard shed. Steve learned that the weakness through morse code, but Will allowed the Mind Flayer to learn their location. Eleven arrived and destroyed the creatures, as Steve decided to stay with Max, Lucas, Dustin, and Mike. Steve kept an eye on the kids, and stopped them from enacting a distraction for their friends, but Billy Hargrove arrived looking for Max. Steve tried to hide her location, but this lead to a fist fight where Billy was injected with a syringe used to sedate Will.
Knocked unconscious, the kids took him in a car as Max drove, but he gained consciousness and attempted to dissuade them from going into the tunnels. Convinced by Dustin, they covered the area with gasoline, but were stopped by Dart, who didn't attacked due to recognizing Dustin. Steve and the kids were able to escape as Dustin gave Dart a Three Musketeers bar, and led the kids to safety.
In December, Steve drove Dustin to the Snow Ball, giving him another talk on girls before letting him go. Steve saw Nancy through the gymnasium, accepting their failed relationship and drove off.
===Season Three (1985)===
In 1985, Steve began to work at the food cart in Starcourt Mall alongside Robin, who also works at Scoops Ahoy. The two have a rocky start, as she constantly mocks him, his friendships, and his attempts to pick up ladies. Steve fails at picking up girls, as Robin has a board that has his success (zero), and failures (that are fully marked). He later happily reunites with Dustin from his time at camp, and the latter speaks of intercepting a communication from the Russians. Agreeing to help him translate the message, Steve is unable to do so until Robin arrives, revealing that she's multilingual. Once it's been translated, Harrington notices carousel music, and deduces that the Russians are communicating within the mall.
Needing someone to find the Russian's base in Starcourt, the scoops troop meet with Lucas' sister Erica, making an exchange for a lifetime supply of ice cream for her to go through the air ducts. Later on, the group get trapped in an elevator, but Harrington manages to come up with a plan to keep the door open with a green container Erica was holding. Once they enter the base, they sneak into a comms room until an armed Russian arrives. Steve manages to defeat him in combat, and is congratulated by Dustin for winning his first fight. The group then enter another room and see the Russians use a machine to keep the gate open, realizing that they're trying to open the Upside Down.
The Russian officer they Steve knocked out escapes and sets off the alarm, resulting in him and Robin being captured as Dustin and Erica escape. The teenagers are interrogated by Ozerov, whom injects them with a truth serum, but it's botched, leaving the two high from the substance. Dustin and Erica then arrive and save the pair, but leave them in a screening of Back to the Future when they are chased by the Russians. The two later go to the restroom to vomit, and Harrington admits his feelings for Robin, whom reveals her sexuality to him. Despite being rejected, Steve happily accepts Robin's sexuality, forming their friendship. The two are found by Dustin and Erica, and agree to help the Party fight against Billy and the Mind Flayer.
Later on, Steve manages to save Nancy and Jonathan from Billy by ramming his car into him, and flees with the others. After hearing Dustin's duet with Suzie, Steve and Robin remain outside the mall as the Party and others defeat the Mind Flayer. Following the incident, Steve and Robin leave their jobs to work at Family Video.
===Season Four (1986)===
Having graduated from Hawkins High and working with Robin and Keith at Family Video, Steve continues his support for Robin and the party as he struggles with finding a suitable girl to date. 
On March 21, Steve went with his date to Lucas' championship game, where he and Robin shared a laugh over Tammy Thompson's appearance as a guest singer. He later celebrated when Lucas won his team the game.
The next day while he talked with Robin about each other's failing love lives they saw a live broadcast about a Hawkins High student's body found in the Trailer Park. Shortly after, Dustin and Max came into the store and quickly began to search for Reefer Rick in an attempt to find Eddie, leading a confused Steve to question what they were doing.
After locating Rick's house, Steve and the others drove there, though it appeared desserted, however upon spotting a shed near the lake the group headed in to look. As Steve poked a boat with an oar, Eddie emerged and threatened him with a broken bottle, forcing Dustin to explain they were trying to find him and help him. He later listened to Eddie's tale of how Chrissy died and realized the Upside Down had returned.
The Next day, the group brought Eddie some food supplies. Afterwards they headed to the Trailer Park where Nancy was being interrogated by police due to her partner, Fred's recent murder. The group then theorized on Vecna and how he was responsible for the recent murders. After Nancy proposed the idea that Vecna stalked his prey, Steve said he'd probably mention seeing a monster to someone to which Max replied that maybe they had.
Steve then drove Max and Dustin to Ms. Kelly's apartment and waited in the car with Dustin while Max went in, during which he was confronted on his supposed feeling for Nancy. After Max returned with the keys to Kelly's office the group broke into Hawkins High where they were met by Nancy and Robin shortly after Max realized she was under Vecna's Curse.
As Max explained her symptoms, the group heard a noise from outside the room, Steve told everyone to stay there (no one did) and went out with a lamp for self-defense. The noise turned out to be an arriving Lucas Sinclair which scared the group. After Steve berated him, Lucas told Dustin how Jason Carver was hunting him, to which he replied they had a greater problem at hand. The group slept over at the Wheeler house
The next morning while Steve discussed Vecna's possible origins with Dustin and Lucas they noticed Max who had stayed up all night was writing something. Nancy and Robin then told them of their plan to go to Pennhurst to talk to Victor Creel. Steve protested against being the babysitter once again, but Nancy insisted that Max was in danger and needed someone to protect her. After Nancy and Robin left, Max gave Lucas, Dustin, and Steve each a letter and left some for Mike, El, and Will on the table, explaining the letters were a failsafe in case of her death, much to the worry of the three. Max then tried to convince them to drive her somewhere much to Steve's protests, though he eventually gave in.
Steve then took Max to the trailer park where she left to leave some letters for her family, after Max returned, Steve noticed she was upset and asked what had happened. Steve later drove the three teens to the cementery where Max left to visit Billy's grave, leaving Steve in the car with Lucas and Dustin. After Max took too long to return, he went to check un her and found her under Vecna's curse. After signalling Dustin and Lucas, they tried to break her out of the trance and Steve told Dustin to call Nancy and Robin. Dustin then returned with many tapes asking for Max's favorite song but didn't have time to explain. After putting the tape of Running Up That Hill in Max's walkman the group then watched as she began to levitate, and deseperately cried for her to snap out of it. Eventually Max managed to escape Vecna and fell down to the ground where the three instantly hugged her. Following the near-death experience, the group returned once again to the Wheeler House. where they reunited with Nancy and Robin.
The next morning Steve was woken up by Nancy who had realized Max's drawings of Vecna's mindscape resembled the Creel House. The group then headed there and after breaking in, split into teams to investigate, Steve was partnered up with Dustin. While there Steve and Nancy talked about going out with Jonathan and Robin. The group then noticed odd activity in the lights and then they promptly imploded. Unknown to them, this event happened at the same time that Patrick McKinney was killed by Vecna in front of Jason and Eddie.
The next morning the group searched for Eddie and agreed to meet with him in Skull Rock. Steve guided the group, claiming the place was a make-out spot that he himself made popular, but got in an argument with Dustin who thought they were going on the wrong direction. Upon meeting up with Eddie at Skull Rock, Dustin claimed that his compass was acting up because they were near a gate remembering the first gate from 3 years ago. Eddie comfirmed Patrick's time of death at the same time that the lights blew up in the Creel House, which led the group to infer that Vecna used the Upside Down version of the Creel House as his base of operations. The group then left to search for the new gate, joined by Eddie.
Upon arriving at Lover's Lake, the group realized the gate was underwater. Steve then used Reefer Rick's boat and Nancy, Robin, and Eddie got on. Dustin then tried to get on but Steve told him there wasn't space, but then got on himself. When the group arrived on top of the now dubbed Watergate, Steve opted to dive in and go check it out. After finding the gate, Steve went back up and told his friends what he'd seen. Unbeknownst to thim, a vine from the gate had followed him and wrapped around his foot. The vine thend dragged him underwater and through the gate to the Upside Down. Steve then noticed a group of Demobats approaching and tried to fight them off, but was subdued and the bats managed to eat about a pound of flesh from his body before Robin, Nancy and Eddie arrived to save him. 
Afterwards the group set out to Skull Rock, where they hid from the creatures. Steve's injuries where treated by Nancy while a paranoid Robin asked if he had contracted rabies from the bats. Eddie gave Steve his vest and the four set towards the Wheeler house so they could use the guns in Nancy's room to defend themselves.
While walking, Steve talked with Eddie who revealed how much Dustin admired him and also motivated him to try to clear things up with Nancy. When they arrived at the Wheeler House, Steve thought to have heard Dustin's voice while the rest of the group went upstairs. After Steve tried yelling out to Dustin, the group realized they could use the lights to communicate and using an electric toy that belonged to Holly managed to talk with Dustin, Lucas, and Erica. Steve and the others then headed out to the trailer park but not before informing the others of their destination
Upon arriving at Eddie's trailer, they notices what appeared to be a gate before it burst open revealing Dustin, Lucas, Max and Erica on the other side. The group then tied bedsheets as a rope that defied gravity. Robin and Eddie climbed through and Steve then told Nancy to go next. However right at that moment Nancy fell under Vecna's curse, much to Steve's concern as he tried to wake her up
As the group searched for music, Mancy woke up. The next morning they listened as she explained a vision shown to her by Vecna, where Hawkins was destroyed, her family was dead and there was a giant creature with a gaping mouth. As the group made a plan, they stole an RV from a woman in the trailer park. While they drove, Steve revealed to Nancy he had a dream of one day having a big family, including six children.
(More to come...)
==Personality==
Steve showed himself to be the stereotypical popular boy of Hawkins High, but showed himself to be insecure, believing Jonathan and Nancy were together, and getting revenge by putting obscene vulgar on the marquee theatre. Despite this, he shows himself to be remorseful, as he reconciles with Nancy many times, and knows that he is a "dick" for his actions. After his fight with Jonathan, he learned form his mistakes and became a more good-hearted person, as he and Nancy bought him a new camera. 
After Nancy's intoxicated confession and Billy taking over his title, Steve went to a low point, but still was loyal and kind-hearted. In addition, Steve shows himself to be brave and loyal, helping the kids fight against the demodogs, and being at Nancy's side when she feels guilt for Barbara's death. By 1985, Steve is no longer the king of the castle as he is unable to get girls, but his bond with Dustin and the Party has grown stronger. He's also gained an interest in nerd culture due to Dustin's influence, as his favorite Star Wars movie is Return of the Jedi.
Despite not being known for his intellect, he has shown some level of deduction skills and is quick thinking. He was able to recognize the horse carousal in the Russian's message, deducing that they were in the mall, and was fast enough to use the green container to keep the elevator's doors open.
==Abilities==
*Athleticism: Having been a member of the basketball and swim team, Steve's athleticism has proved vital during his fights in each season. 
*Hand-To-Hand Combatant: Steve is quite limited in terms of hand-to-hand combat and has been; proven to be levels below his former enemie, Jonathan Byers; but he was able to overpower Billy Hargrove quite easily, it was only; due to Billy cowardly using dirty tactics that; the latter got the upper hand; before he was sedated; by Max. But he is physically robust and found himself being able to defeated a russian officer; with a phone, and killed a demobat.
**Melee Weapon Proficiency: Steve is highly proficient; with Nancy's spiked bat, able to fend off the Demogorgon and the Demodogs.
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*He was promoted to a series regular in season two after appearing in eight episodes of season one.
*The character was originally written to be more pushy and antagonistic, and would have raped Nancy in the first episode. The character was later reworked by the Duffer Brothers, who found Keery to be an energetic and likable person. Hence, he was often not well-praised by viewers in the first season, but his subsequent character development in later seasons made him a fan favorite as he worked very hard to become so.
*Due to his characterization in the original script, his character was planned to die in the first season
**This makes him and Eleven, the only two members from the main cast who were planned to be killed off in the first season
*His clothes were designed by costume designer Kimberly Adams.
==External Links==
*
*
==Navigation==
fr:Steve Harrington
Category:Stranger Things Heroes
Category:Science Fantasy Heroes
Category:Horror Heroes
Category:Live Action Heroes
Category:TV Show Heroes
Category:Male
Category:Teenagers
Category:Honorable
Category:Protectors
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Anti-Heroes
Category:Fighters
Category:In Love
Category:Loyal
Category:Supporters
Category:Charismatic
Category:Selfless
Category:Bond Creators
Category:Bond Protectors
Category:Friend of a Villain
Category:Insecure
Category:Jerks
Category:Arrogant
Category:Thrill-Seekers
Category:Neutral Good
Category:Scapegoat
Category:Good Vs. Good
Category:Mentors
Category:Rivals
Category:Stalkers
Category:Mascots
Category:Casanova
Category:Determinators
Category:Rebellion Heroes
Category:Role Models
Category:Monster Slayers
Category:Provokers
Category:Deal Makers
Category:Dead by Daylight Heroes
Category:Successful
Category:Exorcists
Category:Paranormal Investigators
Category:Antagonists
Category:Strategists
Category:Virtually Resourceful
Category:Sympathetic
Category:Misguided
Category:Victims
Category:Damsels
Category:Localized Protection
Category:Global Protection
Category:Pessimists
Category:Strong-Willed