Carol Perkins

William 'Billy' Hargrove  (former one-sided crush/friend)  Nicole  († best friend)

## Physical information

### Hair color

Light brown

Character portrayed by: littlerayofsunshine. A main character in Stranger Things: The Fall of Hawkins.

## History

### Background

Carol Perkins, born in 1966, spent a considerable portion of her life in Hawkins, Indiana. Her education began at Hawkins Middle School during the late 1970s. During this time, Carol crossed paths with a boy named Tommy Hagan in the seventh grade, and the two eventually began dating around that time.

As time passed, Carol and Tommy advanced to Hawkins High School, presumably around the year 1981. Here, they befriended one of the most popular students, including Steve Harrington. It can be assumed that her high school experience was shaped by her relationship with Tommy and her friendship with the popular kids.

Further information about Carol's life and experiences remain unknown, but her story highlights the common experiences of teenagers growing up in small towns during the 1980s. The depiction of Carol's character in popular culture can serve as a window into the daily lives of young people during this era, providing insight into the social dynamics and cultural norms that were prevalent during this time.

#### 1983

On November 8, 1983, Carol and her then boyfriend Tommy attended a pool party at Steve's house, where they met Steve's then girlfriend, Nancy Wheeler, and her best friend, Barbara Holland. Carol and Tommy spend most of the night drinking and being clingy together at the pool and inside by the fireplace, whilst Steve and Nancy where doing their own thing. However, Barbara mysteriously vanished from the party, leaving mostly Nancy concerned about her friend's disappearance. Despite this, the group continued to hang out together unbothered at school in the days following the party. Carol didn't really care much for Barbara, since she barely knew her.

But things took a turn when it was revealed that Jonathan Byers had been at the party and had taken photographs while hiding in the foliage. Carol felt disgusted and so she and the others targetted Jonahtan the next day. They destroyed his camera and tore up his photographs.

As Nancy became increasingly worried about Barb's disappearance, she became less involved with the group- much to Carol's liking. She wasn't the biggest fan of Nancy at all and didn't see her as a part of the group either. Her 'complaining' about Barb started to annoy her. Steve, however, decided to check on Nancy, ignoring Carol to convince him not to, and climbed onto the roof of her house to enter her bedroom. He witnessed Nancy and Jonathan together and mistakenly thought they were sleeping together. It left Carol unsuprised; *"What a slut!"*

The following day, Carol, Steve, Tommy, and Nicole defaced the walls of the Hawk Theater with abusive and obscene slurs directed at Nancy. This resulted in a violent altercation between Steve and Jonathan, with Jonathan coming out on top. Carol cheered from the side line. However, the police arrived at the scene, but they all managed to escape.

After fleeing and laughing about the fact the police took Jonathan, a small argument between the three took place. Steve told Carol to "Shut up" after she mentioned she got a unpleasant image in her mind of Jonahtan's face when him and Nancy are screwing. Tommy then proceeded to become hostile, standing up for Carol. After getting scolded at by her boyfriend, Steve decided to leave them behind, to apologize to Nancy and Jonathan on his own.

#### 1984

During their senior year in 1984, Carol and Tommy's relationship started to hit a rough patch. While Tommy was focused on getting into college, Carol found herself feeling neglected and alone in their relationship. As a result, Carol began to look for attention elsewhere.

It was then that Billy Hargrove arrived at Hawkins High School, and Carol and her friends couldn't help but notice his arrival. Carol, in particular, developed a one-sided crush on him, admiring him from afar. This feeling made her realize how unhappy she was in her relationship with Tommy. Eventually, the tension between them came to a head in a fight about loyalty, leading to their official breakup later that year.

#### 1985

After graduating from Hawkins High School in 1985, Carol and her friend Tina moved to California to attend beauty school. They rented their own apartment, excited to start a new chapter of their lives.

While not much is known about Carol's time in California, it is clear that the experience helped her grow and mature as a person. Living on her own and being away from the familiarity of Hawkins allowed Carol to gain a new perspective and broaden her horizons.

#### 1986 (Apocalypse)

During Spring Break in March, Carol came back to Hawkins to visit her family. She had no idea that by the end of the week, the town would be hit by an 'earthquake' that would split it into four parts. Unfortunately, Carol's dad was injured while working the late shift at Melvald's. He was hit by a falling ceiling tile and had to be rushed to Hawkins Hospital for treatment.

Although his injuries were taken care of, he was required to stay at the hospital to stabilize his condition. Carol's mom accompanied her on her daily visits to see her father, and they made sure to spend as much time with him as possible. This Carol made the decision to stay in Hawkins for an extended period to support her family.

## Personality and Traits

Carol can be described as a stereotypical popular girl, exhibiting qualities that she shares with her boyfriend, Tommy. These attributes include arrogance, mean-spiritedness, and shallowness. Carol consistently belittled Steve for his relationship with Nancy, indicating her disapproval of those who did not fit into her perceived social hierarchy. It is apparent that Carol's academic performance is subpar, as she recalls verbally insulting teachers in class, demonstrating her lack of intelligence and insight. Despite her seemingly confident exterior, Carol appears to be afraid of certain types of conflict, as evidenced by her pleading with Tommy to stop when he threatens to fight Steve.

Carol also tends to act as a passive witness to bullying, typically snickering or making cruel comments at the end of fights. This behavior suggests that she may lack empathy and be complicit in the mistreatment of others.

Aside from her negative traits, she also possesses more lovable traits, including; a creative mind. Her talent lies in the creative aspects of life, and she has a particular affinity for beauty and makeup. This interest led her to attend beauty school in California after graduating from Hawkins High School in early 1986.

Carol's creative side is a valuable aspect of her personality that is often overlooked due to her negative qualities. However, her passion for beauty and aesthetics showcases a different side of her character. It suggests that she has a strong sense of style and an eye for detail, traits that are highly valuable in the beauty industry.

Attending beauty school in California would have provided Carol with a solid foundation in the field of makeup and beauty. The training would have given her the skills and knowledge to turn her passion into a career, and perhaps even allow her to start her own business.

## Skills

WIP

* **Creative mind**:
* **Template**:

## Relationships

### Familial

**Template**

WIP

### Non-Familial

**Template**

WIP

## Gallery

 Carol, Tommy, and Steve talking about the party last night during lunch  Picture taken of Carol Nancy and Tommy by Jonathan  Carol greeting Nancy by calling her a princess being aware she saw the text at the front of Hawk Theater  Carol at school, 1983  Carol and Tommy judging the argument between Nancy and Steve