Charlie Heaton Teases Jonathan Byers’ Development In Stranger Issues Season 5

Stranger Issues season 5 star Charlie Heaton has teased how Jonathan Byers’ story within the upcoming episodes will differ from his character’s previous adventures. Jonathan Byers has been a staple of Stranger Issues since season 1, as he and his future girlfriend, Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), stalked the woods to search out out what occurred to Jonathan’s brother, Will (Noah Schnapp), and Nancy’s finest buddy, Barb (Shannon Purser).

Since that terrifying first season, Jonathan’s character has been a chilled, delicate presence within the present, haunted by what occurred to his little brother and the implications of the Upside Down. However, he is at all times there when the youngsters, his mom, or Nancy want him, as evidenced by his heroic flip serving to Eleven reduce out a bit of the Thoughts Flayer in season 3, and his steady unconditional love and assist for Will.

Even so, Charlie Heaton is not satisfied Jonathan has grown as a lot as a few of Stranger Issues‘ different principal characters have. In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan, when requested about his favourite second of improvement for his character, Heaton replied: “Yeah, I do not understand how a lot, [if] he modified that a lot, to be sincere. He type of did not actually transfer a lot. However there’s development, particularly this season. There’s development.”

In the course of the interview, Heaton’s co-star, Natalia Dyer, was fast to level out that Stranger Issues season 4 included extra “light-hearted moments” for Jonathan, permitting audiences to see a unique aspect of his quiet character. Heaton agreed, including that Stranger Issues season 5 will tug Jonathan in a brand new path:

“Final season was totally different as a result of I received to play a unique aspect of him, to calm down a bit. However he was getting excessive the entire time, which was enjoyable. We had been in Quick Instances or Cheech and Chong, and I felt like I used to be filming a unique present. However this season, there’s extra push and pull about it,” Heaton mentioned.

What that “push and pull” means for Jonathan’s character in Stranger Issues’ remaining season stays to be seen, although the official season 5 trailer suggests Jonathan will not have a straightforward go of it this time round. In a single shot, he and Nancy are seen sharing a quiet second, visibly shaken by what they are going by means of.

The footage reveals that Jonathan is extra intently concerned with each the investigation and the energetic plan to defeat Vecna this season, as he joins forces together with his fellow teen characters and the youngsters for the final time. If Jonathan’s function is substantial, it is going to be a optimistic change for Heaton’s character, who, whereas with the ability to exhibit a extra humorous aspect in season 4, was considerably sidelined inside the wider story.

Jonathan’s best attribute has lengthy been his capability for empathy. This additionally undoubtedly makes him extra inclined to Vecna’s influences, although, particularly if he controls Will, his different buddies, or even when Stranger Issues‘ grasp villain decides to hang-out Jonathan himself, as he did to Max (Sadie Sink) in season 4.

No matter occurs subsequent — not each character is assured to outlive the season — Jonathan Byers has constantly confirmed to be one in every of Stranger Issues‘ most original and attention-grabbing characters.

Stranger Issues season 5, quantity 1, premieres on Netflix within the US on November 26. Quantity 2 will probably be launched on December 25, and the feature-length finale will drop on December 31.