Jonathan admits he never applied to Emerson. Nancy says she’s always hated The Clash. He doesn’t actually like reading her articles. She hates it when he gets stoned. They air a whole laundry list of all the reasons they don’t really work together, despite how much they genuinely love one another, and it’s a strangely liberating moment for them both. To be clear, it makes a certain amount of sense that each has been clinging to this relationship despite the obvious red flags flying all over the place. Who else could possibly understand either them now, or things that they’ve been through? What potential future partner(s) could hope to live up to the memory of the ex they faced down demogorgons and military occupation alongside?
But then Jonathan follows up this moment of clarity with an “unproposal”, in which he pulls out a ring and asks Nancy to not marry him, an offer she giddily accepts. It’s a strange, confusing, and fairly unnecessary moment that muddies the waters about what exactly is happening between them. In theory, the ring that Jonthan’s been carrying around like a bomb in his pocket has become an unexpected symbol of how much he doesn’t want the life it promises. Yet he decides to give it to Nancy anyway? So she can reject it? As they tearfully reaffirm their love for each other? Sure, why not!
Unsurprisingly, after all of that… it’s not especially clear whether or not that heart-to-heart marks the technical end of their relationship. The pair certainly never says so onscreen, either when they’re expecting to die or after they’re rescued.. But, according to the folks behind the scenes, “Jancy” is officially over.
“That’s a breakup,” Matt Duffer confirms to People. “They are broken up.”
Your mileage may vary on whether or not a break-up that viewers aren’t even really sure happened is the best way to honor the multi-season journey of one of the series’ marquee couples. But, hey, that’s at least that’s one mystery we know the actual answer to heading into the series finale. Of course, that still leaves the question of where things stand with Nancy and her ex, Steve.
During her conversation with Jonathan, Nancy certainly implies that she’s pulling something of a Kelly Taylor, choosing independence and a chance to figure out what she really wants her life to look like over the promise of romance of any kind. (Steve wants six kids; she’s not so sure.) But given that the show almost immediately follows this admission with an extreme close-up of Steve and Nancy’s hands clasping as he helps her out of the goo room, Stranger Things clearly till has some interest in this connection and whatever it means for both of them.
