The key element that makes every season of Stranger Things [1] worth watching — especially if you're quickly tiring of the "monster of the season" formula [2] — is the relationships that form between all of our favourite characters [3].
Whether it's the friendship between our four boys, the familial ties between the Byers (or Hopper and Eleven), or even the romantic developments that have blossomed over the seasons, the love they all share keeps us coming back season after season. And with the introduction of Robin [4] in season three, we have a new bond to obsess over: the friendship between her and Hawkins' top-tier babysitter, Steve Harrington.
Spoilers for Stranger Things [5] season three ahead!
At first hello, Robin (played by Maya Hawke [6]) is simply Steve's wise-cracking, nonplussed coworker at a nautical-themed ice cream shop at the Starcourt Mall, aptly named Scoops Ahoy. She regularly berates Steve for his attachment to his hair, his "cool guy" facade, and the fact that he's constantly surrounded by children. But as Dustin returns home from sleep-away camp [7] and reunites with his older friend, she quickly gets pulled into the danger that is ever-present in Hawkins.
When Dustin accidentally tunes into the frequency used by a group of Russian scientists using the Mall as a front for their secret underground lab, Robin's proficiency with languages lands her the role of translator, trying to figure out the meaning of a code. She does, and subsequently the trio (along with Lucas's younger sister Erica [9]) finds themselves infiltrating said lab. A series of misfortunes follow that wind up with Robin and Steve getting captured to allow Dustin and Erica the chance to escape.
After Steve gets a thorough beat-down by the Russians, the two are tied up and left to wait for "the Doctor" and begin commiserating over their impending death. Robin opens up to Steve, revealing that she remembers watching him in class and harboring intense feelings of jealousy and obsession. Steve is bowled over, since he's been attempting to get over his break-up with Nancy Wheeler (whom he admits he was in love with) by hitting on whatever girls wandered into the ice cream shop. The duo are soon rescued by Dustin and Erica, but not before they are drugged up with enough loopy truth serum to be completely out of it.
Later, while puking their guts out after a fit of vertigo, Steve reveals that he "found his Suzie," [10] telling Robin that she's hilarious and "unlike any other person" he's met before. But in a surprising twist, instead of falling into his arms, Robin explains that she just isn't into him.
Although Robin admits that she really likes him, it wasn't his attention she had been longing for when they had class together way back when — she had been obsessing because a fellow classmate of theirs, Tammy Thompson, had been paying more attention to Steve than her. Steve takes a moment to process that this means Robin is actually a lesbian and not attracted to him, before he jokes that Tammy is actually a total "dud" and has the singing voice of a Muppet giving birth. The moment is so sweet, especially since Robin is visibly anxious that Steve will reject their friendship because of her sexuality, and seemingly sensing this, he soothes her worry with his jokes and horrible singing impersonation.
When the final episode of the season wraps up, the two are shown looking for jobs together since the mall is closed after everyone's battle against the Mind Flayer. It's obvious that, while Steve hasn't yet found his Suzie, he has found his more age-appropriate Dustin. Robin even manages to get him a job with her at the movie rental store! It's honestly the perfect ending for these two, especially in a season that's filled with enough romantic drama [11] to last us a lifetime.
If nothing else, we definitely want to see more of Robin and Steve if Stranger Things gets picked up for season four [12]!