Who does robin like in stranger things

Robin Buckley[2], portrayed by Maya Hawke, is a main character in Stranger Things, being introduced in the third season. She is the co-worker and best friend of Steve Harrington.

In the summer of 1985, Robin began working at the newly-built Starcourt Mall's ice cream parlor, Scoops Ahoy, alongside her former classmate, Steve Harrington. Robin often made Steve the butt of many jokes due to his fleeting popularity and failure to attract any female customers.

When Steve and his friend Dustin Henderson attempted to crack an intercepted Russian code, Robin assisted through her knowledge of many languages. She figured out that Russians were using the mall's food chains and businesses to smuggle supplies into Hawkins. Eventually, the three discovered that the Soviets had carried out an elaborate scheme; Starcourt Mall was merely a front to conceal the construction of an underground Soviet base. With the assistance of Erica Sinclair, the group snuck into the base, where they discovered the Soviets had developed a means to travel to another dimension. Steve and Robin were eventually captured and taken hostage, but were rescued by Dustin and Erica. Upon their return to the surface, Robin got involved with the fight against the Mind Flayer and the possessed Billy Hargrove. Three months later, Robin and Steve would get jobs at the local Family Video.

By the spring of 1986, Robin was still patiently enduring Steve's rants about his complicated love life, while harboring a massive crush on Vickie, a fellow member of her school marching band.[3] Her attention would be drawn by more pressing concerns, however, after a new evil begun to terrorize Hawkins. While investigating the new threat to Hawkins, Vecna, Robin formed a friendship with Nancy Wheeler and was heartbroken to discover Vickie had a boyfriend. However, despite her heartache, Robin went along with helping her friends attempting to kill Vecna in the Upside Down, but eventually failed, as they failed to prevent four gates from opening and triggering an earthquake which destroyed a portion of Hawkins. Two days later, Robin volunteered to help survivors where she encountered Vickie, learning she recently broke up with her boyfriend and started to bond with her before witnessing particles from the Upside Down beginning to fall down into Hawkins.

History

• Main article: Robin Buckley/History

Personality

Described as an alternative girl, Robin is shown to entertain herself by teasing others and being sarcastic. In comparison to Steve, Robin is more realistic and speaks the truth, rather than worrying about how her actions will jeopardize her image, something she admits she doesn't really have. She reveals to Steve that even though she comes off as cynical, she admits she does want to be accepted for who she really is. Robin is also talented in music, soccer, and fluency in multiple languages, which comes to Steve and Dustin's benefit when deciphering the Russian code coming from Dustin's radio. Another trait that shines through overtime is her compassion for the people close to her; while initially riding on Steve for peaking in high school and ignoring her, she soon grows to care for him - to the point where eventually admits her true sexuality after Steve admits liking her romantically. Robin is also shown to be a good negotiator, helping Steve get a job at Family Video after Keith shows some hesitance.

During her time at Scoops Ahoy, Steve mentioned Robin to be "hyper"; it's likely this side of her is hidden when around people Robin doesn't know. A year after the destruction of Starcourt Mall, Robin enjoyed the company of Steve and his friends while trying to get closer to them, especially to Nancy Wheeler. Even after learning of the Upside Down, Robin was quick to accept them and was willing to help stop the alternate dimension's evil monsters from terrorizing Hawkins.

Similar to Max Mayfield, Robin's clothing style is less strict about following traditional gender norms: her new job at the video store has a more relaxed dress code. The clothes she wears typically don't adhere to her body and run large and have a masculine edge, such as slacks, dress shirts, blazers and ties. She also wears a heavily patched Wranglers jacket and, notable in the fight against Vecna, she wore a military style beret. In certain situations, she is seen in more feminine attire (notably entirely borrowed from Nancy), when she accompanied her to Pennhurst Mental Hospital to interrogate Victor Creel. Yet, Robin was willing to go along what she disliked in order to question Creel so she and her friends can stop Vecna and his killing spree.

Abilities

• Multilingualism: Robin is very intelligent and has fluency over three languages such as Spanish, French, and Italian. When listening to a Russian transmission, Robin is able to translate and learn the language, showing her capability in learning a new language and picking up small clues that relate to the Russian message, showing she is academically intelligent. Her intelligence is also streetwise as she's able to quickly gain ideas whether they work or not.

Relationships

Around 1984, Robin attended Miss Click's history class alongside popular boy Steve Harrington in Hawkins High School. Though Steve didn't know her during his years in school, Robin disliked Steve incredibly due to him being late to class, making a mess by eating food, and causing her crush, Tammy Thompson, to ignore her. A year later, in the summer of 1985, Robin got a job at the newly-built Starcourt Mall's ice cream parlor, Scoops Ahoy, alongside Steve, who was forced by his father to get a job there due to not having the grades to go to college. Initially, Robin takes joy in watching Steve fail to impress female customers and failing school while Steve disliked Robin for snarky behavior and attitude towards him. However, Steve's friend Dustin Henderson claims that to have intercepted a secret Russian communication, Robin assists the pair by decoding the Russian language.

As they discovered the Russians to be in Hawkins and operating in the mall, Robin and Steve started to form a friendship. While held captive for their interrogation by the Russians, Robin and Steve are clearly seen to care about each other’s well-being and enjoy each other’s company, talking and laughing together while alone. Once rescued, the duo shared an emotional moment on a bathroom floor where Steve decided to confess his love for Robin. Robin awkwardly tells him that while she really likes him as a friend, her romantic feelings belong to a fellow female classmate named Tammy Thompson. Though initially shocked, Steve is not upset in the slightest, rather saying that Tammy Thompson is a total dud to her hobby and lack of musical talent, causing the two to laugh, making Robin happy that Steve accepts her for who she is. They remained best friends after the battle at Starcourt Mall and are seen three months later getting a new job at Family Video together, with Robin helping Steve get the job.

Erica Sinclair was a frequent customer of Scoops Ahoy who annoyed Robin as she kept asking for samples of different flavors of ice cream. However, when Dustin couldn't fit into the air vents to get to the secret room at the mall, Robin asked for Erica's help as she was small enough to fit in through the vent. Erica, agreed to help, on the condition that she gets free ice cream for life, which Robin accepted. As Erica climbed through the vent, Robin guided Erica to the secret room and seemed relieved when Erica made it out of the vent and entered the room safe and sound. When trapped in the secret Russian base underneath Starcourt, Robin helped Erica and Dustin escape when they were spotted by Russians, leaving Robin and Steve to be captured. However, Erica and Dustin managed to come to their rescue and escape the base together, protecting the older teens as they were drugged with truth serum until they were cured. Both Robin and Erica continued to work together in helping stop the Mind Flayer.

Robin first met Dustin Henderson when he and Steve greeted each other after the latter returned from Camp Know Where, asking Steve how many children he was friends with. When Robin overheard Dustin revealing to Steve that he intercepted a secret Russian transmission, Robin offered to help translate, revealing her fluency in several different languages, which Dustin accepts. As they worked together in deciphering the Russian code and discovering the Russians were in Hawkins, Robin would form a friendship with Dustin. Before she and Steve were captured by the Russians, she made sure Dustin and Erica were able to escape. However, Dustin and Erica came to their rescue and escape the base together where Dustin protected and cared for Robin after she and Steve were drugged with truth serum until they were cured. While driving the Toddfather to get to Cerebro, Robin commends Dustin for lugging it to the middle of nowhere just to talk to his girlfriend. The two later continued working together in stopping Mind Flayer with Robin promising to stay in touch with him. When Dustin confirmed his girlfriend's existence, Robin was shocked and amazed at this, but like the others, beyond confused with the couple's duet to the theme song of "The Neverending Story".

Robin and Tammy shared a history class together in high school. Robin had a crush on her, but Tammy was far too interested in Steve Harrington to notice. This was incredibly frustrating for Robin, and she would secretly scream out her frustrations whenever she went home. Yet, Robin was secretly supportive of Tammy and her dreams of becoming a singer and going to Nashville. However, in 1986, Robin lost interest in Tammy as she developed a crush on her fellow bandmate Vickie. When Tammy came from Nashville to sing the national anthem at the Hawkins High basketball championship game, Robin realized Steve as right about Tammy being a terrible singer as she did not bother to fix the microphone as she sang and changed keys mid-song.

In 1983, Robin sees Nancy and Steve on a date in the theater but is only able to make out Steve due to the darkness. She sees Nancy rush out of the theater in tears and follows, thinking that she might be Tammy Thompson. Instead, she finds Nancy in the bathroom, weeping. Despite not knowing her well and feeling resentment towards her for "stealing" her former friend, Barbara Holland, Robin feels the need to defend her. Thinking that Steve did something to cause her to cry, Robin offers to kick Steve out of the theater. Nancy explains that it is not Steve's fault and that she is actually upset about Barbara's disappearance.

In July of 1985, she and Steve discuss if they've ever been in love, Robin scoffs when Steve mentions Nancy's name, labeling her a "priss". As Robin attempts to process what is happening, Nancy questions who she is, and Robin introduces herself. When the Mind Flayer invades the Starcourt Mall, Nancy tells Steve and Robin to get into the station wagon after totaling the Todd-Father. The two assist the gang in defeating the Mind Flayer using Lucas' fireworks.

In the spring of 1986, after discovering and informing Nancy of an entity called Vecna who was murdering young teenagers around Hawkins, Robin joined Nancy in investigating Victor Creel at the Hawkins Public Library. Although Robin was initially unintentionally annoying to Nancy, Robin managed to prove her worth to Nancy by finding a newspaper article, detailing a connection between Vecna and Victor Creel.

Later, Nancy and Robin hatch a plan to pose as psychology students in order to sneak into Pennhurst Asylum to speak to Victor Creel, despite Robin being dismayed to wear Nancy's clothes during this endeavor. Robin convincing Dr. Anthony Hatch to let them speak to Creel, impressed Nancy where the two girls silently gave each a high five before they discover Creel's backstory and realize that music is the key to saving someone from Vecna's clutches. When the Hawkins gang goes to investigate the Creel house in person, Robin in searching the house for clues.

While going to meet Eddie with supplies at Skull Rock, Nancy and Robin walk alongside each other in the woods. They discuss Nancy's relationships with Jonathan and Steve, Robin stating that she "wants happiness for her friends". Nancy asks if that makes them friends officially, and Robin agrees, thereby cementing their bond.

When Nancy jumps into Lover's Lake after Steve is pulled down into Water Gate, Robin pleads with her not to go. Inevitably, Nancy jumps in and Robin jumps in after her. Once they are inside the Upside Down, Nancy and Robin battle two Demobats together. When one of them grabs Nancy, Robin pulls it off of her, thus saving her life. When the trio of Robin, Steve, and Nancy return to the Upside Down, Nancy is concerned that Robin will accidentally step on the vines. When they reach the Upside Down version of the Creel house and see that it is riddled with vines, Robin becomes scared and holds Nancy's hand before she is reassured by Nancy. The two would go to temporarily defeat Vecna before they managed to escape from the Upside Down again.

Judging from their interactions, Robin and Keith have known one another prior to their interaction, and are on friendly terms. When Keith rejects Steve while he and Robin apply for jobs at Family Video, Robin takes Keith to the side and says that Steve has other qualities. Keith says that Steve is a "douchebag of the highest order", and while Robin admits that he was a prick to the both of them in high school, him being a chick magnet can be beneficial to both the store and Keith. Convinced, Keith asks what's in it for Robin and asks if she has a crush on him, but Robin casually says they're just friends.

Appearances

Video games

Memorable quotes

• "Hey dingus! Your children are here." - Robin to Steve, "Suzie, Do You Copy?"
• "I can't believe I'm gonna die in a secret Russian base with Steve 'The Hair' Harrington." - Robin to Steve, “E Pluribus Unum”
• "Tammy Thompson. I wanted her to look at me." - Robin to Steve, "The Bite"
• "How many children are you friends with?” - Robin to Steve, “The Mall Rats”
• "We all die my strange little child friend. It’s all a matter of how... and when.” - Robin to Dustin, “The Bite”
• "I feel like my whole life has been one big error."
• "Can you redirect your stream, please?" - Robin to Steve and Dustin.
• "But she couldn't pull her eyes away from you." - Robin to Steve, talking about Tammy.

Behind the scenes

Her character was first revealed on March 2, 2018, when it was announced that she would be portrayed by actress Maya Thurman Hawke. Her character was described as "an alternative girl who is equal parts sharp and playful. Bored with her mundane day job, she just wants a little excitement in her life… and gets more than she bargained for when she uncovers a dark secret in Hawkins."[4]

Gallery

Trivia

• Robin is a lesbian, making her the first confirmed LGBTQ+ character on the show.[5]
  • Robin was originally intended to date Steve. However, during the filming of "The Sauna Test" and "The Flayed", Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, the Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy agreed that Robin should be a lesbian instead.
  • Though Robin may be the show's first confirmed LGBTQ+ character, Will Byers has been hinted as being gay since the very first episode, "The Vanishing of Will Byers", and his sexuality was confirmed by actor Noah Schnapp outside the show.
• Francesca Reale, who portrayed Heather Holloway, originally auditioned for Robin.
• Maya Hawke has helped design pieces of Robin's outfits.
  • In the third season, Maya Hawke personally drew doodles on Robin's red Converse sneakers.
  • In the fourth season, Maya Hawke personally handpicked the patches on Robin's Wrangler jacket.
• Robin is the first older teenager seen riding a bike, whereas the other teenagers drive; she reveals in The Monster and the Superhero that her lack of a driver's license stems from being poor.
• In The Battle of Starcourt, Robin says that her top three favorite films are Children of Paradise (1945), The Hidden Fortress (1958), and The Apartment (1960).
• Robin states in Dear Billy that it took her six months longer for her to walk compared to other babies.
• Costume designer Amy Parris has said the pattern on the white blouse Robin wears between The Dive and Papa featured equality symbols to symbolize Robin's sexuality; the blouse features triangles, a symbol taken from Nazis identifying queer people and rebranded as a symbol of protest during the 1970s, and streaks that resemble the equality sign, a symbol taken from the Human Rights Campaign established in 1980.[6]
• Robin mentions in The Massacre at Hawkins Lab that rabies is her number one fear.
• Robin may possibly be either an atheist or agnostic, as she mentions in The Piggyback that she doesn't believe in higher power or divine intervention.
• Robin is the fourth main character from Stranger Things to have a book explaining her backstory; the first being Martin Brenner, the second being Jim Hopper, and the third being Max Mayfield. The book is called Stranger Things: Rebel Robin.
  • According to "Rebel Robin", Robin was 15 (and a half) on September 10, 1983. This would place her date of birth roughly around March 10, 1968. This also means she celebrated her 18th birthday immediately prior to the events of season four.
• Robin is the first main character of Stranger Things to have a six-part scripted podcast centered around her, and voice acted by the character's actor.
• Many fans speculate Robin may be neurodivergent; she has a number of idiosyncratic traits, such as a self-professed lack of a conversational 'filter', and heightened discomfort when wearing particular items of clothing. Some specifically claim Robin is autistic, while others believe she has ADHD.[1]

References

1. ↑ Rebel Robin: Surviving Hawkins
2. ↑ Robin's last name was revealed on the ST writers' twitter account through a series of images
3. ↑ Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley
4. ↑ "Stranger Things 3 to bring back season 2 breakout and add new mysterious character" Entertainment Weekly. March 2, 2018
5. ↑ "Stranger Things: Maya Hawke Pulls the Curtain Back on Season 3 Breakout Role" The Hollywood Reporter. July 4, 2019
6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI3j673h0GE

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