Natalia Dyer on Nancy Wheeler’s mistake and family peril in stranger things 5

Nancy Wheeler’s failure to warn her family in Stranger Things 5 endangers them as Vecna attacks Hawkins

Natalia Dyer discussed Nancy Wheeler’s critical mistake in the Season 5 premiere of Stranger Things, which has placed her family in grave danger.

According to Dyer, Nancy failed to inform her parents Karen (Cara Buono), Ted (Joe Chrest), and little sister Holly (Nell Fisher) about the supernatural threats facing Hawkins, a decision that allowed Vecna to target Holly in his plot for world domination.

“This was a conversation with the Duffers,” Dyer explained, noting that Nancy’s intention was to protect her family amid a heightened military presence and escalating threats. “Sometimes you feel like not telling is protecting. But in this case, it wasn’t,” she added. The consequence of this decision sees Karen and Ted hospitalized in critical condition while Holly has been abducted by Vecna, intensifying the emotional stakes for the Wheeler family.

Dyer also addressed fan speculation over Nancy’s romantic tensions with Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) versus her former flame Steve Harrington (Joe Keery). She emphasized that the character’s focus in the early episodes is survival and managing the fight against Vecna, rather than navigating romantic relationships.

“Nancy’s future does matter to me,” Dyer said. “After 10 years, you can’t help but feel invested in these characters. You want them to end up in a way that feels earned and makes sense.”

The Season 5 premiere of Stranger Things sets a high-stakes tone for the final episodes, blending supernatural terror with personal drama. As the Wheeler family grapples with life-or-death consequences, fans are left eagerly awaiting how Nancy and the Hawkins crew will respond to Vecna’s relentless attack.