Every ending invites a quiet question: what if things had gone differently? That question has followed Stranger Things ever since its finale closed the door on Hawkins. The show has always thrived on near-misses, missed warnings, missed saves, missed chances at normalcy. Now, with the story finished, fans are imagining an entire multiverse of alternate outcomes.

And one of the loudest speculations centers on a bond that never crossed the line on screen: Steve and Robin. Interestingly, Maya Hawke herself had added fuel to that fire.

Maya Hawke revealed in a 2019 interview with the Wall Street Journal that the ending was not always the plan. Hawke confirmed that Robin and Steve were originally intended to get together in Season 3, and that the shift in Robin’s storyline happened during filming. 

"Throughout filming, we started to feel like she and [Steve] shouldn’t get together, and that she’s gay. Even when I go back and watch earlier episodes, it just seems like the most obvious decision ever,” Hawke said.

When Robin Buckley burst into the show in Season 3, the setup felt familiar by design. Scoops Ahoy banter, late-night confessions, Dustin’s not-so-subtle nudging. It all pointed toward Steve finally getting the girl who matched his wit rather than just his looks. For much of the season, the narrative language strongly suggested they were on a collision course toward romance, especially as Steve openly talked about his feelings and future plans.

That expectation famously collapses in Episode 7, The Bite. After Steve finally admits he likes her, Robin comes out to him, explaining that she does not feel the same way because she is into girls - Tammy Thompson, specifically. In other words, the signs were there because the destination once was too, as revealed by Hawke.

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Then comes Robin’s ending in the Season 5 finale and another point of contention.

In the final battle against Vecna and the Mind Flayer, Robin is right there with the Hawkins crew on the ground and in the Abyss. She helps lure the Mind Flayer into a canyon and throws rocks and flamethrower fire alongside Jonathan and the others as part of the climactic fight, a chaotic, action‑heavy sequence with little quiet for reflection. When the Upside Down collapses and the threat finally ends, the story shifts forward 18 months to an epilogue where the gang has moved on with their lives. 

Robin appears during this time jump as a confident college student, briefly reuniting with Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan atop the WSQK roof, where they toast to the future and plan monthly meet‑ups. What many fans reacted to strongly is what does not happen on screen. There is no extended moment where Robin looks back on her journey, discusses her fears, or clearly defines where she stands emotionally after everything she has been through.

Her romantic relationship with Vickie, which built up over the season, is not shown in the epilogue. The show leaves their status ambiguous rather than giving it closure. 

In hindsight, it is tempting to wonder whether a romantic arc with Steve might have altered the show’s emotional trajectory altogether. Perhaps it would have changed nothing, or perhaps it would have changed everything.

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What do you think? Would a Steve-and-Robin romance have strengthened Stranger Things? Share your thoughts.