Stranger Things Characters, Ranked From S Tier to F
Hawkins has a lot of residents, and not all of them survive the Upside Down. We went through all 21 major players, from the kids on their bikes to the adults who somehow keep ending up in government labs, and sorted them into tiers based on how much they matter to the show and how much we actually like having them on screen.
This is a fan favorite argument generator, so expect disagreement. Some of you will want Steve higher. Some of you still haven't forgiven Billy. That's fine. Rank them yourself if you think we got it wrong.
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SS Tier: The heart of Hawkins
Eleven
The whole show starts with a shaved head and a nosebleed in the woods. Eleven's arc from lab experiment to someone who can actually say 'friends don't lie' and mean it is the emotional spine of Stranger Things. Nobody else carries this much plot and this much heart at once.
About Eleven
A girl with psychokinetic abilities raised in a secretive lab experiment, who escapes and becomes the emotional center of the main group in Hawkins, Indiana.
- Played by
- Millie Bobby Brown
- First appearance
- Season 1
Steve Harrington
Started as the obligatory jerk boyfriend, somehow became the group babysitter everyone actually wants. Steve with a nail bat is great. Steve working the Scoops Ahoy counter with Robin is better. Few redemption arcs on TV have been this fun to watch.
About Steve Harrington
Originally introduced as Nancy's popular boyfriend, Steve evolves into one of the show's most beloved characters as the group's reluctant babysitter and fighter.
- Played by
- Joe Keery
Jim Hopper
Hopper earns his spot at the top for being the gruff, protective heart of Hawkins, a dad figure who grows from a broken man into someone worth rooting for every season. He gets the best one liners and the biggest emotional gut punches, and that Russian prison arc only cemented his status. Eleven and Steve have company at the top.
AA Tier: Can't imagine the show without them
Dustin Henderson
The comic relief with surprisingly good instincts, whether he's naming a baby Demogorgon or talking his way through Russia-adjacent nonsense. Dustin's friendship with Steve became one of the show's best unexpected pairings.
About Dustin Henderson
A member of the core kid group known for his curly hair, missing teeth in early seasons, and encyclopedic knowledge of D&D and monsters.
- Played by
- Gaten Matarazzo
Max Mayfield
Max arrived as an outsider and became one of the show's most devastating storylines once Vecna came for her. 'Running Up That Hill' is now permanently hers, and that's not nothing.
About Max Mayfield
A skateboarding new arrival in Hawkins who joins the party and later becomes a key target of Vecna's in season four.
- Played by
- Sadie Sink
Joyce Byers
A mother who strings up Christmas lights and screams at a wall and is somehow the most rational person in Hawkins. Joyce's refusal to let go of Will set the tone for the entire series in season one.
About Joyce Byers
Will and Jonathan's mother, whose desperate search for her missing son in season one sets the tone for the series.
- Played by
- Winona Ryder
Robin Buckley
Walked into season three and immediately made Scoops Ahoy watchable. Her chemistry with Steve, the coming-out scene in the bathroom, the Russian translation subplot: Robin earned her spot fast and never lost it.
About Robin Buckley
Steve's Scoops Ahoy coworker introduced in season three, known for her sharp wit and her friendship with Steve.
- Played by
- Maya Hawke
Will Byers
Technically missing for most of season one, yet he shapes everything. Will's connection to the Upside Down and his quieter, lonelier arc in later seasons make him more than just 'the kid who disappeared.'
About Will Byers
The boy whose disappearance kicks off the series, later revealed to have a deep psychic connection to the Upside Down.
- Played by
- Noah Schnapp
BB Tier: Reliable and well loved
Mike Wheeler
The de facto leader of the party, though fans will argue he gets sidelined by his own relationship drama in later seasons. Still, 'Will the Wise' and his loyalty to El matter, even when the writing doesn't always do him favors.
About Mike Wheeler
The de facto leader of the core friend group and Eleven's longtime love interest.
- Played by
- Finn Wolfhard
Lucas Sinclair
The voice of reason in a friend group that rarely wants reason. Lucas's basketball arc and his bond with Erica rounded him out, even if he sometimes gets the least screen time of the original party.
About Lucas Sinclair
A member of the original party, often the pragmatic voice among his friends, and Erica's older brother.
- Played by
- Caleb McLaughlin
Eddie Munson
One season, instant fandom obsession. Eddie's Hellfire Club energy and his doomed heroics against the bats gave season four a character worth rallying around, even if he didn't have much time to earn it.
About Eddie Munson
The leader of the Hellfire Club introduced in season four, who becomes entangled in the Vecna mystery.
- Played by
- Joseph Quinn
Nancy Wheeler
Started as the popular girl with a secret boyfriend, ended up a journalist with a shotgun. Nancy's arc works, though her love triangle with Jonathan and Steve drags on longer than most fans wanted.
About Nancy Wheeler
Mike's older sister, who becomes deeply involved in Hawkins' supernatural events starting in season one and pursues journalism.
- Played by
- Natalia Dyer
Jonathan Byers
Good with a camera, loyal to his family, perpetually stuck being 'the quiet one.' Jonathan's relationship with Nancy is fine, but the show has given him less to actually do as the seasons go on.
About Jonathan Byers
Will's older brother, an aspiring photographer who helps investigate the Upside Down alongside Nancy.
- Played by
- Charlie Heaton
Erica Sinclair
A kid sister who steals every scene she's in, mostly by refusing to be impressed by anything. Erica crawling through vents while roasting everyone around her is some of the show's best comic timing.
About Erica Sinclair
Lucas's younger sister, introduced as a minor character who becomes a fan favorite for her sharp attitude and willingness to help the group for a price.
- Played by
- Priah Ferguson
CC Tier: Solid but not essential
Murray Bauman
The conspiracy theorist who turned out to be right about everything. Murray is a fun chaos agent in small doses, less essential than the core cast but always good for a quotable line.
About Murray Bauman
A conspiracy theorist and private investigator who helps uncover government cover-ups connected to Hawkins Lab.
- Played by
- Brett Gelman
Karen Wheeler
Mostly exists on the margins of the Wheeler household, occasionally given a storyline (that almost-fling with Billy) that never fully pays off. Fine when she's around, rarely necessary.
About Karen Wheeler
Mike and Nancy's mother, a suburban housewife who occasionally gets drawn into the margins of Hawkins' chaos.
- Played by
- Cara Buono
Bob Newby
Superhero Bob got one season and one of the show's saddest deaths. Likeable, well meaning, gone too soon, Bob is a classic case of the show introducing someone sweet just to break your heart.
About Bob Newby
Joyce's boyfriend in season two, a cheerful electronics store manager with a knack for figuring things out under pressure.
- Played by
- Sean Astin
Vecna
A genuinely creepy design and a great voice, but Vecna's menace relies more on mythology-building monologues than the raw physical dread of earlier seasons. Effective villain, less iconic than the Demogorgon or Mind Flayer visually.
About Vecna
The central antagonist of season four, a monstrous entity connected to the Upside Down with the power to enter victims' minds.
- Played by
- Jamie Campbell Bower
DD Tier: Divisive or underused
Barb Holland
Barb became a meme and a rallying cry ('Justice for Barb') almost entirely because of how little the show actually gave her before killing her off. The fan outcry says more about her than her actual screen time does.
About Barb Holland
Nancy's best friend in season one, whose disappearance and death became an unexpected fan rallying point.
- Played by
- Shannon Purser
Dr. Martin Brenner
Papa is the source of most of Eleven's trauma and the show's go-to shorthand for institutional evil. He's necessary as a plot device, but he's more function than character, a cold, exposition-heavy presence rather than someone fans connect with.
About Dr. Martin Brenner
The scientist who ran the lab experiments on Eleven and other children, referred to by Eleven as 'Papa.'
- Played by
- Matthew Modine
FF Tier: Sorry, not sorry
Billy Hargrove
Billy spends most of his screen time being genuinely unpleasant to Max and everyone else before the show pivots hard into redemption in his final moments. Some fans find the last-minute turn moving. Plenty of others feel it doesn't undo several seasons of him being the worst person in Hawkins.
About Billy Hargrove
Max's abusive stepbrother introduced in season two, who becomes possessed by the Mind Flayer in season three.
- Played by
- Dacre Montgomery
How we ranked them
We ranked based on consensus from fan forums, critic reviews and general cultural staying power, factoring in character development, how essential they are to the plot, and how much audiences genuinely enjoy their screen time. Where fandom is split (looking at you, Billy Hargrove discourse), we picked a side and explained why.
Think we got it wrong?
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Rank these yourselfFAQ
Who is the most popular Stranger Things character?
Eleven and Hopper consistently top fan polls, though Steve Harrington's redemption arc has made him one of the most beloved characters by later seasons.
Why is Barb such a big deal to fans?
Barb got very little screen time before her death in season one, and the 'Justice for Barb' movement became a fan phenomenon almost as a joke about how the show seemed to forget about her.
Is Billy Hargrove a villain or a victim?
Both, depending who you ask. He's abusive and violent for most of his run, but the show frames his final act and his history of abuse at home as a redemption of sorts. Fans remain split.
Who is Vecna in Stranger Things?
Vecna is the main antagonist introduced in season four, revealed to be a transformed version of one of the show's earlier characters connected to the Upside Down.
Is Eddie Munson in every season?
No, Eddie Munson is introduced in season four and quickly became a fan favorite despite his limited time on the show.
More rankings
Image credits
- ElevenCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Steve HarringtonCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Dustin HendersonCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Max MayfieldCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Joyce ByersCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Robin BuckleyCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Will ByersCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Mike WheelerCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Lucas SinclairPhoto: La Gazzetta dello Sport, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Eddie MunsonPhoto: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Nancy WheelerCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Jonathan ByersPhoto: JoshPopov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Erica SinclairPhoto: German Comic Con, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Murray BaumanPhoto: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Karen WheelerPhoto: Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Bob NewbyPhoto: John Manard, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- VecnaCover: Wikipedia · Source
- Barb HollandPhoto: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Dr. Martin BrennerPhoto: Lance Cpl. Pranav Ramakrishna, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons) · Source
- Billy HargrovePhoto: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · License · Source
- Jim HopperCover: Wikipedia · Source