Maya Hawke shares her opinion on whether her Stranger Things character should get a girlfriend. Hawke plays Robin Buckley, who debuted in season 3 of the popular Netflix series. Robin worked at Scoops Ahoy with Steve Harrington, and through him became connected to Dustin Henderson and the other main characters. As Robin grew closer to Steve, she eventually revealed that she is gay, with Stranger Things season 4 teasing Robin getting into a relationship with a girl she has a crush on.

As the wait for Stranger Things season 5 continues, Hawke was asked by Yahoo! Entertainment if she wants Robin to have a girlfriend. Hawke shared her mixed feelings on the subject of Robin’s love life, acknowledging the pros and the cons of her character getting a girlfriend in season 5. Read Hawke’s full response below:

“I don’t know. I feel mixed about it. I feel that it’s both a great thing, but I also love characters where their love life is not the center of their existence. That friendship with Steve is so special. And friendships have been carrying me through my life. I think they’re really important and they deserve their airtime.”

Should Robin Get A Girlfriend In Stranger Things Season 5?

Robin being gay has provided positive LGBTQ+ representation to one of the biggest television shows in the world. As someone who is intelligent, witty, compassionate, brave, and sometimes awkward, Robin is a character one can identify with and admire. Seeing her enter a relationship can extend that positive representation in season 5. If Stranger Things‘ many heterosexual characters can be in romantic relationships, the queer characters can be as well.

As Hawke suggests, there is a danger of this storyline happening at the expense of Robin’s friendship with Steve. Their friendship was one of the best parts of Stranger Things seasons 3 and 4, and is among the best-developed platonic relationships on the show. Even though Robin is an important character, she is only one member of Stranger Things‘ extensive ensemble in a final season that will be juggling and looking to resolve many different storylines. It might be better to continue developing Robin’s friendships, particularly with Steve, instead of developing a brand-new romantic relationship.

With Robin and Nancy Wheeler becoming close in season 4, there is potential for the two of them to be together. This would ensure that Robin gets a girlfriend without having to introduce and develop a new character who has barely been in the show. Given Steve’s romantic history and lingering feelings for Nancy, this development would test Robin and Steve’s friendship in a new way. Whatever route the story takes, Stranger Things season 5 needs to continue providing positive LGBTQ+ representation while still making Robin and Steve’s friendship an important part of the series.