Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1

I’ll be honest, Jonathan Byers has never been my favorite Stranger Things character. More often than not, he feels too passive, gloomy, and stuck in his own head. Nevertheless, one theory for the rest of Stranger Things season 5 suggests the Duffers might give Jonathan a final arc that’s genuinely heartbreaking.

Just like with any of Stranger Things’ leading cast and the major threats they’re currently facing, it’s entirely possible that Jonathan’s story could end in major tragedy. However, Jonathan’s potential demise could be made even worse if it comes right when Nancy learns just how much he cares about her.

Stranger Things S5 Theory: Nancy Finds The Ring Right Before Jonathan Dies

The entire brutal theory centers around that hidden engagement ring Jonathan secretly received from Murray in Stranger Things season 5, episode 3. Having yet to actually propose to Nancy by the end of Volume One, Jonathan has been struggling to find the right time. After all, Nancy’s sister Holly was just taken by Vecna, and both her parents are in the hospital.

Now, here’s the prevailing dark theory about what we might see in the episodes of Stranger Things season 5 still to come: Imagine that Jonathan is targeted by Vecna, falling into a classic nightmare trance as we saw in season 4. How would Nancy try to save him?

In season 4, Max Mayfield was largely kept out of Vecna’s grip with her favorite music, particularly Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.”

In that same vein, one could imagine Nancy frantically searching for music to save Jonathan before he dies like so many of Vecna’s prior victims. Rummaging through his stuff, Nancy then finds the John Coltrane cassette case with the ring inside, only then realizing that he was planning to propose.

The brutal gut-punch would then be that Nancy gets to Jonathan too late, with the ring becoming a physical representation of everything Jonathan never got the chance to say out loud. Even viewers indifferent to Jonathan would definitely feel that sting. All things considered, the theory certainly feels tragically plausible.

Stranger Things Has Already Hinted At A Sad End To Jonathan & Nancy’s Relationship

Even without a brutal death, we do know that Jonathan and Nancy’s future is already shaky, so much so that a marriage proposal might not be able to save it.

Steve already confirmed that the two have been miserable lately, and Jonathan didn’t deny it. Furthermore, we know from the end of Stranger Things season 4 that Jonathan lied about his college letter to Emerson, hiding the fact that their plans for the future were now drifting apart.

While they obviously still care for each other, it doesn’t seem like they’ve been very aligned romantically for quite some time. While the aforementioned ring/death theory would be brutal, it’s just as possible that Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship may be on its last legs either way.

Stranger Things season 5, Volume 1 is now streaming on Netflix.