10 Times The Girls In Stranger Things Kick Ass

Stranger Things is all the rage right now. From the funky 80s outfits to the insane mind flayer that wreaks havoc on Hawkins, the third season is full of badass moments that make it seem impossible to wait for the fourth season. What makes this show so great (besides the costumes, the writing, the music, and the acting) is the amazing women who make up the cast: Nancy, Max, Eleven, Joyce Byers, Suzi, Robin, and, of course, Erica. Here are the ten most kick ass, girl-dominated moments in the third season of Stranger Things.

1. Nancy’s Pursuit of the Truth (and Rabid, Fertilizer-Eating Rats)

It makes me cringe to watch the way the newspaper execs treat Nancy while she’s working at The Hawkin’s Post. Those misogynistic pigs treat her with such disrespect, calling her Nancy Drew and assuming anything she has to say is irrelevant and unimportant. Despite their treatment of Nancy, she knows what’s right and won’t stop ’til she gets the story. Not only does Nancy sneak off once, she sneaks away from the office multiple times in order to track down Mrs. Driscoll and the rabid rats. She even has to convince Jonathon to join her in her pursuit of the truth. Nancy defies every man who tells her she can’t, she shouldn’t, and that she’ll get fired if she does. And that’s badass.

2. Suzi Saves the Day

First off, Suzi goes to science camp. And that’s pretty awesome. But she just gets more and more awesome as the season enters episode 10. It’s revealed that Planck’s Constant is the code that will get Joyce and Hopper into the room that holds the laser which can forever destroy the gate. The only problem is that no one knows Planck’s Constant. Not Dustin, not Mike, Not Lucas. It literally comes down to Suzi to save the day and get Joyce and Hopper into that room. Of course she knows it, and of course, she makes Dustin sing Limahl’s NeverEnding Story theme song before actually giving him the code.

3. Joyce Closes the Gate

Joyce has her fair share of neurotic break downs, but, in the end, it’s Joyce that finally closes the gate to the Upside Down. Hopper manages to defeat the Russian assassins which gives Joyce the opportunity to turn the keys and close the gate. Unfortunately for Hopper, however, he’s trapped in the room when Joyce closes the gate to the Upside Down. It’s not easy for Joyce. She realizes what this might mean for Hopper, but as a mom, her first priority is her children. So she turns the keys, closes the gate, and saves Will from any future possession. #momgoals.

4. Robin and Her Genius Ears

Robin Buckley is brand new to Stranger Things in season three. She brings wit, sass, and she looks damn good in her Scoops Ahoy uniform. But Robin is much more than just an ice cream scooper. She speaks four languages and is in band. And those genius ears of hers are what crack the code that both Dustin and Steve are working on. Robin not only translates the Russian code, but she also figures out what it means and how it relates to the mall and the secret Russian mob that has reopened the gate to the Upside Down.

5. El Flips Out

During the showdown at Starcourt, Eleven flips a car that is on display at the mall. El comes through for her friends many times throughout the series, and this moment is no different. She flips a car. A freaking car. Enough said.

6. Max’s Attempts at Reaching Billy

Throughout the third season, Billy is horrible and scary. He possesses Heather and her parents in his attempt to create an army of super weird, possessed people. He beats up on the kids, almost runs over Steve, and is in general just a giant douche bag. Despite all this, Max tries a few times to reach the brother she knows is inside of this evil Billy. This demonstrates how forgiving Max is. Despite the hell that Billy has put her and her friends through, she fears for him after realizing he’s been possessed. She isn’t quick to hate, but rather quick to love.

7. El Declares Her Independence

Young love is sweet. And it’s great that Mike and Eleven have finally gotten together. But what’s also great is that with the help of MadMax, El finds a balance between dating Mike, pleasing Hopper, and experiencing friendship with Max. She declares her independence from Mike when she breaks up with him after accusing him of treating her like his pet. She establishes her own style and her own badass personality. She’s no longer Hopper’s or Mike’s, she’s her own person.

8. Erica…Just Erica.

Erica is full of spit and vinegar, and she brings a definite sass to the series. Erica is a full-blown badass. Not only does she offer her services to Steve, Dustin, and Robin, but she also successfully gets them into the evil Russian liar underneath the mall. She climbs through air ducts, accesses the storage room, and opens the door. And she does all this for a reasonable and relatable demand: free ice cream for life. Oh, and also, you can’t spell America without Erica.

9. Nancy Shoots Her Shot

Okay, Nancy Wheeler is obviously a badass. She takes on the mind flayer in its many forms throughout the third season. But her finest hour comes when the mind flayer is attacking the kids at Hopper’s house. El is doing the best she can, attempting to hold off the demon, but her powers are growing weaker as the mind flayer is growing stronger. As the mind flayer attempts to pull Eleven from the house (by her freaking leg!!), Nancy grabs a shotgun and continues to shoot round after round into the mind flayer’s face. Hell yeah!

10. Robin’s Coming Out

This was a surprise moment for everybody. (Who spent the whole season rooting for Robin and Steve to end up together?) But Robin’s coming out marks her as a special and brave edition to Stranger Things. It’s an emotional moment, and both Steve and Robin are literally coming down from being extremely high on Russian drugs. Robin finds the courage within herself to come out to Steve, despite what his reaction might be. And the viewers are relieved to see Steve, who called Jonathan “queer” in the first season, fully accept Robin and even encourage her to crush on someone more worthy than Tammy Thompson. This scene might not have any mind flayers screeching about, but it’s badass nonetheless.

Stranger Things has captured so much attention because it’s poignant, relatable, and features female characters who kick total ass in more than one way. Got a favorite female character from the series? Let us know in the comments below!