Stranger Things first debuted six years ago as an homage to everything 80s with especially strong references to Dungeons and Dragons The Goonies and E.T. As the show has progressed the cast has aged and as we have moved through the 80s the characters have grown into their own people distinct from their references and compelling for their own journeys.
In Season 1 when we first meet Dustin Gaten Matarazzo hes mostly a comic relief sidekick. He has his moments where he contributes to the team where he shows glimmers of what he would later offer but for the most part hes remembered for comparing things to his favorite comic books and movies his lack of teeth and just sort of going along with the team. In one of the early episodes the gang is getting together supplies to go out hunting for the Demogorgon and while Lucas brings weapons Dustin brings… snacks. He was a comicrelief sidekick a sidekick that occasionally showed his smarts but a sidekick to Eleven Millie Bobbie Brown and Mike Finn Wolf hard nonetheless.
As the story continues Dustin grows. By the end of Season 1 we already see him taking charge a little more for example when he takes the lead on building the sensory deprivation tank. Its not until Season 2 though that we see Dustin really trying to make his own calls and his own mark. He finds and takes care of Dart against the advice of everyone else and though Dart does end up eating his cat ultimately the knowledge Dustin gains as well as the bond he forms with Dart ends up helping our heroes. This is also when Dustin forms an unlikely bond with Steve Harrington Joe Keery.
Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin and Joe Keery as Steve walk down the center of train tracks. They carry buckets of meat to lure the monster. This friendship with Steve ends up being one of the pivotal points of growth for Dustin both as a character and as a piece in the Stranger Things puzzle. Its at the beginning of their friendship that Dustins character opens up and we see him for the self conscious bullied kid that he always was. As he says with spite in his voice Well not everyone can have your perfect hair alright. Its here that Dustin experiences a big moment of growth when Steve says Its not about the hair… the key is acting like you do not care. What Steve teaches Dustin here is confidence – ultimately that ends up being the most important lesson in Dustins journey.
In Season 3 we see a completely different Dustin. Hes started to really internalize the lessons Steve taught him – he has a girlfriend hes building super powered radios that he knows will work and he leads one of the major plot lines with Steve and Robin Maya Hawke as his supporting cast in an attempt to thwart evil Russians. In this season he grows far beyond his roles in the previous seasons playing a vital position for the good guys team. Again his relationship with Steve in this Season ends up being mutually beneficial they are able to learn from one another and grow as people.
Its not until Season 4 that we really see Dustin take center stage. In Season 3 he truly shed his position as just another sidekick to Els powers and Mikes leadership but in Season 4 he completely replaces Mike as the leader and glue of the gang. No longer is he randomly comparing the mysteries of the Upside Down to his favorite parts of pop culture instead he uses pop culture as one of many sources from which to construct theories on the Upside Down. He has the confidence now to state those theories and test them. Dustin discovers Watergate because when everyone else tells him he messed up the directions he knows that it wasnt his fault and to trust his instincts and intellect. In Episode 7 Dustin communicates with the Upside Down gang by improvising with a LiteBrite for them to communicate with him. He then gets the Upside Down gang to safety by accurately predicting that there would be a gate at every victims death location – as he says How many times do I have to be right on the money before you guys just trust me? No longer held back by the labels other people put on him Dustin is able to flourish as he declares confidently to Lucas in Episode 1 of Season 4 We are nerds and freaks!
A big part of what makes Dustins journey work is Gaten Matarazzos brilliant performance. Over the course of the series you can see his portrayal of the character slowly morphing and growing. It evolves from the kid who used to stand on the sidelines cracking a joke to the one leading the pack. Matarazzo wonderfully showcases this as his character evolves from a kid who suppresses his true capabilities because he sees himself as a loser into a charismatic smart and brave leader one that is confident in his abilities.
All the characters in the show are constantly growing and changing. Thats what makes it compelling a variety of comingofage journeys with a SciFi mystery backdrop. In a lot of ways though Dustins story feels the most satisfying although Steve and Nancys are up there too because of just how impactful it feels. Dustins growth is not just important for him but for the series. His momentum to the leader of the gang does not just make for a great story arc for him but also for the show at large. The changing dynamics of the gang allow the stories and conflicts to feel fresh even if it retreads old story lines. Dustin also seems to serve as a better centerpiece than Mike. His unique experiences have made him a more capable and interesting character to lead the group. His established relationships with Steve Robin and Eddie Joseph Quinn help to give the gang a familiarity his theories keep the plot always moving and his smartass comments keep even the most serious scenes fun.
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