#sue and charles sinclair

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Steve had been talking about wanting Eddie to meet his parents for a while now, and Eddie was finally ready. When he pulled up to his house, there were a bunch of cars in the driveway. Eddie frowned. Why did this suddenly feel like a trap? He smoothed down his blazer and tucked his hair behind his ears before ringing the doorbell. It was hard not to grin when Steve answered the door, especially when he was beaming like that. He kissed Eddie and pulled him inside.

John and Maggie Harrington were waiting for them in the dining room, but they weren't alone. Joyce and Hopper were there as well. Sitting next to them were Sue and Charles Sinclair. On the other side of Charles was a grinning Claudia and. . . Wayne? His arm was wrapped lovingly around Claudia.

"Wayne?!"

Wait, how did he not notice his truck outside?

"What are your intentions with our boy?" Wayne asked with a pause and then he snickered.

"You did not prepare me for this," Eddie hissed at his boyfriend.

"I love you!" Steve exclaimed in a sing-song voice and then booped his nose.

#stranger things #stranger things s4 #eddie munson #joseph quinn #eddie stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson lives #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #steve harrington's parents #his parents are good but he still gets adopted by everyone #except for the wheelers for obvious reasons #cause steve and nancy did the smashy smash #steddie ficlet #steddie fanfiction #joyce byers #jim hopper #sue and charles sinclair #claudia henderson #wayne munson #good ol' uncle wayne #claudia henderson x wayne munson

[will80sbyers]

I've never see this bts before I LOVE THIS

#lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #charles sinclair #Sue Sinclair #the sinclairs #Love this familyyyy #stranger things #St bts

[mothellie]

I think the Duffer Brothers' history with racism in their show goes a lot deeper than a lot of people realize.

Lucas as a character has three distinct B plot stories that get assigned to him: being a minor antagonist to Eleven in season one, being a good friend to the rest of the Party, and being in love with his girlfriend. While Mike's plot is directly centered around two of the most pivotal characters of the show, Dustin is given two different role model characters that shape his arc and is overall the genius that helps the rest of the cast get out of several difficult situations, Will still being connected to the Upside Down after his disappearance in 1983 and that playing into several major plots, Max having a multitude of centric storylines especially in season four and Eleven literally being THE main character- Lucas is only ever given plots that help serve and uplift the other (white) characters. Unless you count him... playing basketball and being friends with Jason. I guess?

Erica is similar to Lucas, but to a much larger degree. I'd like you reading this to think of any single Erica standalone plot in the show that has nothing to do with/does not predominantly or solely benefit the white characters around her. I'll wait.

The Sinclair parents are only touched on in brief sections for the sake of filling the episodes, only ever playing a more major role in Season Four. If you could call it that. I'm sure most of you couldn't even tell me their names off of the top of your heads. (It's Charles and Sue, by the way.)

Argyle was the first somewhat major character of color to be introduced to the show after Erica played her part in season three. I could say similar things about his role in the season overall that I can about Lucas and Erica. Except they set him up to play a bigger role in the next season at the end of season four, going as far as to show him in Hawkins and have Jancy verbally allude to him sticking around, only for the show heads to ghost Eduardo Franco and let him find out he wasn't being brought back through an official social media cast photo.

Kali was a former subject from the same lab El came from, having escaped and subsequently began to lead a vigilante life of enacting revenge on those who played a hand in her suffering. She was the first subject El ever met after leaving the lab, shown to be incredibly powerful and strong-willed. Her and El had an immediate connection, calling themselves sisters right after meeting. But after El was finished with her self-discovery period on the S.S. Kali Gang for one (1) often-forgotten and poorly-written episode, Kali was quite literally abandoned both in spirit and on screen, never to be seen or even mentioned again.

All other characters of color are either killed violently (Patrick), have like ten minutes of screentime total (Jeff and Calvin Powell), or are just straight up background only and may not even have names.

They can dedicate an entire section of season four's plot to Suzie's family, but not to genuine character development for Erica or for Kali to return. They can make room for a whole pointless predatory plot between Billy and Karen, but not to give a more important role to the Sinclair parents. They have room to include a whole plot about El getting bullied in school, but not for Lucas to have a more meaningful story outside of his white friends and girlfriend. They can platform three known white zionists while Palestine currently undergoes a gruesome genocide even as I type this, but they don't have room for Argyle in season five (or even the decency to give Eduardo a fucking phone call).

Not only do the Duffers constantly write themselves into holes because they keep adding unnecessary fodder to the plot, and refuse to kill ANY of their main characters in favor of just creating new characters for the sake of killing them off in mediocre ways despite the fact that they're trying to fit 20+ B plots into 8-9 40-50 minute episodes per season and wondering why half their show doesn't make sense- The time they DO dedicate to character-specific B plots and character arc progression visibly favor the white characters.

If I watch S5, and that's a huge if, I will be sailing the high seas. Between all of this, the fact that they filmed part of season four in an old Nazi prison and tried to turn it into a fucking AirBNB, and the fact that at least four people who play major roles in the show actively support the current genocide of Palestine- I won't be giving them (or Netflix for that matter) another cent of my money.

While you're here, please do your completely free daily click to send aid to Palestine, and here's a list of other resources for how to help more directly.

#♡ · 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 #stranger things #free palestine #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #charles sinclair #sue sinclair #argyle stranger things #kali prasad #patrick mckinney #jeff stranger things #calvin powell #anyway excuse me im gonna go put these characters in an ungodly amount of fics #it's what they deserve

[findafight]

So, Mr Sinclair seems like a guy who enjoys being a dad. A father. Having kids that love and trust him and look to him for guidance, and being able to provide that. And dad jokes, and dispensing WisdomTM whether they asked for it or not. And he’s so proud of his kids. He’s quiet about it around them bc he thinks it’s funny, but he absolutely brags about them to the other people.

All this Charles Sinclair appreciation to say; Erica at some point begins trying to use Steve as a sacrifice/meat shield (look, Pop, a clueless sap on desperate need of fatherly advice who hasn’t heard *any* of your stories before-).

God he really does get him a best dad ever mug!! under appreciated king! wife stan too! Lucas asks him for love advice and he and his wife joke about it a little!! the whole package! what a man!!

one dayErica sees her dad opening up a book on the history of the running shoe and is like oh no oh god category five dad moment incoming t minus two days once he finishes it and starts to figure out how to place steve in front of him before she has to listen to her dad talk about SHOE HISTORY for an hour.

But see steve is legit interested in it and he and Charles talk for like two hours after dinner (that erica "invited" him to [she mentioned to her mom that Steve hadn't been over for a bit] for this reason) and asks questions and he and Charles end up with a little inside joke about running shoes. Sue just raises a singular eyebrow at her daughter but Erica goes "did you want to engage in that conversation? plus, they're both so happy!"

Charles is clapping steve on the back and calling him son and tells him he's going to show him how to use a band saw. Mission complete.

he is reaching towards a baseball biography, though... oh no!

#findaanswers #anonasaurus #do you thin charles sinclair is a seabiscuit stan? horse girl charlie.... #charles sinclair #sue sinclair #erica sinclair #steve harrington #stranger things #listen i wrote runners as in the shoe but then realized usamericans would think its about runners the ppl #steve and erica

[salamandergoo]

STWG Prompt: “Goodnight Love”

Sue Sinclair was a smart woman.  She knew her children were hiding something from her.  She knew there was something wrong with Hawkins.  She knew that this town was operating under a mob mentality.  At the moment though, all she cared about was getting her children home.

The last few days had been bad.  Particularly bad, like the nights Lucas had disappeared, only to show up hours later, visibly shaken and with the chief of police of all people.  Like when Erica had disappeared over the summer and Lucas hadn't come home, both of them silent and terrified outside the burning mall.  But this was... this was a new level of bad.

They'd run from the cops, dangerous on any occasion, but the way Deputy Callahan's hand had twitched towards his gun had made her heart stop.  They'd vanished and then there had been..  Well, the official explanation was an earthquake, but it wasn't like any earthquake Sue or Charlie had ever heard of.  The ground had opened just a few blocks down...

The phone lines were miraculously still working.  And hearing Lucas plead for them to get to the hospital had nearly stopped her heart yet again.  Lucas was a level headed boy, only occasionally got overly emotional, and she only heard him cry when something truly awful happened.  He'd reassured her that he and Erica were alive, but the way he'd said it hadn't sounded right.

She clutched Charlie's sleeve, his hand solid on her lower back as they walked briskly into the overcrowded hospital.  "Lucas?  Erica?"  Her head swiveled as she tried to catch a glimpse of them.  They were in the corner of the waiting room and she pulled Charlie that way.  Her heart broke at the way Erica burst into tears at the sight of them.  Charlie picked her up like she was the baby she hadn't been in many years and Sue could see bandages on her knees and palms, dress stained with dirt and grass and blood.

Lucas wasn't doing much better.  Tears had already begun to fall down his cheeks, eye badly bruised and lip swollen.  She could see blood at his hairline and it didn't paint a pretty picture of what had happened.  "Lucas," she whispered, pulling him into her arms.  "Oh baby, what happened to you?"

"Jason Carver happened to him."  A girl she recognized, dressed up in camouflage and reinforced leather clothing stood up, reaching out a shaking hand to lay it on Lucas' arm.  "He was- Max-"  The girl, Robin, Sue belatedly remembered, couldn't seem to get a full word out.  She was injured too, it looked like someone had tried to strangle her along with various scrapes and cuts and bruises on her exposed skin.  Her hand looked burnt, hastily wrapped in bandages.  "Shit," she hissed, wiping at her eyes.

Lucas let out a soft sob into her shoulder at the mention of Max.  She knew they'd been through an elongated rough patch, Lucas insisting things weren't over between them.  "They won't let me see her," he whispered, voice trembling.

"She's in surgery."  The other girl with him, Mike's older sister Nancy, spoke up, but her eyes didn't settle on one place for long.  She was scanning the room, only lingering on the entrances and exits.  Her hands twitched like she was supposed to be holding something.  "She was hurt.  Bad.  She wasn't the only one."

"Who else was hurt?"  Sue had Lucas lift his head and she delicately wiped away his tears.

"Steve... and Dustin... and- and Eddie."  The last name came with another sob and he was burying himself in her arms again, clinging like he hadn't since he thought Will had died.

"Eddie Munson?"  She frowned, the name all too familiar.  Chief Powell had seemed sure the boy was behind the latest string of murders, had asked them and the Wheelers and Claudia if they knew where he was, seeing as their boys were in his club at school.  She didn't quite believe it, even if Lucas had his disagreements with him, she doubted the fantasy game had anything to do with real violence.  "What happened to Eddie Munson?"

Robin scrubbed at her eyes, keeping the heels of her hands against them as she squeaked out a quiet "he died."

Lucas cried harder and she could hear Erica's quiet sobs to her left.  "Oh honey," she murmured.  "Because of the earthquake?"

"...yes."  Sue could hear the hesitation in her voice and knew that this wasn't adding up.  But Lucas' sobs were growing in volume and Erica seemed inconsolable.

"What about Dustin?"  A sweet boy, he'd been one of Lucas' first friends when they'd moved to Hawkins.  He could be loud and eccentric, but Lucas had never had anything but good things to say.

"He broke his ankle, he's getting it set and put in a cast."  Robin wrung her hands and Sue felt the urge to reach out and stop her before she hurt herself.  "And Steve was... he's hurt, they're taking care of him."

Steve Harrington was the only babysitter in Hawkins who could keep up with Erica.  She insisted she didn't need a babysitter, but she didn't argue when it was Steve who came over.  Sue wasn't sure why he got along with her so well, but he'd been present for Lucas too, after saving him from that Billy Hargrove a couple years back.  "Right..."  She cradled the back of Lucas' head as he seemed to slump against her more firmly.  "We should get you two home," she murmured. 

"But Max-"

"We can come back tomorrow."  Part of her was tempted to ground both of her kids, keep them locked in their rooms until summer break.  But it wouldn't be fair.  She needed the full story, but knew that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

The older girls promised to call if anything changed, and she and Charlie got the kids in the car.  She glanced back on the drive home and saw Erica clutching Lucas' hand in both of hers, shaking like a leaf.  It was unusual to see her shaken like that, to see her upset and quiet.  She was usual outspoken and a little too bold, but she looked young and small in the back seat.

In the light of their home, the injuries felt worse to Sue.  Felt wrong on her children's bodies.  Charles knelt on the kitchen floor and wiped Erica's scrapes clean while she cleaned blood and tears off of Lucas' face.  It was quiet, far too quiet.  The kids seemed to be settling into the shock, Lucas still trembling with every touch.

"You two go get ready for bed, we'll be up in a few minutes," Charlie said, voice low as he stood from the floor.

Erica reached out and latched onto Lucas' arm before going upstairs with him, an odd sight.  She hadn't reached for her brother like that... maybe ever.

"There are so many questions I didn't think to ask," she whispered, falling into her husband's arms.

He held her to his chest and kissed the top of her head, but there was a steadiness that wasn't present like it usually was.  It was almost nice to not be the only one knocked off kilter.  "I didn't think of any either.  Eddie is... Wayne's kid... Christ, do you think he knows?" 

Charlie went out to the bar with a few other veterans in town, he'd mentioned Wayne a few times.  "I wonder..."  She sighed.  "I don't understand.  Erica has never done this before, Lucas... I don't know what the connection is or why he keeps disappearing.  It's always just when we think it won't happen again."  She clutched Charles' shirt in frustration.  "What aren't they telling us?"

"I don't know, honey."  He sighed.  "We'll take them to see Max tomorrow, but then they're grounded indefinitely."

"Until college," she agreed.  "Mike isn't even in town, why were they with his sister...?"

"And not all of those scrapes are just from tripping, who would hurt Erica?"  They were both quiet for a long moment, knowing very well that the type to hurt a young black girl existed in Hawkins.  It was just hard to understand the why.

Sue shook her head sadly.  "For tonight... we'll let them sleep.  We'll get answers in the morning."  She let her hand drift down Charlie's arm, just grounding herself to him for another moment.

As she climbed the stairs, she could hear hissed whispers from Lucas' room.  "We can't tell them."

"We didn't sign anything this time!  They're going to find out!"  Lucas had never been very good at whispering.

"What if we get in trouble?  Hopper isn't here to keep us safe anymore.  Who knows when the suits are gonna show up?"

"If they show up.  They're going to leave this town to the dogs," Lucas spit, sounded far too bitter.  "Literal dogs."

"I still don't believe you on that.  We need Eleven."  Eleven?  What did that mean?

"Mrs. Byers would know what to do.  Or Will.  I wish they hadn't moved."

"Even Wheeler might have some idea.  He's been your stupid leader long enough."

"Hey!  He's not our leader!"

She took that as her cue to finish ascending the stairs.  "Kids?"  She looked inside just in time to see Erica scramble off the bed.  "Remember to brush your teeth," she called after her.

Lucas went quiet and looked down at his lap.  He was holding a pajama shirt in his hands, but wasn't making any moves to change.  "Mom?"

"What is it, honey?"

"...I'm scared," he whispered, eyes going glassy.  "Max- she-"  He sniffled and wiped at his eyes before any new tears could fall.  "Her heart stopped, mom."

"Oh Lucas," she whispered, pulling him into her arms again.  She wasn't sure when he'd gotten so tall, but sometime around Christmas she'd realized she had to look up at him now.  But here, he was bending down in her arms until he could tuck his face against her neck.  "She's in the best place she can be right now.  They'll do whatever they can to help her."  She didn't know that for sure, she didn't even know what had happened, but it was what Lucas needed to hear.  He sniffled and she could feel his tears on her skin.  "Never disappear like that again.  You aren't getting out of trouble, you got it?"  She held him tighter and felt his arms clutch at her.

"I know, mom."

She held him for a few more minutes, could hear Charlie come upstairs and heard his low voice from Erica's room.  She sent Lucas to change and brush his teeth, hating the way he looked so small when he came back.  The blood had been wiped away, she hadn't found any deep cuts under his hair, but the bruises stood out and his eyes were bloodshot.  "Come on, it's time for you to rest."

He let her tuck him in and kiss his forehead, but before she could go far, he spoke up.  "Mom?  Will you... will you stay?  For a little bit?  Please?"

Sue sat on the bed on top of the blankets and gently pulled him until his head was by her side.  "I'll stay."

It had been a long time since she was here, sitting with him like this.  He held her like he was still the same little boy he used to be, but instead, he was a young man now.  It hurt her heart just as much as it warmed it to be clung to by him.  "Goodnight, my love," She whispered to him, watching over him until he fell asleep.

Tomorrow would be another day, just as long and harrowing as this one.  She'd demand answers and get them, hear things more horrifying than she could ever dream up.

But for now, Lucas slept, curled right up to her side. 

#stwgdailyprompt #stranger things #Sue Sinclair #Lucas Sinclair #Erica Sinclair #Charles Sinclair

[sinclairsource]

INTRODUCING SINCLAIRSOURCE!

Welcome to sinclairsource, a blog dedicated to gathering, spreading and creating fan content of the Sinclair family from Stranger Things. Here you can find gifs, edits (videos or graphics), art and fics.

We'll be tracking #sinclairsource as well as the individual character tags. Please feel free to tag us in any creations featuring the Sinclairs!

If you'd like to join this blog, you can apply here! We'd be delighted to have you!

#stranger things #strangerthingsedit #lucassinclairedit #ericasinclairedit #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #sue sinclair #charles sinclair #stladies #strangerthingsedits #dailystrangerthings #nancywheelercentral #dailyjonathanbyers #maxmayfielddaily #argyledaily #bylerdaily #dailystobin #steveharringtondaily #*original #*announcements

[lumaxramblings]

max + the sinclairs is actually So .

thinking of max knowing and loving lucas but being so afraid of the latter, being so deathly terrified of being known because being known causes rejection but he holds every part of her—the meanness and the sadness and the hurt and the rough edges—and holds it up to the light unflinchingly. about how he holds every part of her so gently, like he could never dream of hurting her heart despite how many cracks are already in it and she begins to heal and she's still scared because wounds can be torn open all over again.

thinking of max appreciating erica's sass but not being able to help worry about her, because one day that witty tongue is going to lead her to bad places, places that could leave bruises on wrists and a bitter feeling in the back of her throat. despite her snarky exterior she's as sweet and kindhearted as her brother and max knows she can handle herself but worries all the same because she's seen so little of the world and max knows how naivety gets chewed up in the real world.

thinking of max loving mrs. sinclair but being unable to handle the affection she handles out so freely in the world, unable to compute when she puts an affectionate hand on her cheek. she asks for help with baking and max barely remembers baking with her own mom and it makes her sad and sue'll rescind the offer. no matter how many times she tells max "call me sue, honey" max can't just because sue is too close to susan and she feels, if she thinks of mrs. sinclair in any motherly way, like she's betraying her own mom, who works hard (she thinks so, anyways) for her, and if she thinks too hard for how mrs. sinclair makes her feel happier and warmer than her mom's ever made her feel she'll break down.

lastly, thinking of max and mr. sinclair and the hesitance. max knows of fathers—of waiting at bus stations for hours and watching the cars go by and knowing dad was trying his best but it wasn't enough because he never came at the right time. max knows of fathers—of men with hard blue eyes as cold as a rippling sea, of oceans filled with dangerous creatures and currents that can drag you away no matter how much you dig your heels into the sand, whose knuckles are bruised from punching his son on the nose and being terrified he'll come after her next. mr. sinclair, and neil and billy are nothing alike, not in appearance, nor in demeanour, but there's something in her, some subconscious part she's developed over the years, that just screams danger. he never shouts, he never gestures, he never grabs lucas or erica's shoulders too tight and he'll laugh and chuckle at their banter. the worst it gets is when erica and lucas's petty arguments goes too far and he'll tell them to knock it off. he's so sweet and kind and lucas says he's the best dad in the world and max is happy for him, she is, but she's unsure of what to think. of her own dad, of her stepdad, and of the dad that she feels bad for flinching around.

#long post #max mayfield #lucas sinclair #lumax #erica sinclair #sue sinclair #charles sinclair

[thegayhimbo]

Stranger Things Lucas on the Line Review

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my other Stranger Things Reviews. Like, Reblog, and let me know what your thoughts are regarding the show or the upcoming season! :)

Stranger Things Comics/Graphic Novels:

Stranger Things Six

Stranger Things Halloween Special

Stranger Things The Other Side

Stranger Things Zombie Boys

Stranger Things The Bully

Stranger Things Winter Special

Stranger Things Tomb of Ybwen

Stranger Things Into The Fire

Stranger Things Science Camp

Stranger Things “The Game Master” and “Erica’s Quest”

Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons

Stranger Things Kamchatka

Stranger Things Erica The Great

Stranger Things “Creature Feature” and “Summer Special”

Stranger Things Tie-In Books:

Stranger Things Suspicious Minds

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 1 of 3)

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 2 of 3)

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 3 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 1 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 2 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 3 of 3)

Stranger Things Rebel Robin Book and Podcast (Part 1 of 2)

Stranger Things Rebel Robin Book and Podcast (Part 2 of 2)

Stranger Things Hawkins Horrors Review

Stranger Things Flight Of Icarus

Stranger Things Episode Reviews:

The Vanishing of Will Byers (Part 1 of 2)

The Vanishing of Will Byers (Part 2 of 2)

Synopsis: Set between the events of seasons 3 and 4, the book follows Lucas during his freshman year of high school as he attempts to chart a different course for his life, taking up basketball as a means of trying new things and getting out of his comfort zone. However, Lucas soon realizes this won't be as easy as he initially thinks: His attempts to blend in with the popular crowd put him at odds with Mike and Dustin, his relationship with Max is deteriorating, and Lucas is forced to face hard truths about how insidiously racism is woven into Hawkins and what it means to be one of the few black kids in a mostly white town......

Observations:

Lucas on the Line acts as a conclusion to what I call "The Outcasts Trilogy," which began with Rebel Robin, followed by Flight of Icarus, and ending with this book. All these Tie-In novels center around three characters (Robin, Eddie, Lucas) who are considered outcasts in Hawkins: Robin is secretly a lesbian in a homophobic culture, Eddie is the town freak due to his interest in D&D, guitar, his low socioeconomic status, and his family's reputation because of his dad's criminal past, and Lucas is a black kid in a society where racism and prejudice are still prevalent. All 3 characters deal with feeling inadequate and unwanted, and attempt to cope with their situations by either blending into the crowd, or else attempting to escape Hawkins. All 3 of them eventually face hard truths and learn to stop denying the aspects of themselves that make them unique.

In Lucas's case, now that he's older and in high school, not only is he beginning to realize the implications of what it means to be black in a neighborhood where racism still lurks, but he's also beginning to understand his family's history, as well as coming to terms with an uncomfortable truth: As much as his friends care about him, they will never truly understand the bigotry and micro-aggressions Lucas is forced to endure as a person of color.

The show has touched on themes of bigotry and racism before, both in Lucas's interracial relationship with Max (which makes him a target for Billy) and the type of bullying he experienced from Troy and James. However, this book expands on those themes by going more into Lucas's fears and insecurities at being discriminated against for being a nerd AND being black, as well as finding someone who understands what he's going through. It also, IMO, deconstructs the "token minority" trope by showing what it's like to be considered that in a group of white friends from the perspective of said minority character, and how dehumanizing it feels.

This book left a lot to ponder. It's not perfect, and there are some flaws in its structure (mostly relating to continuity errors and missed opportunities), but it does inspire discussion, and gives a solid point-of-view to Lucas's character.

Part 1: Lucas's Journey

For as much as this fandom talks about Steve's character development (not that the discussion is unwarranted), Lucas is also another character (next to his sister Erica) who's had subtle but notable growth over the course of the show.

Season 1 had Lucas start out as a loyal member of the Party who was invested in finding Will, but also at odds with Mike and Dustin over El due to his distrust of her (something which got him a lot of flak from fans at the time). All of this came to a head in the junkyard when Lucas realized El was deliberately misleading them so they wouldn't find the Gate, leading to an ugly fight within the group. However, once things settled down, and Lucas realized El's misdirection was her attempting to keep them safe and not an act of maliciousness, he apologized for how he acted (with El also apologizing for lying) and welcomed her into the group, formally accepting her as a friend and member of the Party. Notably, in spite of his misgivings, he never betrayed El to the authorities, demonstrating that his heart was in the right place.

Season 2 continued on with this development. Contrast Lucas's acceptance of Max into the Party and his willingness to reach out to her vs how he initially acted with El in S1. It's notable since, at the time, Mike was hostile towards the idea of Max becoming part of the group. While Lucas had a crush on Max (which is normal for a boy his age), what separated him from the others was his willingness to listen to Max, who had always felt unheard in her house. That conversation on the bus rooftop in S2, where she opens up to Lucas about her home life and how she fears she's becoming like Billy, was meaningful to both of them, not just in Lucas reassuring Max she was a good person, but also Lucas really seeing Max for who she was and loving her for it. And in spite of the threat Billy posed, Lucas refused to be scared off by him (even kneeing Billy in the groin when he pinned him to the wall), and that willingness for Lucas to fight for Max was one of the many reasons Max finally stood up to Billy and made it clear to him that she was done with his abuse.

Season 3 showed Lucas was still navigating his relationship with Max (after getting dumped 5 times), as well as doing his best to advise Mike about his relationship with El. He also got some cool moments, from saving El from the Meat Flayer by chopping off its tendril, to gathering the fireworks to use against the Meat Flayer at the Battle of Starcourt. In spite of this, I remember at the time some fans (including me) wished Lucas had a bigger role in the story. The Duffer Brothers must have heard those criticisms because Lucas ended up getting his own arc in the next season.

There were a lot of great moments in season 4, but Lucas's story was a favorite for me because of how relatable it was. He was in high school trying for a fresh start. He still participated in D&D (Hellfire Club) but also joining basketball because he wanted to break out from being the nerd who was picked on all the time, and because he enjoyed the sport and wanted to give it a shot. He was discovering his identity, which is a big part of the high school experience. Adding onto this, a part of him wanted to achieve popularity as a way of being recognized instead of constantly looked down upon. He got what he wanted when he won the basketball championship............and then experienced firsthand the darker side of popularity, which forced Lucas to ask himself if this is what he really wanted.

Lucas on the Line expands more on the S4 arc by showing the events that led to Lucas doing basketball, and how that put him at odds with Mike and Dustin for a while. We also get to see the circumstances behind his breakup with Max, as well as her spiral into depression following Billy's death.

Something I appreciate is the book doesn't shy away from the trauma and PTSD Lucas is dealing with. The show usually gives that focus to characters like El, Max, Will, Joyce, Hopper, and Nancy, so it's refreshing to see how Lucas has processed everything since Will's disappearance in 1983. The answer is not well. It's even gotten worse since the Battle of Starcourt:

Similar to the way Robin in her novel talks about Hawkins High as a metaphorical monster, there are multiple instances where Lucas makes comparisons between his living situation in Hawkins and the Upside Down:

Granted, this is a metaphor that anyone who's watched the show enough times can pick up on: For as much as Hawkins presents itself as an idyllic neighborhood, there is rot within it, and NOT just from the Upside Down. The town has deeply rooted bigotry entrenched in its structure that takes on many forms (racism, homophobia, bullying, fear-mongering, forced conformity, etc) which the characters are forced to endure on a daily basis. From a symbolic standpoint, the Upside Down is all the nastiness within Hawkins that's covered up with a pretty surface. It may be a town that presents itself as perfect, but the moment you actually take a closer look at your surroundings, you realize that "perfectness" isn't genuine, and that people who present themselves as friendly can reveal just how awful they are in the right circumstances.

I live in a neighborhood like this, and I've been forced to learn time and again that some people in my town (though not all of them) have deeply rooted prejudices and will normalize being cruel because they can get away with it, all the while justifying their behavior as normal. Becoming cynical and cautious is how I've survived it. It reminds me of how Max thinks about her abusive situation with Billy: If you keep the monsters close to you, you're never caught by surprise.

Getting back to Lucas, he's painfully aware of this. Part of his PTSD and trauma isn't just from encountering the horrors of the Upside Down, but also from all the years he was bullied in school:

Lucas explains this to Mike and Dustin on the show, but part of his reasons for joining the basketball team is because he thinks it'll get him in with the popular crowd, and people will stop harassing him. What he doesn't understand (and what Mike and Dustin pick up on pretty quickly) is that even if Lucas changed everything about himself to fit in, he will always be walking on eggshells with that group. If he does everything right, he'll be tenuously accepted, but if he gets one thing wrong, or makes the team look bad in any way (even unintentionally), they will rip him to shreds. I even question what would've happened if Lucas failed to make the winning shot at the championship game: Would the team and the crowd have been as accepting of Lucas for that, or would he have been ostracized on the spot?

I know there are people in this fandom who vilify Mike and Dustin for going to Hellfire Club over Lucas's basketball games. As time has passed, I maintain they made the right call. Not only were they bullied by the basketball jocks way before they joined Hellfire Club (with Jason doing nothing to stop it), but they could see Lucas was deluding himself, and that these were not the kind of people they wanted to be friends with. At least with Eddie, they were accepted for who they were without having to make major changes to their identities to fit in. Even with Lucas, Eddie still welcomed him into the Hellfire Club despite his initial reluctance and the fact Lucas was on the basketball team. He didn't care that Lucas was black (which was a problem for several white basketball jocks like Lee Garroway) or that Lucas had extracurricular activities outside of Hellfire. He just cared that Lucas wanted to be there and was willing to invest in their D&D Campaign.

(SIDE NOTE: This is a big reason I roll my eyes hard at Billy stans who whine about Eddie being a similar replacement for Billy. The major differences between Eddie and Billy is a.) Eddie wasn't a bully, b.) Eddie didn't care about becoming Kings of Hawkins High like Billy did, and c.) Eddie could afford to be in the same room with Lucas for more than 30 seconds without being racist towards him or wanting to attack him. Enough said.)

And it should be noted that while Mike and Dustin are skeptical about Lucas doing basketball, they eventually accept it and even show up to one of his basketball practices (along with Erica) where Lucas does his best and still gets shit from his teammates for how he played.

Both Mike and Dustin saw how Lucas was being treated, as well as the fact Lucas was benched up until the championship, and they rightfully concluded that even if Lucas became popular, a.) It wouldn't change how THEY were being treated (no matter what Lucas told them), and b.) Lucas would forever be trying to live up to expectations from others until he became a shell of his former self. It's a lot like what Chrissy Cunningham went through where she maintained the perfect popular image as the Queen Bee of Hawkins High at the cost of her mental health and well being.

To Lucas's credit, he eventually realizes this at the end. As angry as he was at Dustin and Mike for skipping the Championship, he came to understand why they made that decision. When the time came between choosing Jason and the basketball team vs his friends, he chose his friends:

Caleb McLaughlin even noted this in an interview post S4: Lucas wanted to find acceptance, but the problem is you can't force other people to accept you. Mike and Dustin, in spite of their flaws, accepted Lucas for who he was. Jason and the other basketball players (with the exception of Jay) only accepted Lucas when he either made the team look good, or when they wanted something from him.

This doesn't necessarily mean the book (or even the show) paints Lucas wanting to do basketball as a wrong thing. It was a choice like everything else. Lucas's reasons for wanting to do basketball went beyond just wanting to be popular: He wanted to try something new. He wanted something he was passionate about. Not only did he find that, but he also got to share it with another teammate who understood him: Jermaine "Jay" Demario.

Part 2: Lucas's Relationships with other characters

Jay is a new character from the book who's not only one of the few black kids in Hawkins, but also one of the only basketball players who treats Lucas decently and takes him under his wing. He's the one who encourages Lucas to step out of his comfort zone and try out basketball. He's also one of the few jocks (though he doesn't consider himself a jock in the traditional sense) who's a decent person, and Lucas looks up to him as a mentor the same way Dustin does with Steve. Jay gives Lucas useful advice about balancing his extracurricular activities with other aspects of his life, and he's the one who trains Lucas to do well at basketball, from practicing after school with him, to having Lucas check out videos of NBA playoffs and finals to improve his skills. He also accepts Lucas wanting to do Hellfire Club, and tells him there's nothing wrong with being both a jock and a nerd.

Speaking as someone who made Varsity for cross-country and track & field AND took AP classes during high school, I can relate to that last bit! 🙂

Jay was a cool character, and I'm sad he wasn't in the show. It's nice Lucas was able to have a friend, however briefly, whom he could confide in, and who understood the issues Lucas dealt with because of who he was and where he lived (more on that in a minute).

Erica's relationship with Lucas also gets a bit more time here. She's still snarky towards Lucas, but there are moments demonstrating she cares for him. For instance, despite initially criticizing how Lucas played during a practice, she is pissed when Lee and some other basketball players call Lucas a racist slur:

Later on, after Lucas becomes the target of a bomb threat, there's a quiet scene where Erica comes in to hang out with Lucas. Even though she doesn't verbally say it, it's clear from her demeanor she's genuinely worried for Lucas's safety:

She may exchange barbs with him, but she knows where to draw the line. The fact she also showed up for all of Lucas's basketball games on her own accord (minus the championship) despite Lucas being benched conveys she supports her brother in her own way. I liked the evolution of Lucas and Erica's relationship in S4, and I'm hoping that continues into S5. If the final scenes of S4 are any indication of foreshadowing, they'll likely be working together, so we'll probably get to see more of their sibling dynamic.

Max's relationship with Lucas also gets focus. For the most part, they are not in a good place. Ever since Billy's death at Starcourt Mall, Max has fallen into a deep depression and become withdrawn from everyone, including Lucas. A good chunk of the story is Lucas trying to reach out to Max and make it clear to Max that he's there for her. The problem is he doesn't know how since Max keeps rejecting any attempts to hang out with him, or for him to help her. The dynamic is sadly realistic for anyone who's had friends or family who suffer from chronic depression and feel frustrated or helpless when they try to help that person recover. Lucas does everything he can for Max in the book, from giving her the space she needs, to offering to listen to her. We also get to see Lucas's perspective on why he cares so much for Max (just like Max's novel showed us why she was attracted to Lucas):

What's sad is Max does understand what Lucas is trying to do. She knows he cares about her. At the same time though, she can't pretend things are normal anymore, or that she doesn't feel immense guilt over how she wished something horrible would happen to Billy and got her wish granted (as she admits to Vecna in the S4 finale), or that her life hasn't changed for the worse:

BTW, the breakup between Max and Lucas that's alluded to in S4 happens in the book. It's during Thanksgiving when Lucas sneaks out of his house to give Max some Thanksgiving dinner while she's at the skating park. It's also the first time Lucas hears Max play "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush and truly understands the meaning of that song........and what it means for their relationship:

What's admirable about Lucas is that, in spite of what's going on with Max and her attempts to distance herself from him, he still keeps fighting for her any way he can, right up to the end of the book when Vecna tries to kill Max the first time in the graveyard. And it pays off. Those memories she has of her time with Lucas, combined with the moments she shared with her friends, allow her to break free from Vecna, to remember she has something to live for, that she has people who care about her, and that she doesn't have to be consumed by guilt over what happened to Billy.

Speaking of Billy, the few times Lucas brings him up, he does NOT talk about Billy in a positive light. If there was any doubt about whether Lucas hated Billy, this book puts that to rest. One passage in particular stuck out:

I know Lucas is projecting his anger towards Billy in this moment (not that I blame him), but the idea that Vecna/The Mind Flayer was drawn to Billy because of the darkness in his heart is an interesting idea. We know Vecna initially spared El at Hawkins Lab while killing the other kids because he saw a lot of himself in El (both with her struggles developing her powers, and her treatment under Brenner and her "brothers/sisters") and believed El would be grateful to him for "saving her." It's also implied on the show (and by Vecna's actor, Jamie Campbell Bower) that Vecna feels the same way about Will, which is why he has a creepy interest in him. Billy in many ways resembles Vecna in his rage and sadistic desire to hurt everything and everyone around him, and that aspect may have attracted Vecna to Billy. Granted, it's hard to know if that's the case since Billy was initially driving that night to hook up with Karen before crashing by the warehouse where that piece of the Mind Flayer was nesting, but it's also possible Vecna could have sensed Billy before then, and thought he'd make a great candidate to put his plan into motion.

Then there's Lucas's relationship with Jason: Lucas picks up pretty quickly that something's off about Jason, particularly when he's preparing for the prep-rally speech by slamming his hands in the lockers hard enough to leave dents. Lucas also isn't impressed with Jason's speech, and rightfully notes that Jason invokes the Starcourt tragedy for "cheap audience reactions" (which is why Max looks hurt in the scene when Jason brings up Billy). There's also a scene after Jason's confrontation with Eddie in the cafeteria where he and Andy make disparaging remarks about people who live in trailer parks. When Lucas speaks out against that (because Max was forced to move into a trailer park after Neil left Susan), Jason loses his shit:

By the time of Chrissy's death when Jason's organized the basketball team into hunting down Eddie and tortures Gareth for information, Lucas finally understands just how unhinged Jason is, and even compares Jason to Billy:

I know some people defend Jason on the grounds that Chrissy's death impacted him in a negative way, and that Patrick's later death made things worse because it happened under circumstances that couldn't be explained, which is why Jason jumped on the "Hellfire Club is a Satanic cult" bandwagon. While there is some truth to this, it ignores how Jason already had negative qualities brewing underneath, and that Chrissy's death didn't create these issues, but instead brought them to the surface in the worst way possible. Jason already had inherent prejudices against D&D and anyone he deemed as a "freak" (as depicted in the Flight of Icarus book) and the show established that he had a very self-absorbed, hot-headed, entitled attitude even before things got bad. Maybe he was initially able to keep these negative qualities under control, but they didn't magically manifest out of thin air just because Chrissy died.

Regardless of whether we chose to admit it, we all have a dark side. We all have aspects of our personality we're not proud of. Jason is no different in that regard. The problem is the lack of self-awareness on his part about those flaws, combined with his self-righteous belief that he was doing the right thing even though his actions put innocent people in danger.

I could sympathize with Jason over the deaths of Chrissy and Patrick, but my sympathy ended when he organized a Witch Hunt against the Hellfire Club (who had NOTHING to do with Chrissy and Patrick's deaths) and not-so-subtly threatened Nancy at the gun store and made it clear he intended to go after Mike. At that point, I was done with him. Judging by the final conversation between Lucas and Jason, where Jason refuses to hear Lucas's explanations about what's going on because it doesn't fit with his preconceived notions, Lucas was done with him as well:

Jason: "I never should have let you in the door."

Lucas (coldly): "And I never should have knocked. I thought I wanted to be like you. Popular. Normal. But it turns out normal's just a raging psychopath."

Truer words have never been spoken.

Part 3: Lucas's Experiences with Racism and Bigotry

Lucas has been made the target of racism by characters like Troy, James, and Billy on the show, but this book is where Lucas begins to understand the full ramifications of what it means to be black in a world where racism is ingrained into society. We also get to see how it psychologically impacts Lucas and feeds into his worst insecurities.

Take Lucas's introduction to the basketball team for instance: For the most part, his tryout is average (not awful, but not spectacular), but Jason still allows him on the team for one particular reason:

There's always been a question in the fandom about whether Jason was racist in the same way Billy was. I know Caleb doesn't think so, and argued Billy was worse (and given the the amount of mental gymnastics certain fans have done to pretend Billy wasn't racist, as well as Caleb's experiences with racism in the fandom, I get where his position is coming from), but this book suggests otherwise. Jason may not have been as overtly racist as Billy was, but there is a soft bigotry at play here in Jason allowing Lucas on the team BECAUSE he was black as opposed to Lucas's actual skills. Some people will probably argue against Jason being racist because of his friendship with Patrick, but that's basically the "I can't be racist because I have a black friend" argument.

What's depressing is this haunts Lucas for the remainder of the book. In spite of how hard he practices to get better, he can't shake off the idea that he was only let on the team because of his skin color (and because of the stereotypical idea that all black people do basketball), and not because he earned it. This is reinforced by other members of the basketball team, led by Lee Garroway, who not-so-subtly takes every opportunity to remind Lucas of this:

Speaking of which, this book introduces another bully in the form of Lee Garroway, and he's a loathsome piece of work. Like Billy, he is outwardly racist towards Lucas, but he takes it a step further in targeting both Lucas and Jay because he, along with several other members of the team, are pissed that they made it to the subs roster (thinking Lucas and Jay only got that position because they're both black) and could potentially make Varsity, which is a position they all want. This all culminates in Lee rigging both Jay and Lucas's lockers to spray them with glitter, and then later rigs Lucas's locker again with a bomb that almost kills a janitor working at the school. Lucas manages to catch Lee in the act by planting a camera in his locker after the first attack, and even though the footage gets Lee's friends expelled, Lee is still let off the hook because his father is a donor to the school and bribes Mr. Higgins into covering it up. It's similar to what happened in Flight of Icarus when Eddie accuses Mr. Higgins of looking the other way when it came to athletic players like Tommy and Jason who bully other students and are allowed to get away with it because their fathers have the principal in their pockets.

Remember that profoundly stupid comment from the Angela apologist I talked about in my review of Darkness on the Edge of Town?

This is why that comment struck a nerve: Putting aside how this take is completely devoid of critical thought, it misses the fact that the reason bullies like Angela, Jason, Tommy, and Lee feel justified in their behavior is BECAUSE most of the adults enable them. At best, they do the bare minimum in disciplining these teens, and at worst, they look the other way and punish people like El and Eddie who try to stand up for themselves and others.

And I'm sorry, but the "They are children, none of them are responsible for what they do" excuse can take a flying leap into a volcano for all I care. If you deliberately make a bomb that you know will put someone in the hospital (or even get them killed), you are responsible for your behavior. This isn't like Lee was incapable of understanding what he was doing was wrong. To imply otherwise is stupid beyond belief. 🙄

What's infuriating is not only does Lee barely get a slap on the wrist for what he did, but the bomb threat was enough to cause Jay and his family to move, meaning Lucas lost one of the few friends he could depend on.

On top of that, this isn't even unique to Jay's situation. Both of Lucas's parents also have history which involved moving around to find a place where they could, at the very least, be tolerated in their community. All the while, they knew on some level they'd never truly be accepted:

Lucas's parents did the best they could in trying to protect Lucas and Erica and raise them so they wouldn't have to go through the same circumstances they did. The problem though is that racism has become normalized to such an extent that there isn't a way to escape it.

On a related note, this is why I find the current attempts by Conservatives to stop Critical Race Theory from being taught in schools to be vile: These people want to pretend racism is a thing of the past, like it isn't still impacting people of color in the United States to this day, and are perfectly okay trying to whitewash history and limit any attempts at discussion to achieve that goal. It's been an ongoing issue where I live (to the point that last year, three new members were elected to the school district so they could push their agendas and prevent CRT and other "undesired talking points" in schools), and I know it's been an ongoing issue elsewhere in the United States (*cough* Florida *cough*). John Oliver did a brilliant breakdown of this last year, and I highly recommend watching it:

Just like with many of the other books in this series (Darkness on the Edge of Town, Rebel Robin, Flight of Icarus, etc) Lucas on the Line illustrates that many of the social issues these characters experienced in the 80s continue to be a problem today. Very little has changed, and while people might be more willing to hide their bigotry, or pretend it's something else, that doesn't mean it's gone.

Part 4: Missed Opportunities and Continuity Errors

Like I said before, this book isn't perfect, and has its flaws. I can't speak for what notes Suyi Davies, the author of the book, got from the Duffer Brothers and Netflix, but there were some major contradictions that were hard to ignore.

For instance, there's a flashback where Lucas is supposed to be in third grade and first experiences discrimination against him when the other kids are afraid of swimming with him because they think his "blackness" will rub off on them. While the flashback is effective in showing the insidiousness of how kids can be bigoted at a young age, it's undermined by the date this flashback is supposed to take place in: June 6, 1981. At this point, Lucas would have finished fourth grade, not third grade. On top of that, it's mentioned that Lucas wasn't friends with Mike, Will, and Dustin yet, but that's not only contradicted by other tie-in materials, but also by Dustin's claim on the show that he didn't join the Party until he was in 4th grade, which would have been around 1980. For Lucas to be in third grade in 1981 and not know any of his friends at this point makes no sense.

Then there's the third act of the book, which takes place within the first four episodes of S4: The show establishes the events in those episodes takes place between March 21st-24th, 1986. However, the book changes this so it takes place between April 4th-7th, 1986. The reasons for this are unclear, especially since this book came out AFTER S4 premiered, but I suspect it may have something to do with "Birtdaygate" (i.e. the Duffer Brothers forgetting Will's Birthday was supposed to be on March 22nd). I can't tell if Netflix was trying to retcon the dates because they were embarrassed by "Birthdaygate," or if S4 was originally supposed to be set in April before they changed it to March at the last minute (which begs the question of why they did that), but it is something that's been on my mind for a while now.

Moving past these errors, I was disappointed the book didn't expand more on Patrick's character despite having the opportunity to do so. In the show, Patrick demonstrates a friendlier side to Lucas during their time together, and I know it was speculated at the time that there was more to his interactions with Lucas. However the book doesn't explore that angle, and we don't get a lot of information about Patrick. It's frustrating because, out of all of Vecna's victims, Patrick is the only one that doesn't get his backstory fully fleshed out. We see why and how Chrissy, Fred, and Max were targeted, but it's only implied in Patrick's case. Lucas speculates Patrick had an abusive father, but neither the book nor the show elaborate on this, which makes Patrick come off as a wasted character, especially when his death could have had a bigger impact on Lucas.

Finally, this is just a minor nitpick, but I was unhappy that the book didn't seize on the opportunity of Lucas and Steve playing at least one game of basketball. There's a scene in the book when Steve offers to go one-on-one with Lucas, and Lucas turns him down:

For the story's sake, I get why they had Jay be the one to practice with Lucas as opposed to Steve, but it still feels like a missed opportunity, especially when it was implied on the show that Lucas and Steve's had a better relationship after S2 following Steve protecting them from the demodogs.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I would recommend this book. It's interesting seeing things from Lucas's perspective, as well as how he views his relationship with others, and how he copes with his trauma. The book does a stellar job exploring how the racism inherent in Hawkins has impacted Lucas's life and well-being, and it's also a relatable journey of finding your identity and rising above the stereotypes people place around you and your community.

As for where Lucas goes from here, I'm wagering that he'll have a role in bringing Max back from the coma Vecna's placed her in, and that they'll finally get that date night at the theaters.

#stranger things #lucas sinclair #racism #caleb mclaughlin #erica sinclair #sue sinclair #charles sinclair #anti billy hargrove #anti jason carver #mike wheeler #dustin henderson #max mayfield #lumax #patrick mckinney #jeramine demario #tgh opinions #tgh reviews #lucas on the line #stranger things lucas on the line #vecna #the mind flayer #bigotry #eddie munson #chrissy cunningham #angela stranger things #suyi davies #steve harrington

[upsidedog]

i would love so much for the parents of stranger things, besides joyce and hopper, to get some elaboration on how they feel about their kids clearly having trauma from a series of events mostly unknown to them.

like does charles notice that after the fourth of july he and lucas have the same reaction to fireworks? for a moment he questions if ptsd, or whatever the shrink he was forced to visit after being discharged from the military called it, could be passed down genetically, no, of course not. he was in that mall fire, or maybe he just saw it? neither of the kids had given him any details, he and sue agreed to let them speak about it on their own time, even though their own time is starting to feel like never. and charles can let erica sleep in sue and his bed and he can give lucas advice on how to deal with the fireworks, but any deeper conversations and the kids are “fine” - they’re always fine. sue mentions therapy, charles scoffs at the suggestion, therapy would imply something’s wrong, that he did something wrong, that he didn’t follow all the rules, read all the parenting books, try his best but still fall short to things both in and out of his control. so lucas tears up and hugs him for “no particular reason” sometimes, erica still makes him check for monsters in the closet. kids can be strange, his kids are strange, but also his favorite people ever, so he’ll take his wins where he can.

after they move to forest hills does susan apologize for not being more present? yes, max says it’s fine, it’s not. susan wants to pull herself apart for her behavior, she tells herself she’ll do better tomorrow, she won’t. she’ll have max rest her head in her lap while they watch murder she wrote and find the time to braid her hair before school, but she can’t change the past or justify her failings or take away max’s pain. she can’t even talk about neil or billy. how does she explain that she desperately misses the worst man she’s ever met? or at least the moments where he was apologizing for something she probably should have left him for. and billy, no, yeah, billy... when susan schedules max to see the school counselor max accuses her of pawning off her problems to a stranger, yes, not that she thinks therapy would be useless for her. she thinks about how after the night max snuck out she anxiously confided in neil that something was wrong with max, something happened. he laughed at her, “that’s just what max is like,” oh right, she doesn’t know her own daughter, the man barely acknowledges when she enters or exits the home unless it’s an excuse to get angry, knows her daughter better than her, that’s just what she’s like. yeah, sorry, right, this is what it’s always been like.

after dustin’s good friend’s brother dies does claudia offer any support? maybe too much. she smothers dustin with love the same way she did when will went missing, the way she always has, dustin waves it away, billy was a dick, it doesn’t matter. claudia brings a lasagna to the hargroves, max’s grumpy step-dad slams the door in her face and dustin blows a gasket when he hears. suddenly unconditional love isn’t feeling like enough. dustin cries in her arms, when she asks what’s wrong he tells her that he isn’t allowed to say. what a perfect way to make every possible fear rush through her head. later he says it’s bullying, kids at school are mean and there isn’t anything she can do about it. she decides to believe him. hugs and home cooking don’t work like they used to but she tries, keeps engaging in his interests and checking in on him. She wouldn’t be herself if she stopped trying, even as the meltdowns increase in frequency and severity, his attitude becomes more sour, everything seems to be going wrong, she preserves.

when mike slams his door for the fifth time in a single week does ted change his technique for connecting with his son? no. what technique? that’s his wife’s job, not his.

#stranger things #lucas sinclair #max mayfield #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #lumax #byler #<- ships r just target audiences srry #charles sinclair #sue sinclair #susan hargrove #susan mayfield #claudia henderson #ted wheeler #karen wheeler #if you think i’m excusing anybody’s actions by empathizing with or contextualizing them ur wrong #i think susan has failed as a parent but i also emphasize w her deeply #nuance nuance nuance

[spookystarfishzombie]

#stranger things #my edit #texts from last night #karen wheeler #carla buono #erica sinclair #priah ferguson #holly wheeler #tinsley price #sue sinclair #karen ceesay #charles sinclair #arnell powell #ted wheeler #joe chrest #claudia henderson #catherine curtin #so many people to list for that last pic

[hawkyon-days]

Shoutout to the Sinclairs for being the most normal and by far most stable family in stranger things<3

#my st rewatch #stranger things #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #sue sinclair #charles sinclair #youd think you can find a gif of that scene somewhere on the internet or the scene itself on youtube. but no

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

After getting adopted by the Sinclairs:

Steve to Max: What are your intentions with my brother?

Max: I intend to teach him how to skateboard and laugh when he falls.

Steve: Okay, I was just making sure. I expected nothing less.

Lucas: Seriously?

Max: And what are your intentions as a big brother?

Steve: I intend to play basketball with Lucas and gossip with Erica about Tina.

Max: I expected nothing less.

Erica: I expect a little bit more. You're also going to let me do your hair and makeup without whining about it.

Steve: . . . Fine.

#stranger things #steve harrington #joe keery #lucas sinclair #caleb mclaughlin #erica sinclair #priah ferguson #sue and charles sinclair #steve gets adopted by the sinclairs #max mayfield #sadie sink #lumax

[will80sbyers]

STRANGER THINGS 4 Chapter Six: The Dive

#stranger things #erica sinclair #karen wheeler #ted wheeler #charles sinclair #claudia henderson #sue sinclair #holly wheeler #stedit #stranger things edit #strangerthingsedit #stgifs #st 4x06 #will80sbyersgifs

[faithfulcat111]

Color Series - Sinclair Family

<template>

#st color series #faith edits #sinclair family #charles sinclair #sue sinclair #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair

[findafight]

*sighs* You had to say “Seabiscuit”, didn’t you?

Okay, so every now and then, Charles puts a flat cap on ad tells the kids they’re going for a drive (Sue giving him a flat stare every time because it’s been Years, Charles, I know you’re going to the horse track, you don’t have to go through this song and dance every time). He genuinely has fun just watching the races, talking with other people, working out the odds, but *very* rarely makes bets, and when he does they’re pathetically small - one of the bookies used to jokingly ask if he was placing bets for the kids. (The closest either kid has come is when they were *very* small and he’d get them too choose names that they liked the sound of).

When they’re kids, it makes Lucas feel grown up (especially thinking like it’s a secret that they’re trusted to keep from Sue) and Erica likes the horses.

(She absolutely gets the Horse Girl gene from Charles - Sue had a bad experience with them as a kid and it’s part of the reason that Erica doesn’t go horse riding)

Anyway, at one point Steve gets invited (dragged) along. Lucas is apologetic because, yeah, he likes spending time with his Dad and it’s kind of their tradition, but it’s a little boring these days. Erica, still very much a Horse Girl, but also recognising an opportunity and laying groundwork, is not.

This is how the Sinclairs learn that Steve is actually pretty good at math when the has the motivation. Or at least, mental arithmetic and statistics. Which makes sense when Lucas thinks about some of the conversations that they’ve had about basketball.

This being said, Steve follows Charles’ example and doesn’t really make bets. Except sometimes for beer/wine (with Charles) or brownies (Erica - who copes with losing by reminding Steve that he *still* owes her ice cream, and really, she should be getting the brownies anyway).

Hehehe

Charles pretending it's a secret and I'm just imagining that episode of Malcom in the Middle where Hal takes the boys to Nascar (and wears the visor and gets Nascar sunburnt on his forehead. Iconic hal looks.) Like it's CLEAR Sue knows where they're going but also knows part of the fun for them is thinking she doesn't.

They go to watch the horses and chat and maybe Charles or Steve is able to sweet talk someone to let Erica pet some of them! She is woman enough to admit that it was super cool and she got to feed one a carrot. Betting with each other and maybe like max five bucks once in a blue moon if they're feeling particularly lucky and Steve's figured good odds on a horse.

Do you think they like show jumping? I think they could really get into that too. Maybe Lucas likes that more because there more happening and more turning and jumping etc? Maybe when she was little Erica was so so so upset she wasn't allowed to ride horses (both safety concern wise and money wise) because she desperately wanted to be an equestrian jumper.

Sue gets to do the same by sneaking them to college basketball games maybe.

#to me all dads are horse girls #my dad LOVES horse stories. we are not horse people but he loves the stories. #charles sinclair #erica sinclair #i am just dolingnout headcanons of older female relatives being at hostoric sports events so hc that #sue Sinclair was at wilt Chamberlain's hundred point game #sue sinclair #Lucas Sinclair #steve harrington #steve and lucas #steve and erica #findaanswers #anonasaurus

[friendsdontlieokay]

The Sinclairs are the healthiest family with the comparatively healthiest individuals

#erica sinclair #lucas sinclair #sue sinclair #charles sinclair #sinclairs #family #underrated family #stranger things