It's not necessarily meant to be a straight up joke, it's really just Robin reacting to something she found slightly surprising/unexpected regarding Nancy. You can tell from Robin's tone and enthusiasm when she delivers the first "You have a Tom Cruise poster!" line, that she herself is a fan of the actor. Stranger Things season 4 takes place in March 1986, a couple of weeks before the original Top Gun would be released. Tom Cruise was not yet the action star in the cultural perception, but he was "already a heartthrob due to his now iconic underwear dancing scene in 1983’s Risky Business" (source). Robin's tone changes to a teasing one when she delivers the line for the second time. She's like: Wait... you, the always proper and mannerly Nancy - you have a poster of Tom Cruise the heartthrob! For Robin, it's a little glimpse behind the facade Nancy presents to the world. Nancy recognizes the tease, and she's perhaps feels slightly embarrassed (while being simultaneously annoyed), so she quickly dismisses it by saying something to the effect of: Oh, that ... yeah, that's an old poster, whatever infatuation I had back then, I've grown out of it... The actual line is much shorter, because Robin proceeds to go through her stuff, so Nancy doesn't have time to dwell on that.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4, Part 1. Continue reading at your own peril. Credit where it’s due: Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers know how to mix ’n’ match. In seasons past, they’ve turned the odd couple of Steve and Dustin into a bromance for the ages (no Farrah spray needed), made unforgettable friends of “rivals” Eleven and Max, started us shipping Steve and Robin in a platonic way, and set the stage for Season 4’s spectacularly comedic matchup of Joyce and Murray.
Stranger Things Season 4 Photos But the episodes that Netflix began streaming on May 27 may have introduced a new twosome that threatens to eclipse all of the others: Nancy and Robin. Their yin/yang pairing, born in Episode 3, quickly proved to be a hilarious delight. As Steve’s ex and his gal pal researched notorious psycho Victor Creel, Robin knew that she was annoying Nancy. The former has no filter; the latter, no poker face whatsoever. Nonetheless, they got the job done, then went the extra mile by passing themselves off as stunningly pastel-attired “rock-star psychology students” to gain access to Victor at Pennhurst Mental Hospital. In the process, Nancy came to realize that Robin was way more than a nuisance who complained about itchy “Easter-brunch” garb, and Robin started to see why Steve was still so sweet on his ex. So by Episode 6, when Robin asked whether she and Nancy were now “officially” friends, the question was all but rhetorical. Despite their dissimilarities — Nancy’s a girly-girl with a ballerina music box in her bedroom, Robin’s a no-BS lesbian whose only weakness seems to be second-guessing her gaydar — they had bonded. And they both clearly loved Steve, albeit in very different ways. (In fact, if anyone championed a Nancy/Steve reunion more than we did in Season 4, it was Robin.)The question is, did the duo’s dynamic outshine those of all the rest? Weigh in via the poll below, then hit the comments to back up your vote.
Femslash
• Battle Couple • Adventure Duo Nancy – “So does that make us friends? As in, officially?” Robin – “Uh, yeah. I... I mean, right?” Nancy – “Right.” — The Dive Ronance is the femslash ship between Robin Buckley and Nancy Wheeler from the Stranger Things fandom. CanonThe Monster and the SuperheroSteve doesn't want Nancy to go alone and tells Robin to take the kids while he goes with her. Robin says that she doesn't have a license and after some arguing decides to go with Nancy herself. Girls gotta stick together. She asks if Steve thinks he needs to protect them and he gives in as they turn away. Robin asks about the information Nancy got on Victor Creel possibly committing the murders, but points out that his previous murders predate Eleven and the Upside Down by about thirty years and makes Creel 70 years old. Nancy says that it might not make sense, but that's why it's a shot in the dark. Robin had assumed she was being modest and starts to ramble. Nancy gets annoyed and rings the bell at the library front desk in hopes of getting her attention sooner. Robin asks if she came off as mean or condescending and Nancy says she didn't. Robin says that Nancy seemed annoyed and Robin starts to explain that she doesn't understand social cues or have a filter. So if she says something that upsets Nancy she'll know it's a flaw. Nancy's got it, but doesn't say much else when she gets the key to the basement archives. As the two look through the newspapers, Robin asks if Nancy has found anything juicy. Nancy says it's still nothing new, and Robin asks what they're looking for exactly. When she doesn't answer, she knock on the side of the computer desk, getting Nancy's attention. Nancy gets frustrated and says that this is turning into a big waste of time. That Robin is obviously bored, and she should just call Steve who will pick her up. Robin realizes what's going on and asks if Nancy knows that she and Steve aren't a thing. Nancy is confused, but Robin really just wanted Nancy to know that she and Steve are platonic with a capital P. Just in case it was adding any tension between the two of them. Nancy says that it wasn't, and they go back to searching. Robin is surprised that they have the Weekly Watcher and Nancy point out that they only write about Bigfoot and UFO's. Robin points out that they're looking for information on the potentially supernatural and if anyone is going to write about that it's these weirdo's. Robin starts looking through the Watcher's archives when she comes across Victor Creel's story. But this time with him claiming that demons killed the family. Nancy doesn't believe her, but Robin says she's not joking and tells Nancy to get over there. Robin reads that Victor believed he was spared by the demon for punishment and Nancy says that's a convenient out. Robin says that Victor was declared insane by the courts and it never went public, which Nancy remembers because the plea bargain meant that the records were sealed. It's very possible that there was demon, Vecna specifically. Dear BillyRobin and Nancy rushes downstairs with a plan. They show them some fake papers that list them as students from Notre Dame and called the asylum to ask for a talk with Creel. Robin says that they said no, but Nancy continues saying that they got an interview with the Doctor. Now all they need to do is convince him to let them talk to Creel and find a way to get rid of Max's curse. When the two arrive at the mental hospital, Robin immediately starts complaining about the outfit Nancy put her in. Nancy tells her to let her do the talking, and Robin says that it's inevitable since she'll end up dying from strangulation. In the office Nancy tries to convince the head of the facility but to no avail. Robin then suddenly gets an idea and starts to go on a more passionate rant about being a girl in the field, and wanting to be a psychologist since she was a kid. It works to get them their ten minutes with Creel and Nancy gives Robin a small high five when they leave. After they're caught Robin tells Nancy that Creed was focused on music, and that Hatch had said music can reach parts of the brain that word's can't. A lifeline back to reality. Nancy thinks they can beat security to the car, but Robin says that she has terrible coordination. Nancy just tells her to follow her lead and the two book it to the car. Once inside Robin is high on adrenaline and Nancy comments that Robin is a weird runner. The DiveRobin asks if she can stay in the car for the visit, since it's going to suck, but Nancy says it'll be fine. Robin says that she can't stand to see the heartbreak in Eddie's eyes and starts rambling off a very sucky way of saying that he's screwed. Nancy suggests framing it as they're one step closer to finding Vecna. As they walk through the woods, Robin comments on how adorable Lucas and Max are. She says that pretty much the silver lining in this is people rekindling flames that should have never been snuffed out, but she didn't mean it as a hint or anything. Nancy doesn't believe her, and Robin asks that if she did mean it as a hint, would it be so terrible to wish happiness for her friends. Nancy asks if Robin thinks she's not happy and Robin thinks she is. But when she mentioned Jonathan she winced, but Nancy insists that she didn't. She and Jonathan are fine...but he was supposed to be there for break and backed out at the last minute. Which she felt him pulling away for a while but doesn't know if it's because of the physical distance, or something else. So that would be why she would twitch or flinch at his name. Robin sees that as a personally good reason to flinch or wince. Nancy points out that Robin used the word "friends" and asks if that officially makes them friends, which Robin awkwardly agrees that they are. MomentsSeason 3The Bite
Season 4The Monster and the Superhero
Dear Billy
The Nina Project
The Dive
The Massacre at Hawkins Lab
Papa
The Piggyback
Behind the Scenes
FanonThis section is in need of major improvement. Please help improve this article by editing it. Ronance initially started out as a rarepair, but quickly gained a larger following due to their shared interactions in season 4. Many fans noted how early on in the season Robin remarked that she was prone to rambling when she had a crush, and losing the ability to shut up; something she did when she was around Nancy. Nancy is often interpreted as either bisexual, having had feelings for Steve and Jonathan previously, or a lesbian struggling with compulsory heterosexuality. Many who ship Ronance also tend to ship Steddie and often call their stay in the Upside Down a Pride Parade or a double date. Many also ship Jargyle, with some fanfictions depicting Jonathan dating Argyle after he and Nancy break up. On AO3, Ronance is the most written ship for Nancy and the second most written ship for Robin (the first being the friendship of Steve & Robin). It is the most written femslash ship in the Stranger Things tag. FandomFAN FICTION Nancy/Robin tag on AO3 Ronance stories on WattpadTUMBLR Ronance posts on Tumblr Robin x Nancy tag on TumblrTIKTOK Ronance tag on TikTok Robin x Nancy tag on TikTokART Ronance posts on Twitter Ronance tag on DeviantartLists
Trivia
VideosNancy and Robin being girlfriends Nancy and Robin (Ronance) - I wanna be your girlfriend Nancy and robin being girlfriends for 3 minutes Nancy & Robin - In this world, it's just us ▶Robin & Nancy - I F*cking Love You Nancy & robin - i'm on your side Variations
References
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