Steve Harrington needs some therapy
I'd like s4 Steve Harrington to finally deal with all the trauma he's dealt with over the past few seasons. Like, he's had the shit beat out of him multiple times, been dumped by the girl he loves (and found out she didn't love him back), lost his friends, been TORTURED BY RUSSIANS, fought monsters (multiple times), seen someone die, been partially responsible for someone's death, gotten rejected from college, and more, all with what we assume to be little parental support and eventually no real friends his own age.
Every single time he gets hit (usually literally) with some trauma, he runs back into battle to protect and save kids he barely knows. In s1, his defining moment was going back into the house to save his ex-gf and the guy she might have cheated on him with even when he was on his way to safety. In s2 he lied and fought on behalf of two kids he didn't know really at all, and after being beaten into unconsciousness, woke up to guide kids through danger and protect them (at one point physically lifting Dustin and protecting him with his body). In s3, after that Russian torture, he was safely away on a hill when he saw that the mall was being attacked and didn't waste any time driving back to save the same kids, followed by him bravely slamming the car into another to save Nancy and crew.
Basically, Steve has been brave as hell, but he hasn't been given any time to process what he's been through. He's kind and loyal and supportive (more than anyone else, in Dustin's case, and didn't question when the younger boy thought he'd stumbled upon Russian spy messages). But usually after his pain, he's treated as a joke, as comic relief.
I want to see him work through it -- to realize that he's experiencing some PTSD. And maybe for the other kids to realize that he's been protecting them at his own expense, and protect him when the time comes.
