When I became a Stancy truther- the importance of narrative voice
I have been a Stancy ride or die since the end of season 2.
Back then the narrative was clearly setting up J*ncy as the favored ship. I fully believed that there was no way they weren't following the script of the 80s adventure films of the day where the couple with the shared trauma end up together as a nice bookend after the world is saved. Even with the nice surprise of seeing Steve and Nancy together at the end of season 1 (a fun twist that also made me excited to see where these characters were going) it seemed clear that that relationship was going to be doomed. The established tension between Nancy and Jonathan was too pointed to not be explored, and Jonathan and Nancy were the clear leads. Steve was a rode block, the guy you are supposed to get over so that when the main ship happens it doesn't look quite as underdeveloped. After all if you leave one relationship for another the audience will have to believe that it is the 'better' choice because its what the narrative tells you.
In season 2 it was tragic to see the Stancy relationship that had so much potential for both of these characters being ripped apart by the grief and secrecy. But at this point I was still expecting it. I figured that Steve would potentially backslide into either an antagonist or a irrelevant character as the clear narrative troupe played out- because J*ancy isn't subversive, it is the norm for this genre. They are the power couple up against the world who are the only ones who can understand and support each other because they faced it together! Destiny! And I didn't hate it. Movies especially in the 80s and 90s have been using the shared trauma romance short cut for years. They make fun of it in movies by the 90s even while still following the script. I never hated Jonathan as a character and he clearly liked Nancy so it seemed inevitable. I was conditioned to know where the story was going and I was ok with it.
But then season 2 did something I never expected.
It called out the trope.
Not in the meta way of winking to the camera- telling the audience yeah I know its a troupe and we can make fun of it but its still gonna happen shut up and eat your popcorn. No it was subtle. It was narrative.
They played out the scenes but not with the happy bells and fanfare that tells you YES! THIS IS THE CORRECT ANSWER. Instead its messy and complicated. Nancy and Jonathan are again gravitating to each other as they continue to internalize their trauma. Nancy's relationship is in a spiral. It isn't even narratively clear if her and Steve are actually broken up.
This is the first discordant note in the song we have been listening to. It isn't clean. The narrative hasn't told us who is in the right and that we shouldn't be rooting for this couple. Instead we have heartbroken teens dealing with problems they don't know how to face. Nancy cannot process her grief and guilt and Steve does not have the maturity or self actualization to know how to help her even though he wants to.
So she goes to Jonathan. Her partner in monster hunting. The two of them find common ground in their respective isolation. They are people who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. But even this is called out by the narrative. They have only connected now because the circumstances have brought it back to the surface. Jonathan still has trust issues and isn't willing to foster connections. Nancy is still feeling suffocated and told to accept the status quo for the sake of keeping up appearances- choosing to retreat and play it safe. Even as they play out the awkward will they won't they of their mutual attraction when they try to talk about the issues below the surface- their mutual isolation- they fight.
But, this is still salvageable, so the trope continues to play out- time to get the 'wise' outside observer who can come in and give our character the push they need to resolve their issues with the power of true love! And we get this in the form of Murray. Again, the song goes a little more out of tune. Murray isn't a trusted figure, or even a conveniently placed stranger to act as the voice of the narrative. Murray is a cynic. Murray is someone who mocks the status quo but who also treats it as gospel. Murray is pushing them together because it IS the trope. He accurately calls out their fears and insecurities and then gives them the obvious solutions- just follow the script because anything else would be too much work. The best we can hope for is watered down. Men and women can't be friends. Don't fix your problems just act like you don't care about them and it will all work out. Accept the cynicism as truth.
So the scene plays out just as it should- the mentor helping the leads find each other- but the narrative isn't celebrating with the characters. Instead it feels off. It feels forced.
The characters hook up- they form a physical connection and cement themselves as the primary couple. But there is no communication, there is no resolution to their spat back at the hotel. It is glossed over in favor of following the easy answer. You can argue that these things could happen off screen but the narrative hasn't show us this. The characters are accepting their place in the troupe. But the narrative isn't as enthusiastic. Even the music is telling a double narrative. ("You better go, because I like you much to much." It's a love song but one about getting caught up in the moment. Even the instrumental track is called 'the first lie'.)
Then we have the juxtaposition of what is happening with Steve. Steve who should have either faded into the background for the rest of the season or regressed into hostility like he did in season 1.
Instead he shows up at Nancy's house with flowers. He wants to be there for her. He wants to work on the emotional connection and try to fix their problems.
And then ironically he does start building emotional connections- just not with Nancy. Instead he gets roped into Dustin and the Demodog drama. But its not just that he is helping the kids, he is doing the opposite of what we saw with J*ncy at Murray's. He is allowing himself to grow, to open up. He confides his hair care secrets to Dustin an tries to act as a mentor.
Lets also look at the Romance advice he gives to Dustin which the narrative clearly is setting up as being 'bad' advice. "Act like you don't care- even if you do- then just wait till you feel it." Yet this is exactly what played out with J*ncy. Avoidance then acting on sexual attraction. Their hook up is mirroring Steve's bad stereotypical advice.
But Steve then says it himself- Nancy's different. He doesn't view his relationship with her as being sustainable on that kind of flimsy foundation. Nancy for him is love, real love. The kind that can get your heart broken. But also the kind that is worth putting in the work for.
But what Steve doesn't consciously realize at this point is that putting in the work isn't about saying I'm sorry when he doesn't even understand why he should be saying it. It's about growth and understanding. He needs to grow himself and come to a better understanding of himself. He needs to learn to open himself up. To make real connections. Which he then does start to do. For the rest of the season we see Steve step up. He choses to be a protector to the kids and sees that they need his help and support. This also helps him realize that he can't give Nancy what she needs right now and chooses to step away and give her an out. Not because he doesn't love her, but because he is finally opening himself up to trusting other people to communicate and to be emotionally open in return. (Honestly I could go on for like 20 pages about how much I love the season 2 babysitter arc and also the Lumax parallels with them being the first of the ST couples to actually have healthy communication because Lucas is the relationship GOAT but I digress)
This is going to take me to the moment that I fell into the Stancy hole- where I felt the narrative was showing me that this was the real love story and not just the relationship that needed to die so a 'better' one could live. And that is the Snowball.
At this point it would have been so easy to once again give us a clean narrative break. J*ncy is official, Steve can go off and have his own adventures of self growth and cool action sequences. Everyone parts as friends and unlikely allies. But instead we get two things- we get Steve seeing Nancy through the window and we get Nancy's dance with Dustin.
The first was when I knew the Narrative was telling me this story isn't over, because as we said before for Steve, Nancy isn't like other girls. He isn't pretending she doesn't exist. She is still the person who he wants to put in the work for. The one worth risking real heartache for, the heartache he is currently having to deal with. And THAT is a love story I can't help but want to root for, not just the payoff of a troupe I have seen dozens of times. It's one that I think that subtle narrative voice wants me to root for as well.
Because then we have the scene with Nancy and Dustin. Even though both her and Jonathan are at the snowball they don't communicate. They are both doing their own thing. And I don't think this is the narrative saying "see how independent they are they just get each other and therefore don't need to have bonding moments", I think it is the opposite. They are together because its the right place and time right now. But its not a deep connection they are fostering. It's convenient. They ultimately have their own dreams and passions.
Instead Nancy is talking to Dustin about how you can't let heartbreak let you down because real love comes once people have time to grow up. "Give it a few years." This advice to Dustin who has now become a little brother to Steve, who is LITERALLY styling his hair to try and emulate him more. But also Dustin who represents the best parts of who Steve is becoming. Someone who like Nancy herself cares about other people. Who isn't miserable all the time... until she is. But that is a different essay.
