Stranger Things is finally back, and it’s one of the hottest topics on social media right now. The first four episodes of the fifth and final season were released on Netflix on Thanksgiving, and the Internet is filled with theories and praise. Many fans are talking about how Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) is extremely relatable to the neurodivergent community.
Robin was first introduced to Stranger Things fans in Season 3 when she worked alongside Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) at Scoops Ahoy in the Starcourt mall. During that season, Robin comes out to Steve, making her the show’s first lesbian character.
In the fourth season, Robin becomes more comfortable around Steve and his friends. In the new season, Robin is not only the voice of the local Hawkins radio station, but she finally has a girlfriend. Basically, she’s living her best life (well, as best as you can get when a psychic monster is threatening to destroy the world).
In the new season, Robin takes Will (Noah Schnapp) under her wing and gives him advice about not being afraid to be your true self. Will is also gay, but hasn’t officially come out to anyone else on the show yet.
While Robin is a great role model for the queer community, she’s also becoming a face for the nurerodivergent community. Many see themselves in her for a multitude of reasons.
Stranger Things fans praise Robin:
While it’s never been officially confirmed that Robin is autistic in Stranger Things, the community has adopted her as one of their own. It’s worth noting that while autism obviously existed in the ’80s, it wasn’t talked about as much or correctly diagnosed as frequently. Therefore, it makes sense that it hasn’t been discussed on the show.
However, Robin has many traits that neurodivergent folks relate to. You can check out some posts about her below…
“If you feel that Robin’s character is both annoying and adorable at the same time, that’s kinda the point,” u/Shadow4Hire wrote on the Stranger Things subreddit. “Robin’s character arc, especially her shifts from Season 4 to Season 5, perfectly illustrates neurodiverse masking.”
“I relate to Robin heavily in this regard. I’ve never really ‘masked,’ at least not that I’m consciously aware of. But I do have that same nervous energy in many social situations, and when people call Robin annoying, I kind of feel like they’re calling me annoying. But oh well,” one person commented.
Meanwhile, some people are taking Robin’s Season 5 moments to heart.
“Autistic Robin Buckley, u are so beloved to me,” one fan tweeted.
Her relatability doesn’t stop:
“An autistic tingle for radios” belongs on a t-shirt:
People are fighting back against those who say Robin was “lobotomized” after Season 3:
In conclusion, Rockin’ Robin rocks:
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