Stranger Things Season 3: Ranking Every Character From Worst To Best
9. Mike Wheeler
Mike Wheeler is, in many ways, the ringleader of our beloved troop of kids. Unafraid to stand up for those he cares about, we all saw his determination to save Will and protect Eleven throughout the first two seasons of the show, and these storylines played a crucial role in positioning him as one of the leading characters.
Mike's good-natured ways remained present in Season 3, but some problematic storytelling resulted in the character losing his way at certain points throughout. Though he still led the group with conviction and determination as they battled the Mind Flayer, he didn't have as much to offer this time around. Instead, he found himself constantly defending himself to Eleven (not-to-mention Max and her baffling vendetta) over the lies he was forced to tell by Hopper.
That said, the revelation that his odd behaviour (and overprotectivess) stemmed from his realisation that he'd fallen in love with her felt like a natural progression of his arc. It's just unfortunate that he didn't feel as important to the overall narrative.