Stranger Things: 5 Reasons We Sympathize With Billy (& 5 We Don’t)

Billy was one of the more divisive characters on Stranger Things. He was far from perfect, but there were still moments when we sympathized with him.

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Billy is one of the most controversial characters from Stranger Things. He emerges as the immediate choice for the show’s next bully, following in the footsteps of Tommy and Troy. Billy, however, changes things up in the bully department. Where Tommy and Troy were pretty much straightforward, two-dimensional characters, Billy becomes more and more complex as the series goes on.

The increasing depth of Billy makes it difficult to easily dismiss his character as purely hateful–the way it’s much easier to dismiss some of the other cruel people on the show, like Papa, or Troy and his obedient companion. Billy does a lot to make fans dislike him, but the show also gives reason for fans to think twice about trying to fit him into any simple box.

10 We Sympathize: He’s Abused

Billy makes himself difficult to like, but it’s hard not to feel for him at least a little once viewers see what kind of father he has to live with.

Billy has to move through his life at home as if walking on eggshells, constantly afraid of how his father might respond to him–usually with violence and cruelty. Suddenly Billy’s ruthless behavior outside of the house makes more sense.

9 We Don’t: He Abuses Max

Abuse is a vicious cycle that can end up resulting in the abused becoming yet another abuser, and this is the case with Billy. Billy has to endure terrible treatment from his father–treatment that, it becomes apparent, has gone on his entire life.

However, it’s always difficult where to draw the line and to know who to blame. Viewers might feel sorry for Billy, but once they see him mirroring his father’s behavior in his treatment of Max, it’s easy to become frustrated and disgusted.

8 We Sympathize: His Mother Left Him

Season three delves into Billy’s childhood via Eleven getting a glimpse into his memories. It’s both beautiful and sad to see Billy as a child, innocent and playful, happily spending time with his mother who he looks up to.

To see his mother then leave him behind with her abusive husband is heartbreaking.

7 We Don’t: He Should Have Looked Out For Max

One might have hoped that Billy could have found it in himself to look out for Max rather than become the subject of her dread.

Having a man come into her life who she has to watch abuse her step-brother can’t be easy on her, and while a person’s response to trauma can never be easily channeled, it’s still a shame that Billy couldn’t go in the opposite direction of his father rather than becoming like him.

6 We Sympathize: He’s Made Responsible For Max

Billy is older than max, but they are still both children. Knowing his father, Billy was probably thrown into the situation of living with Max and looking out for her without a single kind word or help in the transition into a new town and situation.

Billy’s father makes Max into Billy’s obligation, causing her to become a point of contention and a symbol for the injustice in Billy’s life. It’s no wonder Billy grows to resent her–even if in the most extreme and unfair of ways.

5 We Don’t: He’s Racist

When Billy sees that Max is hanging around Lucas, he instantly becomes tense and warns her to never be seen with Lucas again.

Billy orders Max around for a myriad of inexplicable reasons, but for him to have it out for Lucas is especially random. The only reason that becomes apparent is that Billy is likely racist–unsurprising, unfortunately, considering the type of hateful person he was raised by.

4 We Sympathize: He’s Fetishized

The only thing that people like Billy for is his looks. If a person is going to dislike someone, they had better just dismiss them altogether–but with Billy, people pay him ample attention simply for the fact that he’s easy on the eyes.

Even Mrs. Wheeler hits on him, which might seem innocent enough but is actually creepy and inappropriate, considering he is the age of her daughter.

3 We Don’t: He’s A Mysoginist

If Billy ever has the chance to talk about women, it’s always in a despicable way.

When Billy and Steve are in the shower rooms after playing basketball, for example, Billy competitively drops the fact that there are “plenty of b****es in the sea”, and that he will be sure to leave Steve some–speaking of women as if they aren’t even people, but things to be taken and used; points to mark one’s status in a male-oriented game.

2 We Sympathize: He Meets A Horrible End

Billy is by no means an easy character, and many even hate him. This likely makes his death no easier to watch, though. The way he goes out is painful and gruesome, and many wouldn’t wish it on their worst enemy.

Billy doesn’t even get to die quickly but has a steady and drawn-out decline of his power over his own body–a living nightmare.

1 We Don’t: He Was Never Kind

It’s difficult to sympathize with somebody who never once showed a scrap of sympathy for anybody else. As terrible as his life has been, Billy still had the opportunity to make at least a shred of an effort toward trying to empathize with other people–he’s not the only person suffering in the world, after all.

There’s no easy answer for what to think about Billy’s character, but if nothing else he surely displays the tragic and unromantic results that are possible to come from a life of maltreatment.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/stranger-things-reasons-we-sympathize-with-billy/