Stranger Things: Dustin's 5 Best Traits (& 5 Worst)

Dustin Henderson is one out of four members of the Party, but he sometimes feels a little left out because he only met the others in the fourth grade. Nevertheless, or perhaps because of this, he often holds a neutral stance on things and acts like a peacemaker.

Dustin has a remarkable sense of curiosity, far greater than any of the other Party members. He's probably the most intelligent and knowledgable in areas of science, but perhaps not quite as socially adept. He tries too hard to attract the attention of girls, even Nancy, and trusts Steve to give him advice about how to step up his game. Dustin can also be quite naïve, as showcased by his adoption of Dart. In season 4, Dustin matures a lot - but don't worry, this piece is spoiler-free and focuses on Dustin's growth throughout the first three seasons of Stranger Things.

10. BEST: Curiosity

In everything he does, Dustin is guided by his curiosity. In fact, it's this desire to learn more that often saves his friends from dire circumstances, and at other times, gives them the upper hand they need to succeed.

He is constantly pestering Mr. Clarke about things like alternate dimensions, salt baths, and everything related to physics. These investigations provide Dustin and his friends with a lot of information about the Upside-Down.

9. WORST: Impressionability

Sometimes Dustin's curiosity can get the better of him. He often goes looking for information in all the wrong places. For example, Steve. When Dustin first befriends Steve, he isn't the most trustworthy of people.

Steve enjoys feeling wanted by Dustin, and he believes he has superior knowledge about how to handle girls and other social situations. Because Dustin is younger and idolizes Steve for his smooth, suave "coolness" and popularity, he believes anything Steve tells him. Needless to say, his advice doesn't help Dustin at all.

8. BEST: Openmindedness

Because Dustin is so curious and always yearns to learn more about the world he lives in, he has a very open mind. For instance, when the group meets Eleven, he sits somewhere between Lucas and Mike in his attitude.

He's willing to give her a chance, even if he doesn't trust her the way Mike does. He remains open-minded throughout the series, ready to test out new ideas and theories, willing to listen to new people's opinions.

7. WORST: Naïvety

Despite his intelligence and maturity, Dustin can be pretty naïve at times. For example, in season 2, he is quick to take Steve's advice and follow it, completely believing that it will benefit him.

The same could be said of Dustin's choice to adopt Dart. He thinks the creature is sort of cute at first, even though he's had some bad experiences with the Upside Down. Dustin takes care of Dart but regrets his decision when the creature eats his mom's beloved cat.

6. BEST: Loyalty

One of the best things about Dustin is how loyal he remains to his friends throughout everything. In season 3, he returns to Hawkins from Camp Knowhere, but his friends seem to have vanished.

At first, he thinks they've forgotten about him, so he goes to hang out with Steve. It turns out his friends are getting ready to surprise him, but after their first outing together, he realizes that a lot has changed. Even with this new distance between them, Dustin still does everything in his power to save them in the great battle at Starcourt Mall.

5. WORST: Needy

Sometimes Dustin just needs to calm down. He's good at giving advice like this to Steve, saying that he shouldn't worry so much about what others think - but Dustin doesn't always follow his own good advice.

In the first season, he overcompensated sometimes and tries too hard to make jokes and get his friends' attention. In season 2, he's obsessed with getting Max to like him, but she prefers Lucas, who is a little less full-on. Nevertheless, Dustin can remain calm when it matters most.

4. BEST: Level-Headed

Of all the characters of the show, Dustin might just be the most levelheaded, which doesn't make sense at first. He's always trying to make a joke out of everything, and he seems to be the clumsiest of the group.

But in tough situations, Dustin is the person to count on to keep calm. He considers things from all points of view, using a step-by-step logical thought process - most of the time, anyway.

3. WORST: Neutral

Levelheadedness may be a good thing in tricky situations, but sometimes his neutral stance doesn't help. When the group needs to come to a decision, Dustin prefers to keep his thoughts to himself and let the others figure it out.

Usually, this results in a fight between Lucas and Mike, who are constantly at odds with each other. If Dustin could firmly decide on his own opinion, the group may not end up in so much trouble all the time. At least, it would save the Party some time.

2. BEST: Peaceful

Neutrality isn't always a good trait to have, but Dustin's desire to keep the peace is probably the most admirable thing about him. It's this peacekeeping quality that sets him apart from all of the other characters.

He is only truly happy when all of his friends are getting along. This is why the group's dissolution hurts him, even if it's temporary. All throughout the season, Dustin maintains the peace between his various groups of friends, which makes him the kindest and most mature character of the kids.

1. WORST: Dishonest

In season 2, Dustin makes the very big mistake of adopting a supernatural creature. He thinks it's cute and puts it in a little enclosure in his bedroom, but it quickly grows to become a demodog. Dustin doesn't tell anyone about this because he knows it's wrong, but the lie soon spirals out of control when Dart is on the loose and killing local housecats.

It's not long before Dart threatens them in an even bigger way, and Dustin has completely mismanaged the situation. He lies to his mother, who is grieving their cat's death, and to all of his friends. Every Party member knows that the first rule in friendship is that friends don't lie.

Originally shared with ScreenRant.