First of all, of course there will be Stranger Things spoilers in here so if you’ve either never seen Stranger Things or haven’t finished season 2, catch the heck up!! Second, Dustin Henderson is an American treasure.
A sweet little eighth grader that I hope my future child will be like. Let me just lay out the obvious reasons for you.
1. He persists through a difficult disorder.
Like the actor who portrays him in real life, Gaten Matarazzo, Dustin has a disorder called Cleidocranial Dysplasia. This disorder is characterized by abnormal development of the collarbone and head.
This means that he is missing some of his front teeth and his collarbone is not fully developed but does that stop sweet Dustin from living his life? No. He is willing to explain his unique situation to all the unwoken haters he has. Plus he gives an important voice to those who have this same disorder.
2. He’s super empathetic, even if it’s ill-advised.
Sure, maybe he decided to take care of a baby Demogorgon. Yes said demo baby may have eaten his cat. That doesn’t stop Dustin from loving his pet Dart through the end. When he and his merry band of misfits went to the upside down to stop the shadow monster from taking over the world he still offered his beloved pet his favorite snack, Milky Ways.
He also helped keep a strange quiet girl secret from the rest of his community out of respect for his friend Mike. All and all the kind of friend we should all want.
3. He as a precious potty mouth.
There is nothing cuter than hearing a child say "shit" or "son of a bitch." If you don’t believe me, look at how Dustin tries to curse. He doesn’t fully know how to use those words, but he still does and it is precious.
4. He constantly pursues knowledge.
When his friends need to know about a sensory deprivation tank, Dustin knows who to call: his science teacher Mr. Clarke. When said science teacher is hesitant about giving them the information they need he blurts the most iconic line from season 1 “why are you keeping this curiosity door locked?”
Sure this was to help find his friend Will, but in season 2 he checks out books about distinct species. He is told by the librarian that he has too many books checked out. He counters this by saying he needs his “paddles” to go down his curiosity voyage. This kid loves learning. It’s so wonderful.
5. He knows what matters most: food and friendship.
Dustin cares about his friends, even when they come from strange places. Elle came from an experimental lab and possesses X-Men type abilities, yet Dustin is friends with her. In fact, he is the one who said the iconic line “You better run! She’s our friend and she’s crazy!” He also became friends with everyone’s favorite Dad Steve Herrington.
He gives Steve tough love about Nancy going on her own adventures with Jonathan and looks out for him when he is about to be attacked by demidogs. Most important, he found the chocolate pudding in the school cafeteria and let everyone know about it. Clearly, he has his priorities straight.
In conclusion, Dustin is the child we should all strive to have our humans be like someday. He is kind, loyal, funny, and persists through difficult situations. So, don’t forget sweet Dustin. You have a lot of moms and dads out there that will give a stern talking to the girls who deny you a dance at the snowball dance.
