Dustin and Steve are fighting in Stranger Things season 5 because Dustin is drowning in unresolved grief and guilt (mainly over Eddie’s death), shuts Steve out, and keeps lashing out at him until Steve finally snaps back. Their usual “big brother–little brother” banter has curdled into real hurt, with Dustin undermining Steve and Steve responding with frustration, jealousy, and fear for Dustin’s safety.

What’s going on between them?

  • Dustin refuses Steve’s help even when he’s clearly in danger, lies about being hurt, and is openly rude or cruel to Steve in most of their season 5 interactions.
  • Steve, who used to be Dustin’s go-to protector, feels rejected and unappreciated, so his worry comes out as harsh lectures, anger, and the sense that he has “had enough” of being talked down to.
  • Fans point out that Dustin has been undermining and insulting Steve for a long time, so by season 5 Steve finally pushes back instead of just laughing it off.

The Eddie factor

  • A lot of viewers and articles tie the fight back to Eddie Munson’s death: Dustin carries massive guilt and grief and seems to project that pain onto Steve.
  • Because Steve survived and Eddie didn’t, Dustin turns his anger and self-blame into resentment toward Steve, even though Steve is one of the people who cares about him most.
  • That’s why Dustin is “extra” mean to Steve specifically, pushing him away harder than the others, while Steve can’t understand why he’s suddenly the bad guy.

How the show frames their conflict

  • The writing leans into heightened drama: instead of their usual heartwarming duo, season 5 shows escalating arguments, mutual insults, and a sense that their bond might actually break.
  • Some reviewers argue the show overdoes the conflict, blaming a mix of Dustin’s grief and Steve’s jealousy/protectiveness for creating a rift that feels almost “unfixable” in Part 1.
  • At the same time, trailers and coverage highlight their “you die, I die” callbacks, hinting that their relationship is still deep underneath the fighting and may be tested in life‑or‑death stakes later in the season.

How fans are reacting

  • On forums, a lot of people are frustrated, saying Steve’s harsher attitude feels out of character and that they “miss their dynamic,” while others defend him and say he finally has a right to stand up for himself.
  • Others are more critical of Dustin, noting his constant put-downs, lies, and reckless behavior, but still sympathize because he’s a teenager in serious trauma and the show is clearly using that to drive the conflict.
  • Overall vibe: viewers see it as a painful rough patch rather than a simple petty fight, rooted in grief, fear, and miscommunication more than actual hatred.

TL;DR: They’re not just randomly beefing; Dustin’s unresolved grief and guilt plus his habit of pushing Steve away collide with Steve’s fear, jealousy, and hurt pride, turning their usual playful dynamic into a serious, emotionally messy fight.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.