What exactly is it that draws countless fans to Stranger Things’ Steve Harrington? Is it just the hair? The spiked bat?

To discover how a character who started out as the stereotypical douchey jock could ever hold such a dear place in fans’ hearts, we need to return to season one. We must go back to the fateful moment Steve picked up that nail-studded baseball bat and charged at a monster. It was there in Will’s house that we saw the beginnings of the self-sacrificing Steve to come.

In season two, Steve becomes a babysitter for the four boys who’ve already won the audience’s heart. He looks after all of them, in a way that we as viewers wish we could. The bond between Steve and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) in particular brings together two unlikely friends through witty banter and surprising chemistry. Their walk down those Stand By Me-style train tracks is hands down one of the season’s most memorable moments.

It’s not just the steep hairdo or actor Joe Keery’s on-screen charisma that makes Steve so likeable, but rather the mother within him. With every defensive swing and protective arm thrown in front of Dustin or the other kids viewers are coaxed deeper into recognition of Steve’s true calling. The very last scene, where Steve drops Dustin off at the dance after helping the younger boy get ready, only cements his rightful place as Stranger Things’ Best Mom: the kind of character we should all aspire to be.