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Tommy H, portrayed by Chester Rushing, is a recurring character from the first and second seasons of Stranger Things; he also appears in the novel, Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus.

Tommy was a student at Hawkins High School who dated Carol Perkins in 1983. Though Tommy and Carol were friends with Steve Harrington, the friend group fell apart due to the situation with Steve's then-girlfriend, Nancy Wheeler. By 1984, the status of Tommy and Carol's relationship was unclear, though both apparently befriended Billy Hargrove.

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Who portrays the character Tommy H in Stranger Things? toggle section
The character Tommy H in Stranger Things is portrayed by the American actor and musician Chester Rushing.
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What is the relationship between Tommy H and Carol Perkins in Stranger Things? toggle section
In the Stranger Things series, Tommy H and Carol Perkins are in a romantic relationship. They started dating in 1983 when they were both students at Hawkins High School. Despite some uncertainties about the status of their relationship by 1984, they remained a significant part of each other's lives.
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How did Tommy H's friendship with Steve Harrington change over the course of Stranger Things? toggle section
Tommy H, a character from Stranger Things, had a complex relationship with Steve Harrington. They were best friends at Hawkins High School, but their friendship took a turn when Steve's girlfriend, Nancy Wheeler, became distant after her best friend's disappearance. When Steve cut ties with him, Tommy's fondness of Steve turned to resentment at his change of heart. This change in their relationship was a significant plot point in the series, showcasing the evolving dynamics between the characters.
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What happened to Tommy H and Carol's relationship in Stranger Things season 2? toggle section
In Stranger Things season 2, the status of Tommy H and Carol's relationship was unclear. While they were dating in the previous season, their relationship status in the second season was not explicitly addressed. However, it was shown that both Tommy and Carol had apparently befriended Billy Hargrove.
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How does Tommy H's character contribute to the overall plot of Stranger Things? toggle section
Tommy H, portrayed by Chester Rushing, is a significant character in the Netflix original series Stranger Things. He is known for his relationship with Carol Perkins and his complex relationship with Steve Harrington, who was once his best friend but later became his enemy. Tommy H's character adds a layer of complexity to the social dynamics of Hawkins High, particularly in his interactions with other characters like Billy Hargrove and Nancy Wheeler. His character contributes to the overall plot by influencing the actions and decisions of these main characters, thereby driving the story forward.
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History[]

Background[]

Tommy was a student at Hawkins High. He dated Carol Perkins, and was a best friend of Steve Harrington and Nicole. According to classmate Barbara Holland, Carol and Tommy had been "having sex since, like, seventh grade".

1983[]

On November 8, 1983, Carol and Tommy went to a pool party at Steve's house, with Steve, Steve's new girlfriend Nancy Wheeler, and Barbara Holland, Nancy's best friend.

The same group of teens - minus Barb, who had mysteriously vanished - hung out together at school in the days after the party. Nancy, however, became concerned about Barb's disappearance, and gradually became less active in the group.

When Jonathan Byers was revealed to have been at the scene of the party, hiding in the foliage and taking photographs, Tommy, Steve, and Carol broke his camera and tore up his photographs.

When Steve decided to check up on Nancy after the camera incident, Tommy and Carol teased him for caring about Nancy. They drove to the Wheeler's house, where Steve got out and climbed up the roof, aiming to enter Nancy's bedroom via the window. Steve saw Nancy and Jonathan together, and mistakenly came to the conclusion that they were sleeping together.

The next day, Steve, Tommy, Carol, and Nicole graffitied abusive, obscene slurs against the walls of the Hawk Theater. This led to a fist-fight between Jonathan and Steve, which left Steve with a black eye and a bloody face. The police came to the scene to stop the fight, but Steve, Tommy, Carol, and Nicole escaped.

While outside a gas station, Steve decided to turn his back on Tommy and Carol, deeming them to be "assholes" and regretted letting them spray-paint the marquee. After Tommy threatened to fight him, Steve got in his car and drove off to apologize to Nancy and Jonathan.

1984[]

After the arrival of Billy Hargrove, Tommy quickly became friends with him, as Billy outdid Steve in terms of popularity. At Tina's Halloween Party, he dressed up as Johnny Lawrence from The Karate Kid.

Two days later, Tommy belittled and ridiculed Steve after Nancy dumped him, laughing when Steve suddenly became aware that Nancy had gone off with Jonathan.

1985[]

In 1985, Steve told Robin that Tommy H would have made fun of Steve and Steve would not be prom king if he had dated her in High School.

Personality[]

Tommy, like his girlfriend, Carol, is shown to be very shallow and mean-spirited, never missing an opportunity to ridicule Steve about his relationship with Nancy, ultimately resulting in Steve falling out with him.

He is particularly nasty to Jonathan Byers, making rude comments about his missing brother Will, speculating that Jonathan may have killed him. There seems to be no redeeming qualities about Tommy, being depicted as a one-dimensional bully. He is shown to be completely indifferent and unsympathetic about the disappearance of Barbara Holland.

The only thing that Tommy did that could amount to an act of decency was during the fight between Jonathan and Steve. After initially goading Steve on to beat up Jonathan, Tommy soon realized that Steve was losing the fight badly, and was taking a severe beating from Jonathan. This prompted Tommy to attempt to intervene on Steve’s behalf, trying to pull Jonathan away and even plead with Jonathan to ease up as “[Steve] has had enough”. This act of decency, however, was quickly undone mere hours later. Although Tommy bought Steve painkillers and soda to ease the latter’s injuries, Tommy reminded him that Steve owed him money for this. Then when Steve called his friends out for being jerks, Tommy instantly turns on Steve, threatening to beat him up worse than what Jonathan did.

It can be inferred that despite Tommy’s hatred of Jonathan Byers, he still acknowledged that Jonathan was a dangerous fighter and hence, it is unlikely that Tommy would ever have considered fighting Jonathan. Thus, despite Tommy accusing Steve of running away, it proves that ironically, Tommy is truly a coward in contrast to Steve who proved himself to be brave after all.

Relationships[]

Appearances[]

Season One appearances
The Vanishing of Will Byers The Weirdo on Maple Street Holly, Jolly The Body
The Flea and the Acrobat The Monster The Bathtub The Upside Down
Season Two appearances
MADMAX Trick or Treat, Freak The Pollywog
Will the Wise Dig Dug The Spy
The Lost Sister The Mind Flayer The Gate

Gallery[]

View Gallery For this subject's gallery, see Tommy H/Gallery.


Trivia[]

Tommy's surname[]

Due to the wiki's rules surrounding canonicity, Tommy is simply listed as "Tommy H".[canon-rationale 1]

General[]

  • In the Hawkins High School Yearbook, Tommy declines to name a favorite subject, saying "they're all equally good for sleeping". His career goal is to be Mayor. He is shown to be a "Class Clown".
  • According to Chester Rushing on social media, he played Tommy as having had romantic feelings for Steve, which played into Tommy’s anger and resentment when Steve cut ties with him.[1]
  • Tommy and Carol are the first couple on the show to be bullies; the second being Angela and Jake.

References

CanonCanon hierarchy[]

  1. Multiple Tier 3 sources give Tommy two different surnames. Since these sources are equally weighted, the page has been renamed "Tommy H", for simplicity's sake.
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