Stranger Things season 3 is finally here. From the Upside Down, to Mike and co. ganging up to fight the monsters again, Season 3 shared some familiar elements with the second installment. However, one thing that saw a serious upgrade was Eleven and Max’s friendship. 

In season 2, El thinks Max and Mike are flirting with each other. Out of jealousy, she even flips her skateboard (along with Max) using her superpowers. 

But our ladies find their way to each other and basically dish us one of the sweetest friendships of the decade.

From shopping and talking about boys, to being each other’s 24×7 support system- Max and El’s friendship proves just exactly why our girlfriends are irreplaceable.

El had a really messed-up father, who basically used her for his science experiment. He kept El a secret and consequently isolated her from the entire world. In the show, El struggles to find who she actually is. She even finds her ‘lost sister’, Kali, in Season 2. But, it is actually Max who actively helps her discover the world.

1. When El breaks up with Mike, Max introduces her to the holy figure of badassery and woman power – Princess Diana AKA Wonder Woman.

2. Max teaches El that it’s okay to break ‘rules’ when they head to the mall. 

Due to her kickass superpowers, El wasn’t supposed to visit crowded places. But you know what, she’s her own person and can decide her own limits and make her own rules.

3. Max gives her a refreshing new makeover. They do a photoshoot. And basically end up having a pretty fun day at the mall.

Isolated from the world because of her powers, El was basically re-introduced to the world and all the wonderful and colourful things it has to offer by Max.

4. Our girl didn’t even know how to tell she likes something. Enter, Max. 

You just try things on. Until you find something that feels like you.

5. She gives her gem relationship advice. 

There’s more to life than stupid boys, you know.

-Max

6. She basically becomes someone who socialises her.

The breakup scene after their trip to the mall, El exactly repeats Max’s words ‘I dump your ass’.

7. They both support each other emotionally. From the beginning, Max had El’s back through a break-up and helped her figure her own life out. In a powerful finale scene, when Max loses her step-brother, Billy, to the Mind Flayer, El is there to comfort her through the shock and the pain.

8. The moment when Max tutored El about ‘good screams’ and ‘bad screams’ and El was about to spill her new-found knowledge in front of the boys had all of us (good) screaming.

We all have that girlfriend who basically taught us A-Z of sex.

9. The best part is that not once does Max force El to do something she doesn’t want to do.

10. Max has El’s back whenever Mike or someone else tries to impose their limits on her.

When the gang teams up to find the Mind Flayer, which is basically El using her superpowers to spot him, Mike votes against El exerting herself. Whereas Max asks him to let her be. She can decide her own limits.

The duo is also friends, offscreen. And it shows.

Not just these two, Stranger Things season 3 was big on woman power- from Nancy and Joyce to the new girls, Robin and Erica. If you haven’t watched the new season, then watch it for them.

Here’s to girlfriends and girl power.