#i saw someone say a core trait for Robin's character in s3 was her confidence. which seems to be gone in s4

[the-lark-ascending69]

Another take regarding my rewatch... s3 Robin and s4 Robin are not different people. She's still a snarky little shit (see Steve freaking out about spiders and Robin telling him he won't be able to find the nest until they hatch and all the baby spiders come out, to which Steve and Nancy respond by saying she has problems). She calls Dustin and Max toddlers, makes fun of Steve, etc. She just insults him a bit less because now she actually holds a little bit of respect for him.

You also have to consider Robin spent all of s3 with two teenage boys and a neoliberal 10yo with even more snark than her. No wonder she'd spend all day making fun of them. But now, now she gets to interact with girls. You may think Robin being worried about annoying Nancy and seeking approval from her is ooc because annoying Steve was her life purpose in s3, but I think her concern is not being annoying. She said it in s3, she was desperate for Tammy to like her and heartbroken when she didn't. She also said she deep down wanted to be accepted. Robin wants approval and acceptance from people she likes and respects, especially if they're girls. That's not a contradiction, that's character depth. But the show trusts people to understand that without having Robin look into the camera and say "i behave in different ways with a known douchebag i don't trust than I do with a girl I like and respect" so that might go over some people's heads