'Stranger Things' Star Cara Buono on the Scene That Proves Who Are the Real Heroes in the Show

For fans of Stranger Things, Cara Buono’s Karen Wheeler has long been a source of comic relief.

Best known for being wine drunk or entertaining the affections of Billy Hargrove, Mike and Nancy’s mom is often at the center of the lighter moments in an otherwise nail-biting show. However, in season 5, Karen found herself at the center of the action while protecting her youngest daughter, Holly, from a demagorgon.

The much-talked-about moment in which Karen wields a wine bottle as a weapon and saves her daughter’s life is part of a wider narrative that exists throughout the show; moms can, and often do, do it all.

“I think the show really depicts the love and the heart and dedication of moms,” Buono tells SheKnows while breaking down the scene in the video above.

Since season one, Winona Ryder’s Joyce Byers has been a force to be reckoned with as far as parenting is concerned. She’s an overworked single mom helping her sons save the world, all while providing a supportive, safe space for them.

In season five, Buono’s character steps up to the plate, too. “[The show] puts [moms] in these extraordinary circumstances, and it just takes them to a whole new level to show that love makes you do extraordinary things,” Buono says.

For more about Karen’s fight scene, watch the video above.