Summary
If I can make one prediction aboutNetflix’sStranger Thingsseason 5, it’s that I truly have no idea what’s coming next. WhileI know that Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) will defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) because the alternative seems impossible, that’s about all I can guess. I’m sure that the Duffer Brothers will give fans a memorable and intense final eight episodes, althoughit’ll be tough to wait when season 5 is released in three parts.
I loved the moving and action-packed fourth season of the hit series, and I hope thatStranger Thingsseason 5 has a similar tone. However, there’s one part of last season that I can’t stop thinking about, and I really hope that the final season avoids going down the same road.
I’m Still Upset About Eddie Munson’s Stranger Things Season 4 Death And Think Season 5 Needs To Avoid Killing Off Popular Characters
OneStranger Thingsseason 4 new character made an impact on me, and that wasrebellious, musical, and smart Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). BeforeEddie’s upsetting final scene when the Demobats kill him, he’s a kind but misunderstood teenager who just wants a friend. It’s hard not to feel sympathetic for Eddie and the way that the entire town has turned on him. I cheered watching Eddie and the younger characters, like Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), bond, and I hoped he would have a happy ending.
WhileI appreciate that Eddie makes the ultimate sacrifice and dies a hero, I’m still not okay with it.Stranger Thingsseason 4 had a lot going on, includingthe moving storyline about Max Mayfield’s (Sadie Sink)grief over her brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery). If Eddie lived, those nine episodes would still have been powerful.
Sure, some might say that Eddie became a replacement for Steve Harrington (Joe Kerry) as he and Dustin bonded and grew close while investigating the Upside Down and the evil in Hawkins. If Eddie lived and became part ofStranger Thingsseason 5, he might force Steve and Dustin to grow apart, which many fans wouldn’t want to see. However, I like thatEddie finally formed some genuine friendships, and I think that speaks to the overall theme of the Duffer Brothers series. While I’m unsure if Eddie would have enough to do in the final season, I would have at least liked to know that he’s okay. Maybe he could have moved away from Hawkins and found happiness, but his death is tough to accept.
Although it would be great if the new season were inspired by season 4 andused a song as perfectly haunting as Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,“I don’t think that season 5 should feature a death that is as emotional as Eddie’s.
While I understand thatsome characters likely have to die inStranger Thingsseason 5, especially since there will be a huge battle against Vecna, I think thatonly new characters whom fans aren’t invested in yet should be killed. Otherwise, the final season could end up being disappointing, which would be a shame after sucha lengthy wait for the last eight episodes. Personally, if kind and goofy Steve or charming Dustin were killed off, I would be too upset and distracted to enjoy the rest of the season.
The Stranger Things Series Finale Can Be Moving Without Major Deaths
Several cast members have referred to theStranger Thingsseries finale as “emotional,” andDavid Harbour called it “satisfying,“which is great to hear.Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos called it “emotional"as well, and I would argue thatthe last episode can still be moving and memorable without killing off the people fans have been following for a decade now.
Maybe there will be one last montage set to a great 1980s song that explains the conclusion of each character arc, or perhaps Eleven and her friends will stand in Hawkins ready for whatever is next. I’m sure that many fans will tear up at least a few times duringStranger Thingsseason 5, and the series finale can be well-crafted, haunting, and intense without any big deaths.
