Losing a beloved fictional character can be devastating. For certain fans of Netflix’s Stranger Things, the Season 4 finale is still a source of deep sadness. On TikTok, some fans are so penniless that they come up with theories about how one character in particular might come back after seemingly dead.
Call it creativity. Call it the first phase in Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s five stages of grieving. Anyway, there’s some desperate thrashing in the hopes that this one character might live another day in Hawkins. After all, it wouldn’t be the first fake out to pull the show.
Of all the theories, however, there is one that contains a grain of logic, even if there is still a lot of denial. Read on at your own risk. Major spoilers ahead.
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Wake up Eddie
No doubt Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) – the D&D-loving, Lord of the Rings reference, metalhead with a heart of gold, was the breakout character of the season. Eddie is falsely accused of the death of cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham (Grace Van Dien), and he teams up with Hawkins’ kids to protect the city.
Unfortunately, my dear Eddie doesn’t make it. While he captures the attention of the demobats and stands his ground to give his friends enough time to attack the murderous Vecna elsewhere in Upside Down, the bats overwhelm him and he dies in Dustin’s arms.
It’s a real waterworks feast, to be honest.
Afterward, no one seemed too shocked at Eddie’s death except Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo). TikTok is a different story. No shortage of tribute. Sad music in montages of clips from the season. People left comments like, “I couldn’t stop crying,” “I actually cried at this death scene,” and “stunned he couldn’t stay longer.” TikTok clips about Eddie’s lost future — finally graduating, having kids, seeing Lord of the Rings at the theater.
@leahmunsoncc i’m devastated and i’m still crying 🙁 #eddiemunson#eddiemunsonedit#eddiemunsonstrangerthings#eddiemunsondeath#eddiemunsonsad#eddiemunsonedits#eddiemunson❤️#sadedit#sad#fyp#viral#edit#edits♬ eddie viver does it!! thinking of him#strangerthings#strangerthings4#strangerthingsedit#eddiemunson#eddiemunsonedit#eddiemunsonstrangerthings#strangerthingsfan#eddiemunsonedits#strangerthingsseason4♬ original sound – [email protected] YUP.theshireisburning#josephquinn♬ original sound – anna
How Eddie Could Return in Season 5
Since the internet is the internet, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly who first put forth this fan theory about how Eddie might come back in season 5.
On TikTok, user @.dizay posted an idea that sounds somewhat plausible, which was then fleshed out by @paulruddfanclub in a video with over 2.7 million views.
@.dizay in the beginning until I started thinking… #fyp#strangerthings#strangerthings4#eddiemunson#vecna#foryoupage#josephquinn#dufferbrothers♬ original sound – paulruddfanclub
It goes like this: D&D character Kas the Bloody-Handed was a resurrected lieutenant of Vecna who turned on Vecna and killed him. He also happened to be a vampire. The theory then follows the traditional idea that (vampire) bat bites can turn humans into vampires, and Eddie was bitten by demobats. On TikTok, some have pointed out that Steve Harrington was also bitten, but defenders of the theory say he would have had to die to come back as a vampire. And Eddie died.
Kas and Eddie also share a few similarities, which fans hope heralds Eddie’s return. First off, Kas uses a sword and shield, which Eddie more or less used (though technically he was holding a spear, if you want to get picky about it). TikToker @jadenbricker also pointed out the random sword that Hawkins Police Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) picked up in a scene shortly before Eddie’s death. (That sword, by the way, is the one from the Conan movies.) Eddie also has bat tattoos on his arm, which some think has a related meaning. In addition, the Hellfire Club called Kas in the game they played earlier in the season.
The comment section on @paulruddfanclub’s video is over 11,000 deep.
“For my own sanity, I am now going to fully believe this theory,” one wrote.
Another said, “MANIFEST IT MANIFY IT.”
And another doesn’t mind the fake-out: “I normally hate it when movies and shows come back to deaths, but I would totally accept this, especially if Eddie kills Vecna himself.”
Is Eddie really dead?
Hi. In your heart? Never. Showrunners the Duffer Brothers seem to love foreshadowing and have certainly fooled the public before. But in an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz asked, “Eddie Munson? Officially dead?” To which one brother replied, “yes,” and the other said, “unfortunately, yes.” Later in the interview, they talked about how Eddie was always designed as a tragic character. Even if he had survived the Upside Down, there wouldn’t be much future for him in a city that saw him as a Satan-worshipping killer. The odds seem slim that he will get his happy and happy ending.
However, Ross Duffer told Collider that season 5’s writers’ room doesn’t start until August. There may still be time to write to your senator and demand justice for Eddie.