The same year he began playing Toby Damon on the tearjerker drama This Is Us, Chris Sullivan played Benny Hammond in season 1 of Netflix's Stranger Things. There were many strong minor characters in season 4 of the popular series, like Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) and Argyle (Eduardo Franco). Even though Benny only appears in the pilot episode "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers," his interactions with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) prove he is compassionate and sweet.
Benny tragically dies at the beginning of Stranger Things. From the moment that he is killed, it's clear that the search for Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is just the start of the wild mystery in Hawkins, Indiana. How does Benny Hammond die on Stranger Things and why is he such a great character?
Who Was Benny Hammond?
Benny Hammond was the owner of a diner called Benny's Burgers. Eleven meets Benny when she first shows up in Hawkins, Indiana. While it's possible to think that she comes across Will Byers's friend group first, she actually interacts with Benny before any of the other major characters. While Stranger Things season 4 has a disappointing death, Benny's death is just as upsetting and unfair.
When Benny and Eleven first start talking, Benny is worried and wants to help her. He talks to Social Services and tries to be there for her. The backstory of Eleven's Stranger Things father and mother gets explained a little later. At this point in Stranger Things, all fans know is that Eleven seems like a lost, sweet, charming, and unique girl who isn't used to trusting people.
The scenes between Benny and Eleven are brief, but they are important and interesting. Benny shows himself to be a compassionate person who feels just as isolated and misunderstood as Eleven does. He might not find out everything about her past, and he might remain fairly mysterious up until his death. But he's one of the best minor characters on Stranger Things.
How Did Benny Die In Stranger Things Season 1?
Agent Connie Frazier (Joyce Van Patten) pretends to be a Social Services employee and shows up at Benny's Burger. She shoots Benny and, sadly, he dies. Connie works with Dr. Martin Brenner, who Matthew Modine thinks is still alive. She devotes her life to ensuring that the work done at Hawkins National Lab, one of the scariest and most important settings on Stranger Things, can continue.
Because Benny wants to save Eleven from harm, his death is particularly terrible and cruel. All of the deaths on Stranger Things are violent and gruesome. This is particularly true of Eddie's passing in season 4. Eddie doesn't get enough time to shine and then he is gone too soon. Watching Benny get shot and killed is especially terrifying because there is no pretending that Hawkins is a safe and innocent place.
What Happened After Benny's Death On Stranger Things?
After Benny Hammond dies on Stranger Things, Eleven gets taken in by Will's friends Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), and Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo). At the end of the pilot episode of Stranger Things, Eleven runs into the woods, hoping to escape the agents who want to bring her back to the evil Brenner. This storyline sets up Eleven's long and beloved arc, proving that she can fight against all odds. She has an incredible amount of inner strength that is present in every scene.
Will's timeline on Stranger Things begins when he disappears in the first episode. In the second episode called "Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street," Will's friends are looking in the forest when they meet Eleven. They decide that the best thing is to ask Eleven to come to Mike's home. Eleven tells them that "bad men" want to capture her.
There are questions about whether Eleven created the Upside Down. Eleven does mention the Upside Down at this point on Stranger Things. She tells Will's friends that she knows that Will is in the Upside Down. This is useful information that allows them to begin their quest.
Benny Hammond's Stranger Things death makes Eleven realize that it can be scary to trust someone and care about them. When she meets Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and he takes her in, she is afraid and vulnerable at first. She wonders if Hopper will meet the same fate, which is understandable given the trauma that she has endured. Ultimately, Eleven realizes that it's important to have people in her life, and she learns that lesson from Benny. He shows her kindness at a crucial period. When Hopper goes missing and then survives, Eleven realizes that she won't lose everyone who means something to her. This gives her the strength to keep fighting.