Summary
- Expect unpredictability in Stranger Things season 5 with the looming battle against Vecna.
- Avoid killing off popular characters like Eddie Munson for a satisfying final season.
- The series finale can be moving without major deaths, retaining emotional impact.
If I can make one prediction about Netflix's Stranger Things season 5, it's that I truly have no idea what's coming next. While I 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, although it'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 that Stranger Things season 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.
This Stranger Things Season 5 Fan Theory Has The Perfect Idea For Each Character's Ending
What will happen after Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends face Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) once and for all in Stranger Things season 5?
I'm Still Upset About Eddie Munson's Stranger Things Season 4 Death And Think Season 5 Needs To Avoid Killing Off Popular Characters
One Stranger Things season 4 new character made an impact on me, and that was rebellious, musical, and smart Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). Before Eddie'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.
While I appreciate that Eddie makes the ultimate sacrifice and dies a hero, I'm still not okay with it. Stranger Things season 4 had a lot going on, including the 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 of Stranger Things season 5, he might force Steve and Dustin to grow apart, which many fans wouldn't want to see. However, I like that Eddie 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 and used 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 that some characters likely have to die in Stranger Things season 5, especially since there will be a huge battle against Vecna, I think that only 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 such a 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 the Stranger Things series finale as "emotional," and David Harbour called it "satisfying," which is great to hear. Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos called it "emotional" as well, and I would argue that the 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 during Stranger Things season 5, and the series finale can be well-crafted, haunting, and intense without any big deaths.
- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Cast
-
Millie Bobby BrownJane 'Eleven' Hopper -
Finn WolfhardMike Wheeler
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
- Writers
- Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
- Creator(s)
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Stranger Things Season 5 Shouldn't Kill Off Eleven (For A Few Important Reasons)
Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) has been a crucial part of Stranger Things since the hit Netflix show's first season, and her death would be terrible.