Stranger Things has a cruel tradition of introducing new and endearing characters, only to have them meet untimely ends. Whether it was Sean Astin’s Bob getting eaten alive or the assassination of Alec Utgoff, everyone’s favourite Soviet scientist, by his own people – the Duffer brothers just can’t help bumping them off. Last season it was Eddie Munson, portrayed by fan-favourite Joseph Quinn.
Eddie’s tragic end, being attacked by Demobats as he played Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’, was a poignant moment for fans. A misunderstood outsider, Eddie’s sacrifice for the same people who ostracized him was a testament to his character’s depth. As Quinn put it, it was “a level of heroism that’s kind of hard to comprehend.”
Speaking with the RadioTimes, Quinn expressed contentment with Eddie’s character arc, appreciating the depth and closure he received. However, despite doubting any proper return from the grave, he didn’t hesitate to suggest how Eddie might still feature in the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things.
Expanding on a discussion he’d had with Joe Keery (who plays Steve Harrington), Quinn proposed that Eddie could reappear in season five as a “figment” of Dustin’s (played by Gaten Matarazzo) imagination.
Based on what we’ve seen in the show, this wouldn’t be entirely out of character – we’ve seen a moment (albeit brief) where Joyce (played by Winona Ryder) reminisced about Astin’s character, with him appearing in a dream-like sequence.
If not through this imaginative angle, then Quinn emphasized the importance at least of Hawkins’ citizens recognizing Eddie’s sacrifice – a clearing of his name. “He made the ultimate sacrifice for a town that thought he was a monster,” Quinn remarked.
As much as we’d like to see Eddie return as an ethereal friend that only Dustin could see, it’s probably more important that his memory be honoured, his sacrifice acknowledged, and the guitar-shredding teenager’s legacy as a hero remembered forever. Only time will tell.
