DISCLAIMER: This article contains “Stranger Things” volume one spoilers, so don’t read unless you’ve already watched it.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — The Netflix original series “Stranger Things” has enticed viewers with it’s gruesome monsters, creative storylines and plot twists since its release in 2016. With the latest episode instalment on Thanksgiving having no major character deaths, fans of the show are preparing and predicting for the next victim of the Upside Down. Characters mentioned, due to a space constraint, are just my favorites or people who, like Robin, I think will definitely die.
The creators of the show and twins, the Duffer Brothers, have already publicly said that there will be a death each season and the actors have all said they’re happy with how the show ends so now it´s up to fans to guess what´s happening next!
Dustin Henderson
Personally, Dustin Henderson is one of my favorite characters and another fan favorite who I am remaining hopeful will survive this season. The government does not want him and does not have any circumstances other than being involved in the core group of citizens, who are fighting Vecna. Unlike other characters like Lucas or Max, who are in a romantic relationship and are more likely to die due to their circumstances, Dustin seems relatively safe. If Dustin were to die it would be an unnecessary death created just for the point of killing a character.
Vecna
When everyone’s discussing their theories about who is going to die, they seem to exclude Vecna, the most likely candidate. Henry Creel, turned 001 in Hawkins Lab, then turned into Vecna by Eleven seems most likely to die or be permanently banished to another realm in the Upside Down this season.
In an interview, Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers, responded to an interview question saying that Vecna was the most misunderstood character on the show and was then immediately shot down by costar Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), signifying that this is likely a spoiler and something will be revealed in the volume two finale about Vecna’s past.
The characters spent the majority of the season tracking down Vecna to kill him, but have yet to find him. Whatever happens in this next episode, it is apparent that the protagonist will likely defeat Vecna at whatever cost.
Eleven and Will Byers
Will suddenly has new powers and has been a consistent target of the Upside Down since the first episode, so his death might be the logical conclusion that the show needs. As they’re both arguably the two most major characters in the show, one one of them should die and since all the chaos in Hawkins began when Eleven arrived in Hawkins it’s also arguable that the conclusion of the show would also have her death.
However, notably, Eleven isn’t being hunted by anyone in the Upside Down so far this season, her biggest threat is the government who she has been evading capture from during the months that jumped between season four and season five so even though it seems less likely, maybe Will is going to be the one to die.
Nancy, Holly and Mike Wheeler
The Wheeler family has been through too much so killing Nancy Wheeler seems unnecessary. Vecna has already possessed her mind so she could be another victim but as far as it’s been revealed that Vecna’s primary victims are children so Nancy seems safe. However, I can see herself sacrificing her life to save her sister, Holly, who is trapped upside down. Overall, I think anyone in the Wheeler family is safe.
Steve Harrington and Jonathan Byers
I’m naturally placing Jonathan and Steve against each other because of the love triangle they have with Nancy, which makes me think the Duffer Brothers will choose to kill one of them. Currently, she´s dating Jonathan and he’s already gotten a ring for her, but it seems unlikely she will say yes without resolving tension with Steve. I feel like this could potentially be done by putting them in a life or death situation where both of them, in their rivalry, fight to save her.
Steve is too much of a fan favorite to die, making Jonathan a likely candidate. He doesn’t have any specific strengths that would make him important to keep around, so his death wouldn´t be a loss to the show that would impact others’ survival.
Robin Buckley
I’m not sure if Robin Buckley will die but she’s valuable enough to the fan base that her death would create some outraged fans (including me) but wouldn’t involve killing any of the core characters as she wasn’t introduced until season three.
Buckley currently has a girlfriend and “Stranger Things” is no stranger to killing off significant others, as seen with Bob, Joyce Byers’ boyfriend who died at the end of season two. I think that the Duffer Brothers will kill off Robin’s girlfriend at the end of volume two to give her a passion to fight in the Upside Down where she too will eventually die.
Max Mayfield
Despite the danger Max is obviously in, ironically she seems like the least likely to die. If she was going to die the Duffer Brothers likely would have killed her at the end of season four. It also seems unlikely that they would want to give Max a new story line where she’s trapped in Vecna’s memories while also helping Holly only to kill her later. Also, Mayfield is my favorite character, so I’m clinging on to all hope that she won´t die.
Summary
Logically, if Delightful Derek dies, I will be canceling my Netflix subscription and you will find me returning from break to write his eulogy. Also, if Steve dies, Nancy ends up with Jonathan or Dustin is dead at the end of the season, I will be throwing popcorn at the screen and you will find me creating a petition and starting a GoFundMe to rewrite and film the season to save these beloved characters and rescue Nancy from the arms of Jonathan.
Make sure to stream volume two on Dec. 25 and the finale episode on Dec. 31, which you can even go and see in theaters!
