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Stranger Things Season 5’s Best New Character Could Break a 9-Year-Old Series Tradition
Stranger Things Season 5’s best new character could break a 9-year-old series trend — one that’s caused a whole lot of pain over its first four seasons. After Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 revealed Vecna’s true plan for Holly and the other kids, as well as the nature of the Upside Down, the show’s final episode is all that’s left. Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2. It will task the Hawkins gang with defeating Vecna once and for all, and it will sever the connection between their world and the Abyss (assuming all goes according to plan, anyway). The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been, and the group will likely face unexpected challenges during the final episodes. They may even need to make sacrifices in order to win.
Although a surprisingly small number of characters die during Stranger Things Season 5’s first two volumes, it seems inevitable that someone will perish in the feature-length series finale. In a perfect world, Vecna and Dr. Kay would be the only ones whose lives are on the line. However, killing the show’s heroes would be far more impactful. And the look on Dustin’s face during Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 3’s trailer suggests that at least one of our favorites is in danger. It’s more likely to be a well-established side character or lead, though, which breaks a long-running tradition for the Netflix show.
Stranger Things Has Made a Tradition of Killing New & Beloved Supporting Characters
Stranger Things has a tendency to kill beloved supporting characters before their stories get very far, starting with Barb back in Season 1. Barb only appears in a few scenes before she becomes a casualty of the Upside Down. However, those were enough to get viewers to rally behind her, demanding “Justice for Barb.” And her death kicks off a series-long tradition of killing popular newcomers after just a season or two. Bob Newby, Billy Hargrove, and Eddie Munson are all examples. Through their deaths, these supporting players give Stranger Things greater stakes while breaking our hearts. They also ensure the series doesn’t need to part with its core characters too soon.
But with the Netflix show coming to a close, it doesn’t have to worry about bidding farewell to its leads any longer. It won’t need to deal with the fallout of losing them, and it makes sense from an emotional standpoint to take a bigger swing. Plus, while there are several established supporting players the series could do away with, there’s only one new side character in the spotlight this season. He is the best addition in Season 5, and his death would be tragic — but it also seems incredibly unlikely.
Season 5’s Delightful Derek Could Break the Netflix Series’ 9-Year Streak
The most obvious supporting character who could uphold Stranger Things‘ tradition of killing new fan-favorites is Derek Turnbow, and he seems very unlikely to die in Volume 3. Although Derek is introduced to us as “Dips*** Derek,” he really starts to live up to his new nickname — Delightful Derek — as we get to know him. He proves braver and more resourceful than he originally gets credit for. And even his sassiest moments are fantastic; they’ve rapidly made him one of the best characters of the season. (Who else could hit Vecna with a “your mom” joke and get away with it?)
And Derek could technically uphold Stranger Things‘ longstanding tradition, as he’s one of the kids that Vecna kidnaps, and thus, is in danger. However, it’s hard to imagine the Netflix series going so far as to kill off a young kid, especially one so endearing to the fans and the other characters. It would be a bummer of an ending, especially with Will feeling so responsible for the children in Vecna’s grasp. If I had to guess, I’d say Holly Wheeler and all her classmates are safe. If any supporting players are likely to perish, my bet’s on Mr. Clarke, Kali, or Vickie — and I hope I’m wrong about all of them. And given what’s been set up so far, the show may forgo its supporting character death altogether. Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 3 may be gunning for a bigger tragedy in its final showdown.
Stranger Things May Be Gunning for Bigger Deaths in Its Final Season
Stranger Things Season 5 may not bother killing off a supporting character like Derek, as it’s already setting up a much larger death: Eleven. Kali is trying to convince the show’s heroine to sacrifice herself and break the cycle. And while I’d hate to see it play out that way, there’s no denying Kali’s logic is sound. If Eleven doesn’t die in the finale, there’s every chance that Hawkins will remain vulnerable to the Abyss. Eleven will also continue to be hunted, as the government shows no sign of ending its mission to create more kids like her and Henry. Killing Eleven or another lead also makes sense in terms of impact, as it would pack a stronger punch during the final episode. It would be nice to avoid the devastation completely, but if anyone dies, it will probably be her or a side character who’s been around for a while.
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