Stranger Things Season 5 will bring the Netflix series to a close after nine years, and as the November 26 release of the first four episodes approaches, it’s time to start worrying about our favorite characters. Thus far, most of the show’s deaths have been limited to newer players, like Bob Newby (Sean Astin) and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). That could change in the final batch of episodes. Fans are predicting Stranger Things will kill off at least a few main characters, and with such a large cast, that’s a reasonable assumption.
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Unfortunately, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) are top candidates, as they’re the two people most likely to defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). But after rewatching Stranger Things in its entirety, I’m scared for two fan-favorites heading into the final season. Fans on social media are already threatening to rage-quit the show if anything happens to either of them. And an overlooked Stranger Things Season 3 scene ties their fates together, meaning both could perish in the final chapter.
This Stranger Things Moment Makes Me Worried Dustin and Steve Will Die in Season 5
Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) are individually popular among Stranger Things fans, but the hilarious and charming bond they forge over the course of the show is even more beloved. It’s the last friendship you’d expect, given that Steve starts out as one of the popular kids, while Dustin and his friends struggle to fit in. That’s precisely why it works, though, with their Season 2 alliance proving such differences don’t matter as much as they believe.
And the two are even closer in Season 3, which is how they end up trapped — alongside Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) and Erica Sinclair (Priah Ferguson) — in a Russian military base beneath Starcourt Mall. Revisiting this storyline, I’ve realized the series ties their fates together through a scene that initially is played for laughs. In Stranger Things Season 3, Episode 4, Steve tells the group to stand back when opening a mysterious box in the underground facility. Robin and Erica oblige, but Dustin refuses. “If you die, I die,” he tells Steve, resulting in a hilariously awkward silence.
On a second viewing, I’m concerned this line could foreshadow Steve and Dustin’s deaths later on. Dustin is clearly willing to stay by Steve’s side, even in the face of danger, and that could result in both of them becoming casualties of Vecna. The Stranger Things Season 5 trailer even shows an emotional hug between Dustin and Steve, and they look pretty devastated. There are a number of things they could be reacting to, but killing one or both of them makes perfect sense from a writing perspective.
Dustin & Steve’s Deaths Would Make Perfect Sense for the Final Season
Dustin and Steve dying in Stranger Things Season 5 makes sense on a storytelling level, both because of their individual journeys and because of the response it would get from audiences. In terms of character arcs, they both make solid candidates. Dustin being gone would put the group at a disadvantage, as he tends to be the planner and problem solver. He’s not as critical to the story as someone like Eleven or Will, but his loss would be acutely felt. It would also give the other characters something to rally around. And his grief over Eddie makes him an ideal target for Vecna.
For Steve, death would be a fitting conclusion to his redemption arc, which started all the way back in Season 1. Steve has made up for his behavior in the first outing 10 times over, so he doesn’t need to die. However, a huge sacrifice would drive home how much he has changed. It also would bring his story full circle, and it would be especially compelling if it happened protecting the Hawkins gang. He is, after all, the designated babysitter.
From an emotional standpoint, killing either of these characters is a surefire way to ensure Stranger Things‘ final season makes an impact. Both are beloved favorites, and they’re less predictable choices than characters like Eleven and Will. Sending them off together would be especially gutting, and it would pay off the bond they’ve spent multiple seasons building. Of course, there’s a more optimistic way to do that, and I’m hoping that’s the route the writers take instead.
There’s a More Optimistic Way to Read This Overlooked Stranger Things Scene
Although revisiting Stranger Things Season 3 has reignited my fear of losing both Dustin and Steve, there’s a more generous way to interpret this moment. Dustin’s Season 4 friendship with Eddie mirrors his relationship with Steve, giving him another mentor-like figure. Dustin is left reeling when Eddie sacrifices himself for the party, and he’ll likely be grappling with that loss in Season 5. Preventing the same thing from happening to Steve could serve as a redemption of sorts. It would allow Dustin to save someone in a way he couldn’t in Season 4, alleviating his guilt and grief in the process.
After all, if Season 3’s “If you die, I die” line ties Dustin’s and Steve’s fates together, it could do so in a more positive way. It’s possible their loyalty to one another will be the reason they both survive the coming conflict, even if it puts both of them in mortal danger. And knowing Stranger Things, we can expect all of the characters to face that at some point. With any luck, Steve and Dustin will find a way to overcome it.
Which characters are you most worried about heading into Stranger Things‘ final season? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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