TV shows or movies that focus on kids rarely make death a major part of the story. Sure, there are outliers like Bridge to Terabithia, which kills off Leslie Burke in a shocking twist, but that film is very careful about how it approaches such a sensitive subject. Stranger Things, on the other hand, doesn’t care about how much it traumatizes its cast. Early in Season 1, Barb Holland, a good person who wants nothing more than to support her friend, Nancy Wheeler, dies after the Demogorgon attacks her. Bob Newby and Eddie Munson also lose their lives in the battle against the Upside Down.
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Heading into Stranger Things‘ final season, the expectation is that more characters are going to bite the dust. After all, Vecna is on the loose in Hawkins, Indiana, and he’s not going to let a bunch of snot-nosed kids ruin his plan again. Here are all of the main characters in Stranger Things, ranked by how likely they are to die in Season 5.
12) Max Mayfield
During the final battle against Vecna in Stranger Things 4, Max Mayfield acts as bait so the older kids can attack the villain in the Upside Down. Everything’s going great until Vecna catches onto the ruse and begins killing Max. He nearly succeeds, but Eleven stops him in the nick of time. After suffering serious injuries and going blind, it seems unlikely that Max will have another brush with death. That would just be cruel.
11) Dustin Henderson
Despite always being in the middle of the action, Dustin Henderson doesn’t typically find himself in grave danger. His key to success is that he always has someone older around with him, and they’re usually brave enough to fall on their sword for him. It happens with Eddie in Season 4, and it could very well happen again in Season 5 with another character on this list.
10) Lucas Sinclair
Like Dustin, Lucas Sinclair finds ways to avoid catastrophe. While he’s undoubtedly going to have his moments to shine in Season 5, his focus on Max’s safety means he probably won’t go toe-to-toe with Vecna. What’s also helping his case is that it would just be wrong to have Max recover from her injuries, only to find out that her boyfriend is gone.
9) Robin Buckley
The teenagers in Stranger Things all bite off more than they can chew. However, Robin Buckley is usually just along for the ride, not at the front of the line. She’s certainly not going to back down from any fights, but she also doesn’t have a personal enough connection to the Upside Down and Vecna to make killing her off logical.
8) Eleven
Nobody has more fish to fry in Stranger Things Season 5 than Eleven. She seems to be the key to shutting down the bridge between Hawkins and the Upside Down, which means she’s always in grave danger. The problem with taking Eleven off the board is that she’s already had a couple of fake-out deaths. Going back to the well again would be a step too far.
7) Mike Wheeler
The relationship between Eleven and Mike Wheeler is the most important one in the whole show. He’s the one who finds her in the woods in Season 1 and pushes her to be her best self in subsequent outings. While killing Mike guarantees that Eleven is off her game, it’s not going to make a lot of sense story-wise. Stranger Things is better off keeping the happy couple together.
6) Nancy Wheeler
Mike’s sister, Nancy Wheeler, has a shorter leash because she lives for danger. Every season, she grows more confident in her abilities and is always the first to volunteer for a fight. Being battle-ready means she’s not going to go down easy, but it doesn’t help her chances of making it to the end of the series.
5) Jim Hopper
The reason Jim Hopper isn’t higher on this list is that, like his adoptive daughter, Eleven, he loves to keep everyone on their toes by trying to sacrifice himself. Since Season 4 is all about bringing Hopper home, it would be a gut-punch to kill him off after all the hard work. That’s not to say it’s entirely out of the realm of possibility, though, as the Duffer brothers love to bring the pain.
4) Joyce Byers
There’s nothing in the world that Joyce Byers wants more than for her sons to be safe. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen until the Upside Down is gone for good. With her family being at the center of the story, there’s a decent chance that Joyce doesn’t make it out of Season 5 alive. She could sacrifice herself for her children, ensuring their futures and eliminating her own.
3) Steve Harrington
Since Steve Harrington’s redemption arc in Stranger Things‘ early seasons, it’s felt like he’s on borrowed time. He doesn’t have many prospects for the future and cares deeply about the children who are always in danger. All that is a recipe for disaster, but at least he has a couple of other characters ahead of him in line, people who never seem to catch a break.
2) Will Byers
The first season of Stranger Things is all about Will Byers’ disappearance, and after he comes home from the Upside Down, he’s not the same. Stranger Things has yet to reveal the full extent of Will’s ordeal, and there’s a good chance that Vecna needs him around until his work is done. However, Will may see that as an oppurtunity to save everyone because, if he’s gone, Vecna is out of luck.
1) Jonathan Byers
If Will even thinks about giving up his own life, his brother, Jonathan Byers, is going to be quick to step in and take his place. While Jonathan gets a lot of flak for being a lackluster character, he always plays the cards he’s dealt. Going into Season 5, it feels like his good fortune is going to run out because losing him would hurt, but not as much as watching some of the other characters who have more to offer depart.
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm
