Will Your Favorite Character Survive Stranger Things 5?
I have never been so terrified for a series finale in my life. Some might call me dramatic, but I argue it’s passion for the story that grew up with me. It’s truly surreal to watch Stranger Things, the seemingly never-ending story, come to an end. I vividly remember being fifteen years old and being transported to the eerie secrets of Hawkins, Indiana for the first time. Millions of fans, and I feel as if we grew up with Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, Max, and Eleven, and it’ll be an emotional final adventure. With season five coming in mere weeks, fans are anxiously speculating what beloved characters will make it to the end, and which will fall victim to Vecna’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) clutches. Let’s break down our predictions for what Stranger Things characters will survive and which ones will leave us in tears and yelling at Netflix.
Safe, Sound, And Far Away From The Upside Down
These are the characters where I’d be utterly shocked if I saw them die on my screen. Suppose Netflix chooses to get rid of any of these characters. In that case, Netflix will need to pay for the emotional whiplash that sends me to therapy.
Holly Wheeler
Vecna, what did this sweet little girl ever do to you? Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) baby sister, Holly (Nell Fisher), has been around since season one, but sparingly. Showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer previously revealed the season five titles, however, one title was purposely redacted: “The Vanishing Of _____ _____”. Clearly, we’ll learn who vanished soon, but fans are convinced the name missing is Holly Wheeler. This theory suggests the youngest Wheeler sibling will be kidnapped by Vecna, similarly to Will Byers in season one. Still, I think it’d be pretty cruel—even for the Duffer Brothers— to kill off such a young character. Holly will definitely endure a harrowing season, but she’s otherwise safe in the long run.
Erica Sinclair
This icon will be just fine! Erica (Priah Ferguson) is a force to be reckoned with. Put her in a room with Vecna for five minutes, and his ego will be in destroyed. Erica's wit, bravery, and unwavering sass has been a source of laughter since the beginning, and her sharp thinking and courage will undoubtedly be a huge asset this season. I just don’t see the purpose in killing her off.
Jim Hopper
The Duffer Brothers have broken our hearts, “killing” Hopper (David Harbour) once. I seriously doubt Netflix would pull that again. Season three ended with Hopper embracing death when his path is blocked to escape an explosion. Regardless, he miraculously survives! After making his way back to Hawkins in season four, I think it’d be horrible, and outright disrespectful, to kill the beloved Police Chief off at this point.
Mike Wheeler
Will said it best: Mike is the heart of the party. While I think that is the perfect reason to kill him off, I don’t think he’s the Wheeler we need to worry about. Mike’s relationship with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and his close-knit relationship with the party position him as a fierce protector. I think Mike’s leadership and brains will be needed until the very end. However, if Mike were to be killed off, the party would stop at nothing to avenge the heart of their group.
Lucas Sinclair
This image alone proves that Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) will be protecting a comatose Max (Sadie Sink) this season. Each trailer has shown Lucas protecting Max from Demodogs, waiting at Max’s bedside, and the latest trailer shows a terrified Lucas in a bloodstained shirt, fallen over in the tunnels, seemingly cornered by something. Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but it seems too obvious to include clips of Lucas in mortal danger if he actually dies. Plus, it looks imminent that Max will wake up. It’d be heartbreaking if Max woke up and her boyfriend, who loves her unconditionally, wasn’t there. While I think it’s possible Lucas could die protecting Max, I don’t think it’s happening.
Max Mayfield
Much like Hopper, we’ve already mourned Max once. It’d be evil and unnecessary to kill her off again. The choice to let Eleven bring her back to life suggests that the Duffer Brothers have big plans for Max. While I do think Max will be in the hospital for the first couple of episodes, I do believe there will be an epic cliffhanger of Max’s eyes finally opening. Let’s be honest, the Duffer Brothers will probably hit us with this at the end of Part One and make us wait weeks to fully reunite with Sink’s character. I think Max’s character is integral to killing Vecna, especially since Sink has been paired with only Bower in all the season five promotional videos to date. Could Max spend most of this season in Vecna’s mind and ultimately escape to help the party?
Will They Stay Or Will They Go?
These characters have fallen into a category where I find it possible that they won’t make it to the end. However, I’m not entirely convinced they’re in mortal peril.
Jonathan Byers
The season five trailer heavily implied that Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) wasn’t making it to the end. However, much like Lucas, I think it’s bold to include such clear nods at a character death if the rumors are true. Trailers aside, Jonathan is a protector at his core. Obviously, Jonathan will do anything to protect his little brother Will, his mother, or Nancy. He would lay his life down for anyone in the party. Through and through, Jonathan is kindhearted, fiercely loyal, and wouldn’t let anything happen to his family. Still, I doubt he’ll die since the trailers are leaning into that idea so heavily.
Robin Buckley
Robin (Maya Hawke) is one of the only characters to do the impossible: be introduced in a later season and survive. The only reason Robin has made it to this category is because I could see her jumping in front of a monster to protect Steve or one of the kids. Regardless, I genuinely think Robin will keep her reign as one of the only characters to survive the new character curse.
Eleven/ Jane Hopper/ El
Maybe I’m in deep, deep, deep denial, but this death seems too obvious. Many fans think Eleven will have to sacrifice herself to destroy the Upside Down once and for all. In season one, Eleven sacrificed herself to vanquish the Demogorgon back to the Upside Down, and she went with it. While I think Eleven will come close to death, I think it’s more likely her sacrifice will be draining her powers to dissolve the Upside Down and Dimension X for good. Maybe once her powers are gone, El can live a peaceful life as Hopper’s adopted daughter. Hey, a fan can dream, right?
Six Feet Under The Upside Down
I’m almost certain that these characters won’t make it out alive. It would be heartbreaking to say goodbye to most of these characters, except for one very evil antagonist.
Murray Bauman
I hate to say it, but I’m 99% certain that Murray (Brett Gelman) is a goner. Since his introduction in season one, I’ve always considered Murray a character who was “killable”. Murray is an excellent asset to the team, but his lack of familial relation to any party members, as well as his lack of a paternal relationship to the children, makes it probable that he won’t survive. In the trailers for season five, Murray is barely present. When he is, it’s only in one scene with Robin, while Robin is seen in many different scenes with other characters, clearly suggesting she’s in several episodes. His limited screen time and the varying moments in the trailer suggest that Murray’s death may occur early on in the final season. Rest in peace, you chaotic king.
Karen Wheeler
Online sleuths, including yours truly, have examined trailer footage repeatedly to deduce whose blood Nancy is washing off her hands in the teaser trailer. In both trailers, haunting clips of Holly and Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono) show them terrified of something in their home. The final trailer shows Holly rushing to Karen, who is lying on the ground and appears to be hurt. Karen dying to protect her children would be a devastating blow to the party, especially to Mike, Nancy, and Holly. While I hate to see Mrs. Wheeler go, I don’t think her fate looks too good.
Vecna/ Henry Creel/ 001
He’s going to feel the wrath of Hawkins. That’s all I have to say about that.
I See The Vision, And I’ll Need Therapy If It Happens
Unfortunately, I can see these characters dying. But denial is a river in Egypt, and I’m praying the Duffer Brothers won’t dare take these beloved characters from us. Netflix, you’ve been warned.
Will Byers
The theory of the story starting with Will and ending with Will might be true. The final scene of the trailer shows Vecna levitating Will toward him and saying, “William, you’re going to help me one last time.” His season one disappearance was the catalyst for the entire series, and ever since Joyce brought him home, Will can’t shake his connection to the Upside Down. I think that means Will will be forced to serve as a spy for Vecna again. Similar to Harry Potter being a Horcrux to Voldemort, it seems highly likely that if the Upside Down dies, so does Will. This poor kid has been through so much. Can’t we just let him live a happy life far away from an evil sorcerer exploiting him?
Nancy Wheeler
In season four, Vecna chose to reveal his plan to Nancy, of all people. The season five trailer actually fulfills the vision Vecna shows Nancy in season four. To summarize, she sees downtown on fire, dead soldiers, tons of monsters, and her family dead. In a clever move by the Duffer Brothers, the season five trailer shows all these things happening in the order Nancy recounted them in season four. That said, Vecna terrified Nancy in season four, which makes me believe Nancy will stop at absolutely nothing to protect Hawkins and the people she loves. Her fierce loyalty, paired with her intense survivor’s guilt over the loss of her best friend, Barb, could lead Nancy to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure Vecna’s plan never comes true. As an eldest daughter, I will need a week-long hug if we lose the ultimate big sister character.
Joyce Byers
If the show wants to give us an unexpected gut punch of a death, it would be killing off Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder). Joyce has been the mama bear to all the children for five seasons, and she is relentless in protecting Will. Now that the trailers have revealed Will has a major target on his back for the final season, Joyce may make a sacrifice play to save her son. The death of Joyce would affect every single member of the party and could be the final push they need to kill Vecna once and for all. If I thought Hopper’s fake death was bad, I can’t imagine how distraught and inconsolable I’ll be if we lose everyone’s favorite Hawkins mother.
Steve Harrington
We all knew we’d end up here. For nearly a decade, fans have been holding their breath, hoping and praying Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) survives. It’s even become a joke that Netflix uses to taunt fans, like for season four, the billboard that says “Protect Steve.” While that might seem like just a silly marketing tactic, I do think joking about his death ultimately lessens the chance of Steve actually dying. However, he’s perhaps one of the most beloved characters of this entire series, and his death would rip a whole in everyones heart. If they do kill Steve (I don’t even want to type that into existence), it will definitely be in a heroic way saving the kids, or Nancy. Hear me out though, what if Steve gets his happy ending of getting married, having six kids, and driving a camper around the country. I seriously don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Dustin Henderson
I’m genuinely scared for Dusty-Bun. All the season five footage we’ve seen suggests that Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) is deeply depressed after witnessing the death of Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). While I think his grief will lead Dustin to act recklessly and potentially make him a target for Vecna, that’s not what scares me the most. In season three, when Steve and Dustin were trapped in the Russian elevator, Steve told Dustin to back away from a hazardous substance they had found. Dustin cuts Steve off and declares, “If you die, I die.” Dustin and Steve were an unexpected duo that the world absolutely adores. It seems like they’re paired up this season, and I’m terrified that if Steve goes, Dustin might go with him, making the season three proclamation come to fruition. Additionally, the loss of Dustin would ignite the party to a whole new level of vengeance.
Don't miss Part One of the final season of Stranger Things, available on Netflix starting November 26. After watching, come back to us for our thoughts and predictions on the rest of the season!
