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The Duffer brothers have been preparing us for the Stranger Things finale for a while. The show’s creators have promised a concluding episode that “doesn’t feel painful but feels satisfying” and said they’re not trying to shock or upset anyone by pulling a “Red Wedding”-style Game of Thrones scenario that kills off a lot of the cast.
Still, it seems unlikely that all of our faves will survive a final battle with Vecna, so we’ve been looking at the current state of their journeys and trying to decide if any are more likely to bite the bullet than others.
There’s certainly a long list of characters who are less likely to die because they just simply haven’t had much to do this season and aren’t being set up as key players in the finale. Lucas has spent quite a while just trying to get Max back, and now he has. Joyce has largely been fretting about Will, as usual. Jonathan and Nancy finally broke up after realizing their relationship wasn’t working. Max has been a big focus of this season, but now that she’s back in the real world, her story is pretty much done. Other characters, like Dustin and Robin, have been keeping the plot rolling with their quick thinking, but it doesn’t seem like there’d be any narrative weight to gain by killing them off.
However, some characters may still be at risk in the final episode…
5. Hopper
Hopper has already tried to sacrifice himself once this season in an effort to save Eleven, and he’s had one fake-out death in the past. Is it time for him to hit the old dusty trail once and for all? Well, we’d suspect not, because Joyce has had to deal with one boyfriend dying and to put her through another seems like overkill for a woman who’s really been going through the wringer since the show began!
That said, Hopper could now be in further danger if Kali sees him as standing between Eleven and doing the “right thing” by eliminating their bloodline. Could Kali end up removing Hopper from the equation? Or is it more likely that Hopper will take out Kali to save Eleven? Eleven’s fate seems to be up in the air, but Hopper is definitely spoiling for a fight, one way or another.
4. Steve
Steve was supposed to be killed off all the way back in season one, but will the Duffers finally make good on their abandoned plan to get rid of him? The pair have played coy over Steve’s fate recently, but have said, “It would be the next logical step. He keeps getting beaten up more and more. The only way we could take it further is death.”
It’s true that Steve has taken plenty of hits and kept on ticking, but a heroic sacrifice from Steve feels like it could be earned at this stage, especially if it means saving Dustin. The duo have both promised that “you die, I die” going into the series finale, but when push comes to shove, Steve will do anything to save his friends, no matter how reckless.
3. Mike
Mike really hasn’t had much of anything to do in Stranger Things for a while, but killing him off to shift both Will and Eleven into vengeance mode is undoubtedly a path the show could take.
Mike’s senseless death at Vecna’s hands could act as the ultimate emotional trigger for Eleven, because her abilities have always been closely tied to her feelings. Losing someone she loves so dearly could amplify her powers to unprecedented levels, giving her the edge needed to destory someone like Vecna. Meanwhile, Will losing his best friend and former crush could enable him to tap more deeply into his hive mind connection to either fight back or guide Eleven strategically.
2. Eleven
Killing off Eleven in the finale would carry narrative and emotional weight, which is why fans have been speculating about it for a while.
The character has been pivotal in the fight against the Upside Down since the beginning. A final confrontation with Vecna may require a sacrifice only she can make, and it could bring her story full circle to save Hawkins, even at the cost of her own life.
Though Eleven’s death would surely make the finale unforgettable and cement her arc of courage and selflessness, it also might be sad and painful, something the Duffers have said they want to avoid at the end of the series.
1. Vecna
Vecna is the big bad that the Hawkins gang have been chasing for two seasons, blending icky body horror with psychological torment and using the kids of Hawkins as his personal playthings. Chief amongst them has been Will Byers, who has now opened up to his family and friends and seems ready to fight Vecna from the inside out.
Although it’s not clear how much of Henry Creel’s business has been puppeteered by the Mind Flayer over the years, Vecna is almost guaranteed to be killed or neutralized forever in the final battle, whether that’s by Will, Eleven, or anyone else who could stop him.
Hey, if Vecna won, the series would have quite a downbeat ending, wouldn’t it?! No, he’s toast!
The post Who Will Die in the Stranger Things Finale? appeared first on Den of Geek.
