Stranger Things 5 is back with Volume 2. And once again, we are at the edge of our seats, wondering… are there any major character deaths in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2? After all, there were no main character deaths in Stranger Things 5, Volume 1… So surely, we are due for some in Volume 2? Well, we’re about to tell you. So if you don’t want to know who lives and who dies in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2, we recommend you head to our spoiler-free review of Stranger Things 5, Volume 2 instead. Let’s dive in. (P.S. Since Stranger Things 5: The Finale has now aired, you can also read up on whether any major characters died in Stranger Things‘ final episode ever.)
Are there any Major Character Deaths in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2
No. There are NO major character deaths in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. And we don’t know what to do with that, honestly. We kind of understood when there were no major deaths in Stranger Things 5, Volume 1. That was just the beginning. But we imagined we’d get at least one heartbreaking character death scene in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. And yet, we did not.
Jonathan and Nancy Almost Die in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2—But Survive
Like with Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, we got one intense duo death fakeout in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. In Stranger Things 5 episode six, “Escape From Camazotz,” Nancy and Jonathan are trapped in a melting Hawkins Lab in the Upside Down. The room is literally becoming liquid around them, and they can’t get out. Instead, Jonathan and Nancy climb onto a table and accept their deaths in Stranger Things 5. This leads them to have their first honest conversation… maybe in a couple of seasons. It’s beautiful and emotional, and both the audience and the characters believe it’s the end for them. But then, by some miracle, the goo solidifies, the room stops melting, and they remain alive.
Jonathan and Nancy’s Relationship Did Die in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2, RIP
That doesn’t mean there weren’t any deaths in Stranger Thing 5, Volume 2. There just wasn’t the death of a character. Instead, we got the death of a relationship. When Nancy and Jonathan found themselves on death’s door, they were finally able to open up to one another about what they wanted in life. And— fortunately/unfortunately, pending your perspective on “Jancy”—that did not include a romantic relationship with one another. And so, Nancy and Jonathan’s tumultuous seasons-long relationship found its death on Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. RIP, Jancy. We liked you, but only because that meant we didn’t have to deal with Stancy.
Steve’s Beamer Met Its Death in the Upside Down on Stranger Things 5, Volume 2
Okay, sorry, we have to add one more addendum. There were no major character deaths on Stranger Things 5, Volume 2—but, in addition to a relationship death, there was a death of a VERY important fixture of the show. Yes, in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2, Steve’s beloved Beamer met its death. Steve’s BMW has been an important part of the show since its start. Notably, in Stranger Things 2, Steve’s Beamer was driven by Max to transport the party from the Byers’ house to the Upside Down tunnels so they could help distract the Hive Mind and give El the opportunity to close the gate. It’s an iconic scene.
The Beamer was also where Steve and Dustin’s adorable pre-Snow Ball moment took place, and we’ll never forget Steve telling Dustin that he looks amazing. Aside from this, Steve’s Beamer has come in and out of the show too many times to count, a safe place for much of our team, and we’ll miss it. Poor Steve clearly loved it very much as well. The death of Steve’s Beamer is truly a sad death on Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. And once again, we say RIP.
No Deaths in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2 May Mean MANY Deaths in Volume 3/The Finale
Okay, we were laughing, but now we’re serious again. No major characters have hit us in Stranger Things‘ final season, not in Stranger Things 5, Volume 1, nor in Stranger Things 5, Volume 2. And so we shudder to think what that means for Stranger Things 5, Volume 3. Although the Duffer Brothers have assured us that Stranger Things is not Game of Thrones, and that “there’s no Red Wedding,” they’ve also promised that Stranger Things 5 contains “the most violent death of any season.” And given that we haven’t seen any deaths yet on Stranger Things 5, we know we have at least that much to look forward to in the final episode of the series.
We’ll be clutching our Peanut Butter Boppers tight as we get ready for Stranger Things‘ finale. Stranger Things 5 Volumes 1, 2, and the finale, are now streaming on Netflix. If you want to know who died in Stranger Things 5: The Finale, you can head on over to this article.
Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist. She is holding out hope that Steve and Dustin will survive Stranger Things 5… and maybe Eddie Munson can come back to life too.
Originally published on December 25, 2025.