As we inch closer toward the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, there’s a million-dollar question on everyone’s minds. Who will die in Stranger Things 5? We’ve become so attached to these characters over the last decade, so it really hurts to see any of them go.
The Duffer Brothers are not afraid to twist the knife by killing off characters left and right. We’ve already lost Bob Newby, Alexei, Eddie Munson, and the list goes on and on. The Duffers are brutal, so there’s really no way to know who will come out unscathed until we see it for ourselves. If we’re being honest, anyone is at risk. What we do know for sure is that we’ll be bawling our eyes out in one way or another. Here’s who we think is most likely to die or survive in Stranger Things 5.
Henry Creel/Vecna – Certain Death
Obviously, this one goes without saying. There is absolutely no scenario in which Vecna will not die in Stranger Things 5. I mean, what a letdown that would be. What will be more interesting is how exactly he’ll go down. Surely, Eleven will defeat him in some explosive, high-stakes telekinetic showdown. Whatever it is, we know it’s gonna be big. And we can say for certain that Vecna will be no more. With that out of the way, we now move on to our good guys.
Mike Wheeler – Safe
The core six have been fighting for their lives since the beginning. Realistically, it’s unlikely to assume that every single one of them will make it through. Out of the bunch, I see Mike drawing one of the longer sticks. Sure, it’s a possibility that he might be killed off as a way to hurt Eleven, but I think there are plenty of other options that pack more of a narrative punch. When all is said and done, Mike will probably be ok.
Dustin Henderson – Safe
Dustin is the charismatic “puppy dog” of the group. It would be very surprising if the Duffers decide to kill him off. In fact, it would hold more weight to keep him alive. Dustin has close bonds with a lot of the other characters, some of whom are at risk. Sadly, I’m sure you already know who I’m talking about… We’ll get to that later. The braniac of the group is still in mourning after losing Eddie last season, so it would make an impact for him to have to endure another painful loss.
Lucas Sinclair – Safe
Once again, I don’t see Lucas being killed off. Given everything he’s endured with Max being in a coma and whatnot, it wouldn’t make sense to just end his storyline without a resolution. (At least, we hope not.) We can’t really put anything past the Duffers, and it would be tragically ironic for him to go out right after Max is revived. I don’t foresee this being a reality. Lucas will likely have a happy ending and survive Stranger Things 5.
Will Byers – At Risk
Vecna has had his grip on Will since the very beginning, so it’s natural to assume that he’s not letting him get off easy. From being trapped in the Upside Down to being used as a Mind Flayer meat puppet, yeah, it’s not looking good. That’s not to mention that his disappearance in season one is what kicked everything off in the first place. Will has been intertwined with the Upside Down since the very beginning. It would bring everything full circle for him to die in some big, tragic way. He started it, so he must end it.
We already know Vecna has big plans for Will in season five, as the trailer clearly hears him say, “You are going to help me one last time.” Maybe this will be the season Vecna finally takes Will for good.
Max Mayfield – Safe
Despite how it seems, I think it’s pretty safe to say Max will be fine. If the Duffers really wanted to kill her off, they would have done so in season four. Instead, they left her comatose and hospitalized (which, granted, still isn’t great).
According to a report from TIME, it seems like there she will remain for half the season, though the trailer does offer a glimmer of hope. Still, it feels cruel to end her after that. I mean, could you imagine? She has a horrible encounter with Vecna, almost dies, doesn’t, stays in a coma instead, and wakes up just to be killed off for good. Pretty bleak. Suffice to say, I don’t see Max going anywhere. We really want her to survive Stranger Things 5.
Eleven – At Risk
Much like Will, Eleven is at the center of all. She is the one who opened the door to the Upside Down, after all, and the only one capable of stopping the powerful villain Vecna. The official trailer shows her in the Upside Down with her abilities on full display in an electrifying wave of power. We hate to say it, but it would be dumb to assume this doesn’t put her at risk. Now, she probably wouldn’t be killed directly by Vecna (because she’ll surely take him out first). My guess is that it would likely be more indirect.
We know her powers tend to take a physical toll on her, so maybe the amount of force she’ll have to use will prove too much. Still, we would like to see her come out alive, even if that’s by taking Vecna’s place as leader of the Upside Down.
Steve Harrington – At Risk
Oh boy, this one hurts. Steve is probably the one character we’re most scared that will die in Stranger Things 5. From a douchebag jock to a lovable hero, Steve has had a remarkable character arc over the series. Unfortunately, this sets him up perfectly for a tragic end. Naturally, it would complete his arc to go out in some big, sacrificial way. It would also dissolve the love triangle between him, Nancy, and Jonathan. We know the finale is set to be massive, and given how much pain his death would cause the others, it’s a very likely possibility.
For my own well-being, I’d like to say that Steve will survive Stranger Things 5. But we know chances are slim, especially given the heart-wrenching clip we see of Dustin hugging Steve in the trailer. “NO! HE’S GONNA SURVIVE!” I scream as they drag me away.
Robin Buckley – Safe
What a treat season three was to introduce us to the lovely Robin. Her sarcastic sense of humor and hilarious bestie dynamic with Steve captured our hearts from the beginning. That being said, I’m fairly confident she’ll survive until the end. The curse of being a comic relief side character in Stranger Things doesn’t end well in most cases (case and point, the tragedy of Eddie Munson). But Robin, she’s already made it through two entire seasons. She also has the will to survive, and for that, I think she will.
Nancy Wheeler – Safe
The quiet, goody-two-shoes turned gun-wielding badass. Nancy has had such amazing character development throughout the series, so I find it unlikely that she will be offed just like that. Yes, Vecna had his eye on her last season, but Nancy has proven time and time again that she can hold her own. Conversely, it would be much more likely for one of her love interests, Steve or Jonathan, to be killed off instead.
Jonathan Byers – Uncertain
Echoing what I said above, Jonathan is at risk solely for the narrative weight his death would hold over Nancy. Jonathan is someone who would do anything for the ones he loves. Could he act as some sort of sacrifice for his brother, Will, or lover, Nancy? It is a possibility. Also, it would be less anticipated than Steve dying, so the Duffers might go this route just to catch us off guard. It’s really up in the air.
Joyce Byers – Safe
Juggling the chances of losing some of the older adults, Joyce is one that stands a pretty clear shot of being someone who will survive Stranger Things 5 and not die tragically. First and foremost, she’s dealt with so much emotional and physical toil that it seems almost cruel to kill her after everything. Also, her death wouldn’t serve much of a purpose. Sure, it would hurt the kids and Hopper, but it just wouldn’t make sense. Joyce will undoubtedly overcome in the end.
Jim Hopper – Uncertain
The Duffers have already faked us out once with Hopper. The question is, would they do it again? I could see it, especially if it happens in a way that protects Eleven. Hopper has a tendency to throw himself in harm’s way for those he cares about, so this very well might be the case if the situation arises. He does have a similar story arc to Steve’s, starting out as a bit of a jackass to a lovable father figure. Unfortunately, Hopper’s death does fit the story, except this time, it would be final.
Murray Bauman – Uncertain
Once again, the cruel fate of being a comical side character. Murray falls perfectly under this category. Introduced in season two, he has made it through a lot so far, and I think this could very well be his time to go. Truthfully, Murray doesn’t really hold any significant weight in the group. If he were to go, it wouldn’t be a major setback in the grand scheme of things. Honestly, it’s a pretty solid choice to tug on the heartstrings a bit without drastically impacting the plot.
Karen Wheeler – Safe
One thing about the Wheelers is that there’s no way they stay ignorant any longer. Karen has maintained a pretty consistent presence over the seasons, including her weird “romantic” storyline with Billy in season three (maybe let’s forget that one). Nonetheless, there has to be something more to her. Plenty of theories believe she’s secretly Alice Creel and thus knows much more than she lets on. Whether that’s true or not, Karen will likely come out unscathed.
Ted Wheeler – At Risk
My initial reaction is that Ted will probably be fine. But the more I mulled it over, I’m not so sure. Since episode one, Ted has played a very subtle role as the typical, spaced-out dad from the ’80s. But he’s made it this far. That can’t be without a reason. We can only assume that Mr. Wheeler will likely step into a much bigger role, possibly even throwing himself amidst the chaos as a protective father. One hint that points to his possible death is the clip of Nancy crying while cleaning blood off her hands in the trailer. This could technically be anyone’s blood, but the idea of it being her own father’s does make a lot of sense.
Erica Sinclair – Safe
Let’s be real, Erica’s not going anywhere. That’s not to say the Duffers wouldn’t target a young kid, but, c’mon, her death would be a throwaway kill. Erica was thrown into the mix in season three, when she was enlisted to help Dustin, Steve, and Robin bypass Russian security systems in Starcourt Mall. Since then, she’s been a solid member of the team. No chance Erica will die in Stranger Things 5.
Holly Wheeler – Uncertain
Up until this point, Holly has basically just been a mute side character. Now, she’s all grown up and expected to step into a much bigger role alongside the others. You’ve probably seen the sprawling fan theories about Holly being the name hiding behind Volume One, episode two, “The Vanishing Of…” If this turns out to be true, it leaves her at great risk, especially if it’s a callback to the very first episode. Realistically, though, Holly will likely be spared at the expense of another. Say, Ted, perhaps? It’s anyone’s guess.
It’s important to note that these theories are purely speculative. If you don’t agree with some of them, no sweat. To each person their own… Eggo, or whatever. (You get the idea.) In a perfect world, everyone survives, Steve gets his six little nuggets, and we all live happily ever after in a Vecna-free Hawkins.
Yeahhhh, there’s no way in hell that’s happening. Worst thing is, we’ll have absolutely no idea who the Duffers have planned for the chopping block until it happens. My advice: go ahead and stock up on the tissues now. Stranger Things 5: Volume One drops on November 26.