Stranger Things season 5 must surely open with a major death, but only a single character ticks every box for that unfortunate role. Netflix's Stranger Things is renowned for its blend of Stephen King-inspired horror and Amblin-esque childish wonder. For every teenage cheerleader contorting to death on the ceiling, a group of geeky kids is goofing around in Ghostbuster outfits. The Stranger Things season 4 finale signaled a drastic tonal shift, however. With a vexed Vecna finally making his move on Hawkins and the outside world, a catastrophic, apocalypse-level event that threatens to consume all life has finally erupted.
The days of Dungeons & Dragons in Mike's basement are a distant memory, and that means the danger will be higher than ever in Stranger Things season 5. The Duffer brothers have never been shy when it comes to killing beloved characters, and both Sean Astin's Bob and Joseph Quinn's Eddie would surely attest to that if they could. Curiously, Stranger Things has avoided killing any of the main cast thus far. The central six youngsters, the young adult trio of Nancy, Jonathan and Steve, and the adult coupling of Hopper and Joyce are all still fine, mostly.
Why Stranger Things 5 Needs A Big Premiere Death
When Stranger Things season 4 ended with Vecna tipping the Upside Down into Hawkins and cracking open the ground, it promised that Stranger Things 5, confirmed as the final season, would be radically different. Whatever war or invasion Vecna is mounting upon the real world, it leaves little time for cosplay and roller disco. With the main kids all grown-up and Max ending season 4 in a coma, there really is very little reason for anyone to crack a smile in Stranger Things season 5. In order to properly sell that more serious tone and raise the stakes for Vecna's return, Stranger Things 5's premiere must sacrifice a major character.
A big death in the Stranger Things season 5 premiere is even more important since Vecna is returning on the back of another embarrassing defeat. Unless Stranger Things pulls another massive twist, the spider artist formerly known as Henry Creel will assume final villain duties for Stranger Things' ending. Vecna has, however, already been beaten - twice. Eleven sent Vecna into the Upside Down when they were younger, then Nancy's team defeated Vecna's physical body in 1986. Although he survived both times, Vecna has suffered two big losses, and Stranger Things season 5 must provide an immediate reminder that the villain remains a huge threat.
Killing off a beloved figure would appear the best and quickest way of doing that. This technique is tried and tested across multiple mediums, with horror classics such as Scream utilizing early deaths to create fear and tension, and more family-friendly franchises such as Harry Potter featuring big character losses near the beginning of their final chapters to prove no character is safe. While killing a main character in season 5's premiere would solve several big Stranger Things problems, however, it creates another in the form of deciding who should actually die.
Stranger Things 5 Can't Kill Any Major Characters Too Early
The main six Stranger Things kids can immediately be ruled out of contention. Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Will, Lucas and, assuming she recovers, Max are each a vital component of the Stranger Things tapestry, and all six deserve to see the finale. Jonathan, Nancy and Steve have slightly less claim to reaching the last episode than their younger counterparts, but all three have become vital to Stranger Things since the show premiered in 2016, and if any of that trio does die in season 5, it would be a disservice for those moments not to come in or around the final episode.
Maya Hawke's Robin only debuted in Stranger Things season 3, but her story is still ongoing. Following her famous bathroom stall revelation to Steve, the Stranger Things season 4 ending finally saw Robin connect with her love interest. To cut that story off by killing Robin as soon as Stranger Things returns would be foolhardy.
As the resident grown-ups, Hopper and Joyce are at greater risk than their younger companions, but killing off either of the Stranger Things "will-they-won't-they" couple makes little sense after Hopper "died" at the end of season 3. The Hopper fake-out death means killing him for real would carry far less impact. After Joyce fought so hard to reunite with her beloved, killing Winona Ryder's character at the beginning of Stranger Things season 5 seems equally unlikely to satisfy, ruling another main character out.
Yes, Murray Must Die At The Start Of Stranger Things 5
Murray Bauman should enter Stranger Things' final season with extreme caution. Although the Stranger Things season 5 story would benefit hugely from a big premiere death, many of the main cast must survive for the reasons detailed above. Equally, however, the victim needs to be a character with popularity behind them in order to elicit the desired emotional impact. Killing off Mike's dad, for example, is unlikely to tickle many tear ducts. Murray is, unfortunately for him, the perfect balance of a Stranger Things character that inspires sympathy and adoration, but has no real equity in the main plot.
That Murray survived his trip to Russia was a minor miracle, and one would be forgiven for suspecting his survival in season 4 was decided with one eye on Stranger Things season 5. He may not be a Stranger Things original, but Murray has been around long enough for his death to matter, and his natural, awkward likability puts him alongside Bob as the perfect Stranger Things victim. Murray is kind, selfless, and gentle, but also, ultimately, expendable. Murray has no ongoing storylines to finish, and while his death in the Stranger Things season 5 finale would hit hard, it would not be detrimental to the overall ending.