*WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD*
They said Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 would be dark, and the Duffer Brothers definitely kept their word.
Unfortunately, this meant parting ways with one of our favorite characters: newbie Eddie Munson, D+D leader and master of Metallica guitar solos. Fans of the sci-fi thriller quickly fell for Eddie and his charming ways, and they were certainly not ready to say goodbye.
Despite the metalhead succumbing to the Upside Down, fans are convinced Eddie will make his way back for Stranger Things season 5. Are those fans being creative and piecing together clues from the first four seasons? Or is this simply wishful thinking on their part? Here's what we know.
Is Eddie Munson coming back to 'Stranger Things'?
Actor Joseph Quinn, who stepped into the role of Eddie, did not hold back in a new Variety interview, in turn upsetting loyal followers everywhere.
"The Duffer Brothers told me that I would be in at least four episodes, but I wasn’t optioned for another season, so I thought maybe if I did all right, they might invite me back. That didn’t work, clearly! So they killed me, but that’s OK, I guess. I’ll dust myself off," he told the publication.
Though it sounds pretty final, the super sleuths among us were quick to look for hints about his potential return. Here are a few theories floating around the interweb:
1. Did Kas *really* kill Vecna?
According to this tweet below, there are ties between Vecna and Eddie, and some suspect that since Will confirmed Vecna is still out there—and Eddie's body is in the Upside Down—Eddie will possibly be resurrected as Kas, who is Vecna's second in command per D&D lore. Stranger things have happened!
“vecna’s dead!” ; “he was killed by kas!”“so it was thought, my friends! so it was thought! but vecna lives!”kas was a human/vampire that used a sword and a shield.eddie was “killed” by bats, while using a sword and a shield. pic.twitter.com/esYkegS0uJJuly 3, 2022
2. Is Eddie '010'?
Resemblances aside from young 010 and Eddie, did anyone notice that the rocker conveniently wears a watch where his "10" tattoo should be? Does this mean he was a victim, too? TikToker @.dizay notes that fans didn't witness his "blown up eyes," which could potentially indicate he's alive.
@.dizay (opens in new tab) ♬ Eddie is 010 theory - Yazid (opens in new tab)
3. Does the math add up?
Another TikToker decided to whip out a calculator and do some adding and subtracting to see if Eddie's death added up.
@forestoath (opens in new tab) ♬ Nothing Else Matters - Metallica (opens in new tab)
4. Other killed-off characters make a return..
Billy and Barb still made returns onscreen, even though their time in Hawkins ended in seasons 1 and 3 respectively. We're just saying!
5. Did IRL Eddie (Joseph Quinn) spill the beans?
If we're judging from that smirk, it seems like Quinn might be hiding something in this interview...
@ascherevids (opens in new tab) ♬ original sound - aschere (opens in new tab)
Obviously, plenty of people are rooting for his return, as #eddiemunsontheory (opens in new tab) has 20 million views and counting on TikTok. Plus, Quinn is noodling on some ideas himself.
"Me and Joe Keery [Steve Harrington] were discussing ways in which I could kind of [come back]," he told Radio Times (opens in new tab).
Fingers crossed the Duffer Brothers adhere to our wishes.
