THE RUNDOWN
- Stranger Things season 5 drops on November 28, and fans are wondering who will be back for the series finale.
- Eddie Munson, played by Joseph Quinn, became a fan favourite in Season 4
- Munson died in the finale, sacrificing himself, but viewers are wondering if he’ll be back in any way for season 5.
- Joseph Quinn has talked about how touching he finds fans’ dedication to Eddie.
When Stranger Things season 4 ended, Eddie Munson became yet another casualty of the Upside Down. The leader of the Hellfire Club, played by Joseph Quinn, had become a fan favourite—and in the finale, he made the ultimate sacrifice, facing off against a swarm of Demobats (while absolutely shredding his guitar, of course).
But although Eddie died on camera, fans know that in the Stranger Things universe, nothing is ever truly final. Naturally, the question remains: Will Eddie Munson return in season 5?
Is Eddie Munson Actually Dead In Stranger Things Season 5?
Joseph Quinn has spent years teasing fans about the possibility of Eddie’s return. At a convention in 2024, he was asked point-blank whether he’d be back for season 5. Playing it coy, he said simply, “I don’t know.”
However, the show’s creators have since confirmed that Eddie will not return as a living, breathing Hawkins resident. In interviews, they explained that Eddie’s death was essential to the show’s emotional arc. Following the Stranger Things pattern of beloved outsiders sacrificing themselves, Eddie was always destined for tragedy.
“Once we got to that point, it was really hard,” Matt Duffer told Time. “It was similar to Sean Astin, where we weren’t sure we wanted to do it because it meant saying goodbye to Eddie and Joe.”
The moment Chrissy died in Eddie’s trailer during a covert drug deal sealed his fate. Even if he survived the Upside Down, Eddie would forever be blamed for the cheerleader’s death. “His story was always going to be a tragic one. Even if he were to live, it would have been a tragic end for him. He would have ended up in jail probably.”
Image: Netflix Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things season 4
But Will Joseph Quinn Be In Season 5?
Still, there’s always hope that Eddie could return in some form—via flashbacks, memories, or dream sequences.
Quinn has remained coy but realistic about the possibility. Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum about Eddie’s bittersweet arc, he said fans’ dedication to the character “deeply” moved him. “I would love to get back to that set and see those people again. But sometimes there’s a beautiful arc that they’ve written, and he’s such an empathetically written role.”
He added that he was “deeply touched by the fan movement to revive him,” and especially by the art fans have created in Eddie’s honour. “The fact that people would take time out of their day to make art about a character that I played is such a lovely feeling,” he told Tudum.
So while we won’t be seeing Eddie in Hawkins again, we’re sure we’ll be seeing Joseph Quinn in many roles to come.
Ruby Feneley
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