Although Stranger Things season 5’s ending could kill off any of the show’s heroes, one particular fan favorite is seemingly safe, judging by the Netflix show’s latest trailer. Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 was a huge hit upon its November 27 release, and the hype surrounding the long-running show’s final chapters is now reaching its peak.
Since Stranger Things season 5’s Vecna plan was revealed in the first volume, all that remains is for season 5, volume 2, to finally wrap up the show’s story for good. The massive cast of Stranger Things means that it isn’t easy to work out who will make it out alive, but one character has fans particularly stressed.
Joe Keery’s Steve Harrington has undergone arguably the most memorable character transformation in Stranger Things, changing from a stereotypical privileged ‘80s movie bully to a sweet, supportive slacker. Steve has become a fan favorite thanks to this character shift and is one of the show’s most beloved characters. Despite this, Stranger Things continually threatens to kill him off.
Steve Won’t Die In Stranger Things Season 5
Steve in Stranger Things season 5Image via Netflix
Much like Stranger Things season 1 ended with a fake-out death for Eleven and season 3 pulled the same trick with Hopper, season 4, volume 1 ended with Steve being mauled by Vecna’s bats as he entered the Upside Down. Things didn’t look good for him, and many fans online started campaigns demanding the character’s survival.
However, this was far from the first time that Steve was imperiled by the series. At the end of Stranger Things season 1, he was soundly beaten by Jonathan in a fight, and seasons 2 and 3 turned this into a recurring tradition of Steve getting brutally beaten up once per season.
Max’s adopted brother, Billy, beat Steve unconscious in season 2, while Russian scientists hiding under the Starcourt Mall beat him to a bloody pulp in season 3’s ending. As such, despite the long history of fake-out deaths in Stranger Things, it is not surprising that viewers are worried about Steve’s survival in season 5.
Fortunately, Stranger Things season 5 volume 2’s full-length trailer dispels these fears fairly effectively. Steve and Dustin say “You die, I die” to each other in the trailer, and, since there’s no way that both characters would die, there is seemingly no way that either of them will perish now.
Stranger Things Season 5 Was Never Going To Kill Off Steve
Image courtesy of Netflix
Although viewers have often fretted about Steve’s continued survival, the likelihood of the series killing off his character has diminished with each passing season. For one thing, the longer Steve sticks around, the more meaningful and significant his role in the series becomes. In season 1’s ending, he had a redemptive reunion with Jonathan, but remained a side character.
By season 2, he had become an ersatz babysitter for the younger characters and a mentor to Dustin, and, by season 3, he was firmly part of the show’s main ensemble. Stranger Things season 5 volume 2’s release strategy proves the show isn’t averse to risky moves, but killing off Steve this late would be a terrible idea.
Yes, the primary reason that this would be a bad plan is that Keery’s character is a fan favorite. However, there is also the pertinent question of how the death would affect Dustin. Losing another older mentor/idol a year after Eddie’s devastating death would completely crush the already struggling, brooding character.
Steve’s Stranger Things Season 5 Survival Is Bad News For Other Supporting Stars
Image courtesy of Everett Collection
The fact that Keery’s Steve is almost certain to survive will be a big relief for fans, but that doesn’t mean that the show’s entire massive ensemble is safe. There are plenty of Stranger Things supporting characters who are less likely to make it out alive, including a few whose deaths are arguably overdue.
Brett Gelman’s Murray is a comic relief character who has outlived his usefulness and comic appeal, and the fact that he gave Jonathan a ring to propose to Stranger Things heroine Nancy Wheeler would make his death more poignant. Speaking of Jonathan, he and Joyce are both at that dangerous intersection where their deaths would be devastating, but not plot-derailing.
Although Joyce and Jonathan are both more central to the show’s overarching story than Steve, they are both still more likely to fall victim to Venca than the supporting star precisely because of their connection to the show’s hero. Will has become season 5’s main character, and his battle against Vecna could be fueled by a personal vendetta.
If Stranger Things season 5 kills off Joyce, this will leave Will without his most reliable support. He would be forced to take on Vecna while grieving, and this might allow him to access more power than he commanded in the finale of season 5, volume 1. Thus, the Stranger Things heroine is secretly in more danger than Steve.
Release Date
2016 – 2025-00-00
Network
Netflix
Showrunner
Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Directors
Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
Writers
Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
