Hawkins Needs a Body Count

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Epic stories about saving the world often require characters to make the ultimate sacrifice. Think about Boromir in The Lord of the Rings, Kyle Reese in The Terminator, or even Buffy herself. It felt like the impact of Avengers: Infinity War was lessened when so many characters were brought back. And now, with Steve Rogers returning in Doomsday, that trend continues. If a story aims to show just how much effort, dedication, and struggle it takes to protect loved ones and the world, some characters need to die. That’s why I’m pleading with Stranger Things: please don’t hold back. Let us see real consequences, let heroes fall, and give this story a meaningful ending. We need something to make it feel like it truly matters!

Throughout much of the final season, Stranger Things has seemed to rewrite its own story. We’ve seen Will gain powers and become even more central than Eleven, learned the Upside Down is actually a gateway to another world, and been introduced to a strange new wormhole – all after dozens of episodes. The Duffer brothers are essentially saying, “Actually…” and changing established ideas. It’s easy to forget the U.S. military even played a role in the story. However, despite these shifts, the show also feels strangely hesitant. Many characters seem stuck in repeating patterns: Will and Joyce constantly revisiting her promise to protect him, Hopper and Eleven endlessly worrying about her safety, and Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve caught in a love triangle. Aside from Will’s newfound abilities and his coming out, most characters aren’t progressing.

The slow pace of the latest season is making the final chapter of Stranger Things feel surprisingly underwhelming. As we approach the series finale, the plot feels disjointed: a small group of relatively unknown kids are held captive by Vecna while the town of Hawkins remains oblivious. The military is absent, and Eleven isn’t actively involved – even the whereabouts of Mr. Wheeler are a mystery! The story has become so convoluted that it’s hard to follow. By avoiding the necessary risks to create a sense of urgency for its end-of-the-world scenario, Stranger Things is heading towards its conclusion feeling strangely flat. While the show has consistently expanded – more characters, monsters, and otherworldly elements – its narrow focus on this core group is diminishing the sense of Vecna’s larger, world-threatening plan.

The show didn’t need to reach this point. In the past, Stranger Things wasn’t afraid to make big changes to the story, even killing off important characters, to emphasize the risks the group faced. We saw this with Bob in season two, Billy in season three, and Eddie in season four – all of whom sacrificed themselves to save others. But surprisingly, aside from Dustin still mourning Eddie, these characters are rarely mentioned, even as the show heads towards a final battle that was partly built on their sacrifices. The show has demonstrated before that it’s willing to raise the stakes with character deaths, and there was a time when these deaths were impactful enough to truly matter. Whatever happened to the show that could balance nostalgia with genuinely heartbreaking moments?

The final episode of Stranger Things drops on New Year’s Eve, and at over two hours long, it has a chance to recapture what made the show so compelling. Without advance access for critics, it’s unknown if any major characters will die, but some changes could reignite the emotional impact. For example, killing off Nancy and Jonathan after their honest conversation about not wanting to get married would have been powerful. Their deaths could have also strengthened Will and Joyce’s determination. The show should also cut ties with Kali, as attempts to rehabilitate her character after the poorly received “The Lost Sister” episode haven’t worked – she’s just become irritating. And frankly, Murray’s purpose seems to have vanished. His only recent contribution was reacting to a crude joke, a joke that felt like an awkward and unnecessary nod to 80s-era humor. Getting rid of him – perhaps by having him fall victim to a Demogorgon – wouldn’t be a loss.

Here are some ideas for how the show could go: It would be impactful to show how far Derek has come by having him suffer a tragic fate, highlighting Vecna’s cruelty. Dr. Kay should be killed off early – the show doesn’t utilize Linda Hamilton effectively. And, crucially, someone from the main group needs to die. Eleven has been subtly preparing for a heroic sacrifice, so letting her go would be fitting, especially to avoid a potential future spin-off about her superpowered child and a new group of friends rediscovering Hawkins Lab. Consider Andor: the high stakes and numerous deaths made it a stronger show. Some stories need to end with real loss. Stranger Things has done this before, and after a somewhat repetitive season, it feels like the right move. The one character who absolutely deserves to survive? Karen Wheeler. She’s earned a relaxing glass of wine after everything she’s been through.

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2025-12-30 17:54