Stranger Things has been delivering scares on the small screen going back to 2016, when the Demogorgon arrived on Netflix to gruesomely kill Barb and terrorize kids in 1980s Indiana. Now, nearly a decade later, the fifth and final season is on the way, and one star has a hot take on how many characters are still alive heading into Stranger Things Season 5. And as grim as the idea of some of my favorites dying may be, I have to agree with Gaten Matarazzo.
Gaten Matarazzo, who portrays Dustin on the Netflix hit, recently appeared at MEGACON Orlando alongside fellow co-stars Finn Wolfhard (Mike) and Grace Van Dien (Chrissy). Via CBR, Matarazzo gave this response to a fan who wanted to know what changes he'd make to the show if he could:
It might sound messed up but we should kill more people. This show would be so much better if the stakes were much higher, like at any moment any of these kids can kick it. I feel like we’re all too safe.
Stranger Things may have a very high body count, but most of the deaths were of background characters so minor as to not even have names. The deaths of major characters are few and far between enough that fans can joke that anybody whose name starts with "B" is doomed. (Case in point: Benny, Barb, Bob, Billy, and even Dr. Brenner.) Not only are the stakes not too high for the key cast members, but the ensemble is arguably way too big heading into the final season.
Personally, I'd be less frustrated by the lack of deaths if not for the fake-outs of Hopper seemingly dying, only to escape through the Upside Down to Russia, and Eleven bringing Max back to life. Even Steve seemed doomed by the Demobats in the Upside Down, only to pretty much be fine. Eddie dying was sad, but he was also a one-season wonder. Just imagine the impact of one of the longtime characters facing a tragic end! Sure, it'd be sad, but it would have the perk of raising the stakes for everybody else.
Of course, there's still time for some tragedies to strike, and I could be changing my tune by the time Season 5 (eventually) comes out. If Netflix splits the final season into two parts like Season 4, then somebody dying at the end of Season 5A could be a killer lead-in to Season 5B. One character is seemingly safe from the figurative chopping block, although for an unfortunate reason: Eduardo Franco isn't returning for Season 5, so Argyle is presumably going to survive the final confrontation... off-screen.
Unfortunately, there's no saying exactly when Dustin and Co. will be back for a final round of adventures, although it's safe to say that things won't be getting stranger on Netflix before the end of the 2024 TV schedule. Breaks between seasons of this show already tended to be long without accounting for the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike that shut down the showbiz industry for months in 2023. For now, fans may have to content themselves with watching and rewatching the first four seasons streaming with a Netflix subscription.
