With Stranger Things Season 3 only days away, the hype is real. That hype has only built with teases, mainly from David Harbour who is really talking up the final episode of the season. To date, Harbour has teased the season finale as one of the best things the series has ever done, and has teased it's very emotional. Now, there's a thousand things that can be "emotional" in a series, but I'm of the opinion a major death is coming.
Why? Well, I've laid that out already, and my mind hasn't changed. Long story short, I'm of the opinion that Stranger Things has been building towards a major death, and that an agent of the Upside Down will take out one of the show's beloved characters this season, possibly in the Season 3 finale. With that in mind, here are the characters I think have a chance of being lost to the Upside Down, based on likability, effect on characters, and the audience.
Billy
I'm not sure anyone would see this one as a major loss, but with the way the trailer shows Billy around that horde of rats, I'm thinking he's gonna be "lost" to the Upside Down. The dude is basically the series' most evil character, and I'm not expecting a personality shift for him in Season 3. His general attitude screams the type that would be tempted to be manipulated or willingly give himself over to the Upside Down.
We've already heard the hints that something may have been left behind from the Upside Down when Eleven closed the portal, so I'm thinking whatever that is could use Billy as a conduit to either re-open a portal, or become its vessel so that it could do something like that. I'd love for Billy to prove me wrong and show he can be a good guy after all, but I feel like he's more likely to embrace his dark side.
Hopper
Chief Hopper is one of the show's biggest heroes, and arguably the closest character to Eleven in Stranger Things. Imagine what would happen to her if he were to die, or better yet, imagine what would happen to him if something were to happen to Eleven? He's already lost one daughter, and given that experience it just feels as though he'd do anything in his power to keep Eleven safe.
Hopper's death would emotionally wreck the fans, especially after all he's done outside of the show to make him so beloved. Plus, it just feels a little bit suspicious that David Harbour is so high on this season finale. One would think the episode involves his character at the very least to have touched him in such a way. Could Harbour really keep such a secret that big given his track record though? We'll find out.
Joyce
You gotta give Joyce Byers credit for being one of the first townsfolk to become aware of the Upside Down, but man, she feels like the most vulnerable of any in the core cast. Granted, she's got two sons and Hopper watching her back, but Joyce's connection to Will, Jonathan, and the chief would make it all the more devastating if she ended up dying. Ugh, it's painful just to imagine Will crying.
Plus, outside of her connection to her sons and Hopper, Joyce is one of those arguably expendable characters the core story could press on without. Hopper is the character that deals with all the shady adult characters, the kids and teens deal with a bulk of the supernatural, and Joyce? Well, she saved Will twice in different ways over two seasons, and it's hard to shake the feeling that Stranger Things doesn't have a ton left for her character.
Will
Will has already been shown he can be manipulated by agents of the Upside Down; will the Mind Flayer or something else go after him again? "Go with what you know" is a popular saying, although some fans may complain if Stranger Things kicked off Season 3 by having Will under siege yet again. Give the kid a break, and let him be the one helping someone else for a change!
It all comes back to that one poster from Season 3 that shows most the kids looking forward, and Eleven and Will looking behind them. Clearly Will's connection to the Upside Down is still there, and whatever was in it. Unfortunately, he doesn't have those sweet powers Eleven has, which puts him at a handicap if something comes at him and he's alone. Stay close to your friends, Will!
Steve
Steve is brave, good, and no offense, not the sharpest tool in the shed. In short, he's the perfect type of character to lay down his life to protect others. Remember that fight with Billy? Imagine that, but this time he's up against some supernatural creature that's just tearing Steve and the spirits of Stranger Things fans' apart simultaneously. Hell, seeing Dustin lose somebody so important to him might be the worst part.
Perhaps I'm not giving Steve enough credit though. After all, this isn't his first rodeo, and he's managed to do pretty well against the Upside Down in two seasons. He may not be the brains, but he's got the heart and a fair amount of scrap to get himself through some tough scenarios. If Steve does end up dying in Season 3, one thing most fans can guarantee is that he almost certainly goes down swinging.
Eleven
This one feels like a huge stretch, as it would be insane for Stranger Things to kill off its central character and biggest star of the series. Sure Stranger Things has a lot of beloved characters, but they're all second to Eleven and Millie Bobby Brown's show-stopping performances in the first two seasons. Killing off her character would be a shot to the gut, and probably not something that would happen in Season 3.
Of course, there was that whole weird social media post of Millie Bobby Brown crying that made people think something bad was happening. She's since denied there's anything to that, but c'mon, Netflix would make her say that regardless if it was true or not. Plus, she's a rising star with a lot of opportunities on the horizon, she might be hopping out to go elsewhere. You can't blame her, but it would be sad to see her go.
Stranger Things Season 3: What We Know So Far
Got a prediction for any major characters that will die in Stranger Things Season 3? Drop those ideas down in the comments and be sure to check out the new season on Netflix beginning Thursday, July 4 at 12:01 a.m. PT. After binging the season, be sure to stop back by CinemaBlend for analysis on the season, and where things may go after that.
