The final two episodes of Stranger Things 4 were full of thrills, chills and (Molotov) spills – and in the epic clash with Vecna, it’s no surprise that not every character made it out alive.
However, one character’s death in particular has already set fans grieving, rueing the day that series creators the Duffer Brothers took them away despite their seriously epic Upside-Down send-off.
We caught up with said actor – who says they feel “very, very lucky” to have inspired such devotion – to see what they made of the reaction, and their journey in Stranger Things 4 as a whole.
Look away now if you haven’t finished the series, as spoilers are coming…
Still here? Then you’ll know that the world is in mourning for Eddie Munson, whose heroics facing off with Demobats in the finale ended with him paying the ultimate price – and fans getting pretty upset about it.
“I think, you know, we don’t want to upset anyone!” Joseph Quinn, who plays Eddie, told RadioTimes.com.
“But yeah, I think I got a text from the Duffers a little couple of weeks ago saying that they were bracing themselves for something.
“I’m delighted that people have responded in the way that they have done to Eddie, so if they’re missing him, then that’s a lovely thing. It feels very gratifying.”
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It’s fair to say that Eddie was a bit of an unexpected hit when he was introduced a few weeks ago in Stranger Things 4’s opening episodes, charming fans with his outsider schtick and Quinn’s natural charisma as the hard-rockin’ D’n’D dungeon master was accused of a murder he didn’t commit.
Of course, we should have known not to get too attached – remember Barb, Bob and Alexei? – but Quinn insists that Eddie’s journey is worth the sad ending.
“I think there’s a great beginning, there’s a great middle and a great end for the character,” he told us.
“And as an actor you want characters with those kinds of arcs. So whilst it would have been great to come back for another season and get together with all those lovely people again, I think it was a brilliantly realised ending for a brilliantly written character.”
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Certainly, the content of Eddie’s final scenes – which included a Metallica guitar solo on the roof of a caravan in the Upside Down, followed by a vicious last stand against the Demobats – gave Quinn something to remember.
“It was so thrilling to do on the day,” he recalled. “Me and Gaten [Matarazzo, who plays Dustin] were on top of on top of the caravan in the middle of the Upside-Down playing Metallica. And it was great fun.
“And also, I think the timing of it was brilliant. For the whole crew, it felt like the first time that people had been in a live music kind of situation since the pandemic, so it was a joyous celebration on the day.
“It’s a fantastic conclusion to the character and yeah, I feel very very lucky.”
And to those sad, mourning fans, Quinn has nothing but gratitude.
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“I feel incredibly honoured to be a part of the show that has a fanbase as devoted as this one,” he said.
“It comes around once in a career really, or kind of once in a generation – something that touches so many people’s hearts of all different generations. It’s a very rare thing to be a part of it.
“I just feel extremely lucky,” he repeated. “Thank you for having him while he was here.”
Read more:
- Will Max die in Stranger Things?
- Stranger Things 4 part 2 ending explained
- Stranger Things 4 soundtrack: every song featured in the Netflix show
- Who dies in Stranger Things 4 part 2?
- Stranger Things 4 drops hints about Will’s sexuality in emotional scenes
- Stranger Things 4 part 2 review: A barnstorming end to an epic season
Stranger Things 4 is now streaming in its entirety on Netflix. Check out our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sci-fi hub for more news, interviews and features.
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