With Volume 2 ofStranger Thingsright around the corner and the promise of someone — or multiples someones — dying in the confrontation with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), there is no doubt that not everyone will make it out of the fourth season.
But who will survive? Who will die? Those are questions we have yet to answer, but it is time to look at who will most likely not make it to the show’s fifth and final season, based on everything we know so far.
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13. Eleven
Out of all the characters in the show, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is probably the most likely to survive Volume 2. Eleven’s arc in the first volume of the season was all about rediscovering herself. While it was framed as her getting her powers back, it was also about finally getting answers about her past, answers that she didn’t even know she needed. Since the first episode, Eleven has been central to the story, and while the show might be an ensemble, she is very clearly the show’s main character. If Eleven dies, it will most likely be in the show’s last moments, in the fifth season, as it is evident that the show still has a lot that they want to do with her. But that doesn’t mean that there is no chance that she will die, especially in this day and age of television where shock value is at the center of most shows. If anyone were to bet on who makes it out alive of the last two episodes of Season 4, betting on Eleven would make a lot of sense.
Mike (Finn Wolfhard) has been pretty disconnected from the main story this season, with him still having very little knowledge of what is happening in Hawkins and not even knowing anything about Vecna. His death would be one of the more surprising ones, especially since it is still unclear if the group looking for Eleven will make it to Hawkins in time for the final confrontation. While Mike was the show’s male lead for a long time, his role diminished during the show’s fourth season, and an argument could be made that he had minimal impact on the show’s main story. His death at the end of Vecna would be shocking and could set Eleven on a revenge path for the show’s final season, but it is more likely that he will make it to Season 5.
Some clues could lead many to believe that Will (Noah Schnapp) won’t make it out of the fourth season, but if anyone dies by the end of the show, many things point to Will. Everything started with Will disappearing, so it makes sense that everything will end with him. With him being so far away from all the action of Hawkins alongside Mike, Argyle (Eduardo Franco), and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), there is little to point toward meeting his end by this season. It would be shocking if he makes it unscathed, a lot could go wrong in the last two episodes, but Will seems to be more of an endgame death than the penultimate season death.
With Joyce (Winona Ryder) in Russia and reuniting with Hopper (David Harbour) in the last moments of the first volume, it is more likely that Joyce will make it to Season 5. Not only that, but there is still a lot for Joyce to discover once she returns home. With the kids now on the run and Eleven far away from the rest of the group, the show has to find a way to reunite everyone, and having Joyce die before she gets her kids back seems very unlikely. Her whole character arc has always been to keep them safe; right now, none of them are, which means that she has a lot left to do. Pairing that with the fact that Joyce and Hopper finally can explore their romance, her death seems to be very unlikely.
Given that Hopper came back from the dead between the third and fourth season, and most of the characters have no idea that he is still out there, there is very little chance that Hopper meets his demise by the end of Volume 2. With him being in Russia alongside Joyce and their reunion not happening until the last moments of the first volume, it isn’t likely that Hopper finds his end over there. While he might sacrifice himself for Eleven once they get back to Hawkins – just like he did during the third season – this seems to be more of a fifth-season storyline. It is more likely to be reversed with Eleven sacrificing herself for everyone since they already did this with Hopper. Hopper dying seems very unlikely, especially with how much of an effort the show went through to keep him alive.
With Max (Sadie Sink) still in danger and their relationship still on thin ice, Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) doesn’t seem very likely to die, more likely having to watch the person he cares about – even loves – die at the end of Vecna. The show made a point to show how Lucas wanted to be part of two worlds, and with him being so separate from his friends, it could be possible that he sacrifices himself or dies trying to protect everyone. Lucas has always proven to be a leader, but out of all the characters, he finds himself in the middle of the pack in terms of chances to die. Given the fact that he is so closely connected to Max and with his actions in the first volume, there is a point that could be made with having him die so that the others could survive, but more likely than none, Lucas will live past the show’s last two episodes and probably have to witness someone he loves die in front of him.
7. Jonathan
Jonathan finds himself so far away from everything else going on the series this season that his death would be a surprise. The show doesn’t seem to know what to do with him, so saying that he could be a casualty unrelated to the upcoming confrontation with Vecna is very likely. His role in the last two seasons has been somewhat reduced, and even his relationship with Nancy (Natalia Dyer) took a left turn in Season 4. With the government still after him, Argyle, Mike, and Will, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jonathan doesn’t even make it to Hawkins, sacrificing himself for his little brother to make it to his friends.
Over the show’s four seasons, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) has evolved from a sidekick to a full-fledged leader. He has grown in confidence, and his go-getter attitude has often found him being put in a lot of danger. From his growing role within the original group to his friendship with Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin is finally stepping into his leadership role. His death would be one of the shocking ones that come out of nowhere, which is also why he is so high on this list.Stranger Thingsnever really did the shocking death outside of Bob (Sean Astin), and even then, his death – upon rewatch – is telegraphed. So if the show decided to pull the rug from under the audience’s feet, killing off Dustin before his story is over would be one of the most shocking moments in the show, one that would have everyone talking, for better or worse.
Before the end of the first volume, Nancy would have earned a much lower spot on this list. But, by the end of Part 1, Nancy is in more danger than anyone else. With her inquisitive mind, she has put together most of what the group knows about the Upside Down and Vecna, and now is the only one – alongside Eleven – that knows his true identity. With her being stuck in his illusion and the Upside Down with Steve, Nancy has never been more in danger than now. A lot could go right and see her make it out alive, but if the show decides to shock everyone and have someone die early in the last two episodes, Nancy would be a fair bet. Her death might now have been as telegraphed as others, but out of all the characters – outside of Eleven – Nancy is probably the most dangerous to Vecna and his plans.
Before the trailer’s release for the second volume of the season, Robin (Maya Hawke) would have been much lower on this list, with little pointing towards her death, but the trailer seems to point toward her being in danger in the final two episodes. While that might be a red herring, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. The duo of Steve and Robin has become a dynamic duo, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of them doesn’t make it out alive. There is a lot more pointing towards Steve being the one to die. Still, Robin’s chances of dying, especially with herplaying detective alongside Nancy, have grown exponentially throughout the fourth season.
