5 Abandoned Stranger Things Twists That Would’ve Made The Show So Much Darker (Or More Absurd)

by

As Stranger Things has evolved over its seasons, it’s become increasingly intense. But some early ideas that were ultimately scrapped could have made the show even creepier – or, in a few cases, just plain strange. Now that the Netflix series is ending after nearly ten years with Season 5, it’s a good time to reflect on how Stranger Things became so popular. People are revisiting favorite episodes and remembering the biggest plot twists, and it’s also interesting to look at ideas the creators considered but didn’t end up using.

Like most TV shows, Stranger Things has evolved a lot from its original concept over its five seasons. Some of the creators’ initial ideas didn’t make the final cut, and that’s likely for the best. While it’s fun to hear about what could have been, a few of those early concepts were probably too intense for the show.

5) Eleven Originally Died in Stranger Things Season 1

The first season of Stranger Things ends on a sad but hopeful note, with Eleven seemingly sacrificing herself to close the portal to the Upside Down and protect her friends. While viewers quickly learned she didn’t actually die—hinted at by the Eggo waffle scene—the creators originally intended for that to be her fate. As revealed in the book Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down, Ross Duffer shared that Eleven’s sacrifice was always the planned ending.

When Stranger Things was renewed for another season, the creators, the Duffer Brothers, realized Eleven was essential to the show’s success – they felt it simply wouldn’t work without her. That makes sense, considering how difficult it would be for the Hawkins group to face another challenge without her psychic abilities. Ross Duffer also admitted they quickly recognized how talented Millie Bobby Brown was, which influenced their decision to bring the character back. Looking back, it’s a good thing they didn’t kill Eleven off, but the fact that her death was originally planned raises concerns about her safety in the upcoming fifth season.

4) Steve Wasn’t Originally Supposed to Be Redeemed

Steve Harrington, played by Joe Keery, has become a fan favorite on Stranger Things over the past four seasons. However, he wasn’t always so popular! In the first season, when he’s dating Nancy Wheeler, he’s initially portrayed as somewhat of a selfish character. He starts to improve as the season goes on, and his relationships with Dustin and Robin over the following seasons help him grow into a much more likable person. According to Ross Duffer, in the book Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down, Steve’s character arc wasn’t originally intended to go in this direction.

Ross explained that the character Steve was originally intended to be unlikeable. However, Joe Keery’s performance led to Steve becoming a more sympathetic character, which ultimately benefited the show. This shift allowed Stranger Things to excel at creating complex, flawed characters with depth and realism. The show wouldn’t be as impactful without the possibility of even its most flawed characters growing and changing for the better.

3) Will Was the One Who Killed Bob in Season 2

As a huge Stranger Things fan, I always thought Will’s possession by the Mind Flayer in Season 2 was incredibly bleak, especially how it used him to target Hawkins Lab. But apparently, it could have been even more heartbreaking! The show’s writers recently shared on X that their original plan was for possessed Will to actually kill Bob Newby. Can you imagine?! Given how close Will and Bob were, that would have been absolutely devastating. Not only would Will have been crushed with guilt, but it would have completely fractured his relationship with his mom, Joyce. It’s a good thing they changed it, honestly – that would have been a lot to handle!

Bob’s death in Stranger Things works well as it is, especially with that final look he shares with Joyce before being unexpectedly attacked by a Demodog. The fact that he almost escaped creates suspense, and Joyce seeing it happen makes the scene even more heartbreaking. While showing Will being traumatized might have been even more shocking, the moment is still powerfully emotional. Even for a show like Stranger Things, using Will in that way would have been excessively grim.

2) Eleven Mercy-Killed Her Own Mother in Season 2

One of the most surprising plot points that never made it into Stranger Things involved Eleven killing her biological mother. Originally, the plan for Season 2 was for Eleven to end Terry Ives’ suffering as an act of kindness. This information came from the show’s writers’ official X account, though they haven’t shared many details about the original idea. We know Eleven does visit Terry before seeking out Kali – and while they connect mentally, Terry remains trapped in a never-ending cycle.

It seems the writers might have been trying to protect Terry, but killing her off due to her past experiences would have been a bad look. It would also be incredibly unfair to Eleven, who has already suffered so much. Like Will, she doesn’t need any more trauma added to her life. Ultimately, it was a good thing this storyline was scrapped.

1) Hopper Teamed up With Alexei’s Dad in Season 4

As a huge Stranger Things fan, I was reading about some scrapped storylines, and some of them are seriously creepy – the kind that would have shocked everyone! But one idea was just… funny. Apparently, the writers originally planned for Hopper to team up with Alexei’s dad in Season 4! You remember Alexei, the Russian scientist who loved slurpees back in Season 3? It’s just such a wild coincidence that they considered that, honestly.

While finding his father might have helped Hopper deal with Alexei’s death, it felt unlikely he’d run into him while imprisoned in the Soviet Union. Hawkins is a small town, but the world isn’t. Luckily, the show’s writers seemed to agree this plot point was too far-fetched, even for Stranger Things.

What are your thoughts on these discarded ideas from Stranger Things? Share your opinions in the comments and discuss them with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/every-season-of-stranger-things-so-far-ranked/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-26 02:42