‘Stranger Things’ Season 3 Line Theory Sets up Awful Character Deaths

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A quick line in the trailer for the second part of Stranger Things Season 5 has fans worried that one or more of their favorite characters might die. While viewers already expected some characters wouldn’t survive, the trailer has sparked intense speculation. If a rumored “death pact” actually happens, fans are predicting a huge reaction.

‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Theory Marks the End of the Resident Jock


Image via Netflix

In Season 3, Dustin famously told Steve, “If you die, I die.” The trailer for the final part of Season 5 shows Steve saying the same thing back to Dustin, who he’s become very close to. This moment has left fans wondering if it foreshadows a tragic event, or if it’s simply a clever trick to mislead viewers.

Looking back, it actually makes sense that Steve might be leaving the show. He began as a typical arrogant athlete, initially interested in Nancy (Natalia Dyer), who enjoyed the attention. However, he was self-centered, boastful, and generally not very likable at the start.

Steve Harrington didn’t really win over viewers until his connection with Dustin in an episode where they chatted about girls and hair care. That’s when fans started to love both Steve as a character and his relationship with Dustin. However, their dynamic began to change in Season 5, Part 1, as they started arguing more and helping each other less. They began to clash like siblings, and Dustin even damaged Steve’s car by drilling a hole in the roof to attach a tracking device.

They still care for each other deeply, like brothers, but I can’t help but wonder if this recent conflict was a way to soften the blow of Steve’s departure. If so, it’s probably not going to work. Steve has always been a vital member of the team ā€“ heā€™s brave, always looks out for his friends, and is surprisingly good with a chainsaw, among other things.

Steve is a bit directionless now that the big battles against monsters like Vecna are over. He’s gone from a lackluster job at an ice cream parlor to helping Robin at the radio station, but it’s unclear what his future holds, especially with Nancy now dating Jonathan. Even if that relationship doesn’t last, Nancy and Steve just don’t seem like a good match. It’s a harsh thing to say, but Steve feels like a character who could easily be written out of the story. We’ve never even met his family, and he’s always been portrayed as someone searching for meaning on his own.

His Death Would Crush Dustin


Image via Netflix

Fans are convinced Steve won’t die, or at least won’t face death alone, largely because of how much it would affect Dustin. Dustin formed a strong bond with Eddie in Season 4, and Eddie’s death hit him incredibly hard. He was the last person to see Eddie alive and now has to cope with people unfairly criticizing Eddieā€™s character. The first part of Season 5 opens with Dustin bravely wearing a Hellfire Club shirt to honor Eddie, even though he’s attacked for it. Throughout the season, itā€™s clear Dustin is still deeply grieving Eddieā€™s loss.

If Dustin were to lose Steve, who he’s known for a long time, it would be devastating for him, and the show’s writers would have to be incredibly heartless to allow that to happen. Repeating the emotional storyline of Dustin losing another close friend, like he did with Eddie, would also feel repetitive and predictable. However, it seems like the show might be heading in that direction. The creators have hinted that Episode 6, “The Bridge,” will be incredibly emotionalā€”even more so than the season finaleā€”which strongly suggests a major character will die.

Fans have come up with several ideas about who might die in the next season. Some think Jonathan won’t get the chance to propose to Nancy, while others fear Max will be lost forever in the Upside Down. One popular theory suggests the ‘bridge’ in the title refers to the Upside Down acting as a connection between our world and a mysterious place called Destination X ā€“ where Henry Creel was sent as a child, as revealed in the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. This is also believed to be where the Mind Flayer lives, meaning anyone who ends up there likely won’t survive.

“If Steve Dies, We Riot”


Image via Netflix

Viewers have really fallen in love with Steve, so it would be devastating to see him killed off now that the series is ending. When The Walking Dead was at its most popular, fans famously threatened to protest if their favorite character, Daryl, died ā€“ the hashtag #IfDarylDiesWeRiot became a huge phenomenon on shirts, mugs, and online. Stranger Things, however, hasnā€™t followed that pattern; itā€™s kept most of its original characters alive, even though many supporting characters have died. Steve could be like Daryl ā€“ a fan favorite who survives. Heā€™s come so far and deserves a better ending; his story shouldnā€™t end here.

The creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, have been playfully hinting at what might happen to certain characters, all while knowing how much fans care about them. During an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, they used Funko Pop! figures to playfully suggest character fates. Matt Duffer placed Steve’s figure near the edge of the desk, and when the audience reacted with concern, he quickly said, “He’s fine!” ā€“ then deliberately pushed the figure off the desk. It was unclear whether this was just a joke or a foreshadowing of whatā€™s to come. It would be particularly upsetting to tease a characterā€™s death, then actually show it happening on Christmas, especially considering the unusual release plan for the final episodes.

Interestingly, Steve almost didn’t make it past the first season! Originally, his character wasn’t meant to be a long-term fixture. However, the creators, the Duffer Brothers, were so impressed with Joe Keery’s performance that they decided to keep him around. Essentially, Keery’s acting saved Steve. Now that the show is ending, Steve might finally face the original fate planned for him.

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2025-12-21 02:03