We are now within touching distance of Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 and we could not be more excited to return to the Upside Down and watch the thrilling finale unfold. With the next Stranger Things season 4 release date on the horizon, we were recently treated to a new trailer, which appears to hint that Steve Harrington might be set to meet his maker.
The first seven episodes of the fourth season of the hit Netflix series have set up quite the climax, with our Stranger Things season 4 review calling this instalment of the sci-fi series “cinematic television at its best.” With just two bumper episodes left to drop on the streaming service for this season, we are expecting real carnage to be unleashed.
The fate of our favourite characters may be hanging in the balance, and we’re pretty sure someone will fall by the wayside. But as social media is set ablaze with fears of Steve Harrington being killed in the next two chapters of Stranger Things, we’re here to say we don’t think the creators of the TV series would dare do such a thing to Joe Keery’s character.
With the presence of Vecna looming large, particularly for the gang in Hawkins, the possibility of at least one of them not making it to season 5 alive is very real. The new trailer for season 4 part 2 gives us plenty of clues as to how the final two episodes may go, but we have to be wary of misdirection.
Doctor Brenner tells Eleven her friends “are not prepared for this fight,” as Steve looks longingly at Nancy, before Brenner claims “Hawkins will fall.” Later, Robin admits to Steve that she has “a terrible feeling it might not work out for us this time.” Vecna himself even claims Eleven’s “friends have lost.”
It’s all very doom and gloom, and one thing’s for sure, we’re set for all out war in Hawkins. But why are fans so certain that Steve will be among the fallen? Well, for a start, Steve would appear to be the perfect candidate for a sacrificial storyline heading into the finale of season 4.
Steve Harrington is the older, cool kid of the gang. He’s not an outsider by any means, but he’s not quite part of the core group of younger kids in the cast.
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As much as we love him, Steve is a supporting character, and we all know he can’t command the same level of narrative protection as a more central character like Eleven.
Over the course of four seasons of the show, Steve has acted as something of a babysitter for the likes of Dustin and the other young heroes. He’s not afraid to dive into the action and put himself in the line of danger to protect the others, and it’s that brave yet reckless nature which could well mean Steve’s time has come to an end.
We wouldn’t be so sure though. We’ve seen the Stranger Things creators consistently keep their more popular players in the game – just look at how Hopper miraculously survived ‘certain’ death at the end of season 3.
The Duffer Brothers know they’ve got a fan favourite in Steve Harrington, and they know their audience will want to see more of him in the final season.
Director and executive producer Shawn Levy certainly knows it. The filmmaker has overseen the majority of Stranger Things episodes since its inception in 2016, and has openly stated he would “walk off this show” if anyone tried to kill off Steve Harrington. That said, if the story calls for it, we’re sure Levy wouldn’t stand in the way of a Harrington death scene.
Nevertheless, it’s far more likely that one of the newer characters will die in Stranger Things season 4 volume 2. In the past we’ve seen endearing characters like Bob Newby (Sean Astin), Alexei (Alec Utgoff), and Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery) come and go in the blink of an eye.
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With that in mind, things don’t look good for Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). The loveable rocker has been thrown right into the heart of the action since he was introduced this season, and honestly, he looks ripe for the plucking when Vecna comes looking for his next victim.
Sadly, we’re pretty sure Steve will eventually meet his demise, but we think that emotional sting will be saved for the conclusive fifth season. So, members of the Steve Harrington fan club should have a little faith that their boy will come through this next battle. And if we’re wrong… well, surprises are nice, aren’t they?