Eleven was supposed to die in season 1, and other fun Stranger Things facts

Stranger Things isn’t coming out until next year, but Netflix is tiding fans over with Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion, a companion book with a very long title. Inside you’ll find Stranger Things trivia, behind-the-scenes tidbits, inside information about Hawkins and twisted Upside Down universe, and more.

The book is available to buy right now, but if you’d rather just hit the highlights, USA Today has you covered. Let’s run down a few of the more interesting facts revealed by author Gina McIntyre.

Eleven was originally supposed to die in the first season

Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, is probably the breakout character from the show. A telekinetic abused by her scientist father, she’s a force to be reckoned with when she appears mysteriously in Hawkins early in the first season, and is key to the plot. Originally, she was meant to sacrifice herself for her friends. “But once we realized that the show was potentially going to go on longer than one season, we needed to leave it more up in the air, because deep down we knew the show just wouldn’t really work without Eleven,” said showrunner Ross Duffer. “And at that point we knew how special Millie was. If there were going to be more ‘Stranger Things’ (seasons), Eleven had to come back.”

Steve was also supposed to die in the first season

Geez, the first season sounds like it was originally going to be a lot more grim.

You know, I take what I said earlier. Steve, a Hawkins high schooler who gets caught up in the supernatural goings-on of the town, is probably the breakout character from the show, or at least his hair is:

Showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer originally conceived of the character as a bully who was “never intended to make it out of the first season alive.” But then they cast Joe Keery, and they probably saw his hair, and that became unacceptable.

Season 3 will be the “most fun season yet, but also the “grossest”

It’s no secret that Stranger Things owes a lot to movies and books from the ’80s. The first season was something of a Stephen King tribute, while season 2 was “more Spielberg-y,” according to star David Harbour (Sheriff Jim Hopper). (The show was originally going to be set in Montauk, New York, which featured in Spielberg’s Jaws.) The third season will be set during the summer, and will feature the kids growing into young adulthood and dealing with their raging hormones, but McIntyre writes that it will also take inspiration from body horror movies like David Cronenberg’s Shivers.

Shivers is about sexually transmitted parasites who infect people in a posh apartment complex and turn them into sex-obsessed maniacs. Season 3 is starting to look pretty interesting.

McIntyre also confirms that the Mind Flayer monster from season 2 is not gone. That would fit with the body horror theme, since it spent most of the season infecting young Will Byers. In more benign news, Steve is now a high school graduate working at the mall:

Stranger Things season 3 will drop on Netflix next year!

To stay up to date on everything Game of Thrones, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Watch Game of Thrones for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels