As the final batch of Stranger Things episodes draws ever closer, more and more details are being confirmed about the show's farewell tour, and one of the most recent cast updates will leave countless fans devastated.
Topics such as how long the episodes will be and Stranger Things spinoff possibilities are making the saga's imminent conclusion a little easier to take. However, the epic finale to the groundbreaking sci-fi show will be at least one figure short. In the grand scheme of things, the news isn't that surprising, but it is still disappointing.
Joseph Quinn won't be back as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things season 5
Stranger Things is filled with as many compelling characters as just about any show I can remember, and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) has already managed to already land somewhere near the top of the show's rankings. What makes this especially impressive is that he didn't make his debut until season 4. Sadly, it turns out he won't be resurrected after his awesome Metallica-soundtracked sacrifice.
Matt Duffer, one of the two the brothers who created and oversee the show, has confirmed in an interview with Empire that any murmurs among fans about Eddie's return have no basis in fact and are nothing more than rumors. Duffer quite plainly declared that Quinn's character is "not coming back."
"I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people! But no, he's dead,” said Duffer. “Joe is so busy anyway, that everyone should know he's not coming back. He's shot like five movies since! When the hell has he got time to come and shoot Stranger Things? No, sadly, RIP. He’s fully under that ground.”
Stranger Things has already proven itself capable of bringing back cast members whose characters have seemingly died, even if their return comes with a dark twist. So, it makes sense that there were those expecting something similar to happen with Eddie, given his popularity. That said, as Duffer also pointed out in the same interview, Quinn's workload since Stranger Things season 4 has become so immense that fans should have figured out that the British actor was too busy to return for the Netflix show's finale.
Quinn's Stranger Things season 5 absence is good for two reasons
I loved watching Joseph Quinn playing Eddie Munson as much as everyone else, but bringing the character back from the dead would be a mistake. The way he left Stranger Things will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the show's best and most impactful moments. Quinn's return would be little more than fan service and would cheapen his iconic demise.
Secondly, the Stranger Things season 5 cast has an incoming star who is more than capable of filling the hole left behind by Joseph Quinn. Linda Hamilton will play a character called Dr. Kay, a government agent who is expected to be one of the biggest villains of the show's final season. If Quinn were also afforded the chance to come back, Stranger Things would be burdened with even more high-profile characters to try and give enough attention as the epic horror saga comes to a close.