The Duffer Brothers may have hinted at a major death in the upcoming final season of Stranger Things. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the creators reflected on the challenges of deciding which characters live or die in the series’ climactic conclusion.
“What often holds us back is you have to talk about the repercussions,” Matt Duffer said, explaining how killing a central character like Mike Wheeler could drastically alter the show’s tone. “It just makes the show rather depressing and bleak, and it becomes entirely about that.”
Although the brothers emphasized that the scenario was purely “hypothetical,” with Hawkins gearing up for its final showdown against the Upside Down, every comment fuels more theories.
However, the Duffer brothers have argued that they approach every character’s arc carefully, mindful of how past losses have already significantly impacted the narrative.
Finn Wolfhard Teases Mike’s Most Heroic Arc Yet in Stranger Things 5
Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series Stranger Things, has teased that his character will take on his most heroic role yet in the show’s final season.
“More than in any season we’ve ever seen him in, except for maybe the first one, [Mike] is on a mission,” he told Who What Wear in a 2025 interview, adding that Mike’s journey in Season 5 is defined by courage, determination, and leadership.
He’s devoted himself to killing Vecna and saving his town and his friends. I’m really happy and proud of his character arc. He takes a little more control in this season.
As Stranger Things approaches its epic conclusion, Mike Wheeler’s evolution into a fearless hero promises to be one of the season’s most emotional and powerful storylines.
Stranger Things Creators on Who Cheated Death – For Now
As anticipation builds for Stranger Things Season 5, creators Matt and Ross Duffer continue to drop intriguing hints about who lives, and who might not, by the end of the beloved series. In a 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the duo reflected on the close calls several characters have faced over the years.
“Hopper at the end of season 3. I think death grazed him,” Matt Duffer shared, adding, “There was a version where he perished at the end of 3. It’s been a while since we had those discussions, but I feel like he came the closest to dying.”
They also admitted that Joe Keery’s fan-favorite Steve Harrington was nearly written off early on. “We just fell in love with Joe Keery,” he said. “But had we not liked him, Steve would’ve been gone.”
Ross Duffer also explained that although it would’ve been easy to kill off Hopper, they chose to keep him alive because his character’s story and growth weren’t complete.
However, the brothers also teased possible shocking demises in the new season, adding, “It’s important to us to be able to finish the stories we want to finish and not just be offing people for shock value.”
Who do you think will see their journey come to an end in the final season of Stranger Things? Share your thoughts with us.
Stranger Things Part 1 will be released on November 26, 2025.
