Ready for more adventure with Joseph Quinn? Fans of the hit show Stranger Things are buzzing over the idea of a spin-off featuring Eddie Munson!
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Following the recent release of the fourth season of Stranger Things, the show saw 188.19 million hours of views within its runtime. It has the highest number of views from the previous seasons and is the most-viewed English-language show worldwide. After almost three years of filming and post-production work, the first half of the season was finally released on 27 May 2022, with the second half of the season released on 1 July 2022.
The season ended grimly, with Max being a victim of Vecna and ending up in the hospital in bad shape. A big part of the reason the series garnered such an extensive viewing is because of the introduction of fan-favourite Eddie Munson (played by Joseph Quinn). He was the loveable leader of the Hellfire Club, the official D&D Club at Hawkins High School.
And while fans loved his character as much as they did Steve, audiences were shocked when he met his end in the second half of the season by the demobats in the Upside Down. To make matters worse, the main cast paid little tribute to the character’s death come the season’s end. And now, fans are clamouring for Eddie Munson to receive his own Stranger Things spin-off series.
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Why Should Eddie Munson Receive His Own Spin-Off?
It seems that there has been no greater cult following for a character than there was for Eddie Munson in recent years. Munson received a trending hashtag with over 16.4 billion views on TikTok, which is even higher than Steve Harrington’s character, who has been a fan-favourite since the first season of the show aired.
In fact, Metallica even acknowledged and went as far as to honour the cult of Eddie Munson, further proving the considerable impact the character had on the world. Joseph Quinn did a fantastic job bringing Eddie’s character to life, making fans feel as if they had known Munson for years before seeing him.
The character has a flamboyant introduction into the series, stepping onto the tables in the cafeteria and loudly (and proudly) speaking on aspects of the Dungeons and Dragons game. He is what today’s generation would consider ‘quirky’ despite being an outcast in the series’s timeline for his interests in metal and board games. Munson stood out from many other characters previously introduced in the show.
For this, the character already is a leg up in the show in terms of originality and popularity. He became a fan-favourite probably during his interaction with Chrissy in the woods. To cheer her up, he brought out some crazy antics, playing dead and then giving her a good pep talk to lighten the mood and make her smile.
Another reason is his ability to be himself throughout the short screen time he received. This allowed him to connect to the audience more than the other prominent cast members. Despite being a self-proclaimed ‘weirdo’, he allows others to feel like being different is okay – both on the show and with many audience members. The show creators wrote Eddie’s character in a manner that made viewers feel safe and cared for him despite his fictitious nature. This is a result of empathy presented in a well-written character.
Lastly, Eddie deserved better than he got. As mentioned above, he helped the gang and ended up sacrificing himself to save them and help them defeat Vecna. It seems almost cruel that his death was not acknowledged outside of a small scene wherein Dustin presented memorabilia to his father. And while this makes sense in the story’s narrative, at minimum, the group of friends should have seen a much bigger reaction upon discovering the news. A Stranger Things spin-off series would not only result in redemption for the other members of the group, but it would also prove to be a massive success with fans who consider Eddie their comfort character.
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What would an Eddie Munson Stranger Things Spin-Off Look Like?
There are many plots points a Stranger Things spin-off series could follow surrounding the character. For example, surely fans would love to see some background on Eddie. How did he end up in that position? Why is he such a good person? And looking back into his past could bring even more nostalgia for older fans of the show. This is because he is much older than the likes of the rest of the gang, and looking back at a younger Eddie Munson would see even older trends, technology, and fashion.
Another aspect that a look into his past could result in is how he ended up being the person he is today. His home life would make for an exciting tale as he resides with his uncle, Wade Munson, when viewers are first introduced to him. There is not much known regarding the relationship between the two, and even less is known about how Eddie ended up living with his uncle in the first place. This is another plot point that fans would love to see explored, as it would add so much more to Eddie’s character arc. One thing that is certain is that Eddie’s uncle cares deeply for his nephew and knows he is a good kid, despite the claims that he was responsible for Chrissy’s murder.
The show could also further explore Eddie’s struggles after he was accused of murdering Chrissy. Because of his age difference, it is safe to assume that Jason Carver and the rest of the basketball team know Munson better than the younger group. Eddie’s friend group would then see a more significant role within this series, and audiences could see whether Munson was on Jason’s radar prior to the events of the fourth season of Stranger Things. Is Eddie’s empathetic nature a result of bullying or bad treatment? And were Jason and his friends the cause of this? Or were there other bullies responsible for Eddie’s reputation as an outcast?
However, this is all speculation and possible narratives the show creators could explore if a Stranger Things spin-off were ever greenlit for the beloved outcast. But the creators did make it clear that if they were to work on a spin-off series, they would not focus on the prominent cast members from the main show. But, technically speaking, since Eddie is essentially dead in the main Stranger Things timeline, there is no reason why the creators wouldn’t monopolize the insanely popular character.
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