Warning: Spoilers for Stranger Things to follow.
What makes a great story? There’s perhaps no better way to guarantee a myriad of different answers with an equally diverse array of examples than with a question like that.
One that may pop up more frequently than others, however, is Stranger Things, the flagship Netflix series that saw millions of fans fall in love with its poignant nostalgia, captivating world, and unforgettable characters.
Upon first inspection, some eyebrows may be raised; for a supernatural horror series set in a world with barbaric monsters, it’s quite surprising that the show’s kill count hasn’t climbed higher than it already has. Regardless, the show’s lack of bloodshed among the core cast isn’t something that has taken away from the show’s storytelling, and r/StrangerThings has taken to championing such a stance.
One user kicked off the conversation whilst lamenting a beloved character who couldn’t quite escape the clutches of death.
One responder pointed out the importance of recognizing how serious consequences can stand in just as effectively as outright death when it comes to tension and plot progression, if not more. A great example of this, they would continue to mention, is the lasting state of Max’s body.
Others took this idea and speculated how these ramifications could manifest in season five.
A few others touched on how, while death isn’t necessary for good storytelling, the lack of lasting physical injury may be cause for question.
If we’re judging a story’s quality by how strongly we react to it, then killing off some of these main cast members just might be the single best way to tell any story, period, given how deeply audiences have come to love them. With that in mind, any main character death purist may reconsider their stance upon getting their heart shattered by way of the demise of Steve or Dustin, just to name two.
Stranger Things season four is currently streaming on Netflix.
