WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Stranger Things 4.
Ever since Stranger Things first aired in 2016, Mike Wheeler and Jane “Eleven” Hopper have had electrifying chemistry that has made them exceedingly popular among the fanbase. However, with the release of Stranger Things 4 and the introduction of new characters, it seems that “Mileven” may have some competition for ultimate power couple status.
In “Chapter One: The Hellfire Club,” audiences were exposed to Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson, the leader of The Hellfire Club and the resident freak, and Grace Van Dien as Chrissy Cunningham, the head cheerleader at Hawkins High. In “Chapter Two: Vecna’s Curse,” we see Eddie and Chrissy interact for the first and last time, but the brief encounter has spawned its own “ship” (short for “relationship”), and Stranger Things fans have sensed that sparks were flying.
While Eddie and Chrissy only met for a short time, Quinn and Van Dien sold the romantic inclinations. Although Van Dien’s Chrissy was—at the time—dating Hawkins High basketball star Jason Carver (played by Mason Dye), she reconnects with Eddie after approaching him about drugs, remembering that she and Eddie used to interact more often at Hawkins Middle School, where cliques were less common, and appearances weren’t everything. They laugh together like old friends do, and Stranger Things fans have noted that Eddie makes Chrissy smile a lot more than Jason, whom she dates to adhere to expectations. For that reason, Eddie and Chrissy have become the latest fan-favorite ship, despite it being a short-lived fantasy.
Unfortunately, for anyone that has watched beyond “Vecna’s Curse,” you already know that Chrissy and Eddie don’t end up together as many fans wanted. Instead, Eddie takes Chrissy back to his mobile home (to find the drugs), and Chrissy is attacked by Vecna, who brutally kills her right in front of him. Not only did Eddie and Chrissy have a very different outcome to their relationship than fans would have liked, but Eddie is also blamed for the murder of Chrissy and subsequently hunted by the police for the remainder of Volume One. As Vecna continues to claim victims, Hawkins becomes more certain that Eddie is involved, and he becomes a fugitive. When the Hawkins kids get involved, they become accomplices and work to evade law enforcement and keep Eddie safe.
Although we won’t be seeing more of Chrissy, we can pray that Eddie makes it out alive. So far, so good, but the Duffer Brothers can be as cruel as they are kind. Besides, after losing out on a relationship with Chrissy, Eddie deserves to be happy—and we all want that for him.
