Warning: Spoilers for Stranger Things to follow.
Fans of Netflix’s darling sci-fi series Stranger Things are still reeling from the aftermath of season four’s finale. With the stakes higher than ever before, to say nothing of the heavy hearts that were left to our heroes and audiences alike, season five is set to be an emotional rollercoaster of unprecedented velocity.
And with the next run set to be the final arc for the Hawkins gang, fans are preparing for the worst as they assume the Duffer brothers are priming the chopping block for at least a handful of the main cast; among the most speculated to not make it to the end are Steve, Jonathan, and Max, who is already clinically braindead.
But one other candidate for the great beyond is Murray, the conspiracy theorist turned action hero that played a key role in smuggling Hopper back to Hawkins this season. Indeed, death after a character arc like his wouldn’t be particularly out of place.
And Brett Gelman, who portrays Murray in the show, couldn’t be more scared about that fact. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor admitted that while he hopes it isn’t the case, he isn’t ruling out his own death next season.
“Absolutely! Do I die? I mean this when I say this: I truly have no idea what’s in store for any of us in season five. Matt and Ross are so secretive, and I respect that secrecy. So I don’t push them too hard to tell me, but yeah, I hope that I live! (Laughs.) It would be such a bummer if he died.”
He would go on to recall how he accidentally caused audiences to think that Murray’s death was already imminent this season, taking comfort in the love his character was shown in the form of premature grief.
“Before the season premiered, I put out this social media appreciation post for Matt and Ross about them being such amazing friends and bosses, and I guess it read like I was saying goodbye, like Murray dies. And the kids went nuts! And then I didn’t want to take it down or contradict it because then that is a spoiler. I felt really bad watching the kids, the fans suffer over that, but at the same time, it really meant a lot they felt that way.”
Stranger Things season four is currently available to stream on Netflix.