The release of ‘Stranger Things‘ is near, but before that, the Duffer brothers have spoken up about how they once came close to making choices that could have changed everything.
Recently, Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that there was a time when they seriously considered killing off not one but two of the most beloved characters of Stranger Things. So, who were they, and why did the brother duo finally change their mind?
‘Stranger Things’ Creators Had Planned More Deaths
Our jaws almost touched the floor when Matt Duffer ended up admitting that Jim Hopper, our very beloved Hawkins police chief, was almost getting axed in Season 3. He opened up that during the explosion beneath the Starcourt Mall, “Hopper came very close to dying.” At that time, giving Hopper that heroic ending seemed like the only ideal end, as it would have given him a hero’s death. But in Season 4, we were left shocked to discover Hopper alive, in a Russian prison camp.
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Later, Ross Duffer shared that while killing him would have been simple, it didn’t really feel right. He said, “He still had growing to do,” and emphasized that killing him midway didn’t feel right. It was their wish to face new challenges and emotional challenges before finally saying goodbye.
Another brush with death happened much earlier, which takes us back in Season 1 with Steve Harrington. According to Matt, Steve was supposed to die then only, and that would have been it. But thankfully, it wasn’t. Matt said, “That was close. We just fell in love with Joe Keery, but had we not liked Joe Keery, Steve would have been gone.“
Why The Duffer Brothers Spared The Characters
Since the beginning of ‘Stranger Things‘, we have seen the Duffer brothers giving us one surprise after another. And each one of the surprises left us stunned. So, maybe, the primary reason behind almost killing these two characters and then bringing them back was to give the viewers a nice, heart-melting surprise.
Talking more about this, Matt explained that, even though they discuss a lot of deaths for the upcoming seasons, what stops them is the ripple effects of those deaths. For example, if they had killed Mike, it would have just made the show rather depressing and bleak and entirely focused on death. They even share the same thought process when killing off minor characters, such as Barb or Eddie.
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According to Matt, these deaths, even though they were of minor characters, left a lasting scar on their characters’ lives. Ross could agree more and pointed out how Billy Hargrove’s death deeply affected Max’s storyline. “We try to be careful, if there is a death, that it has real repercussions,” he said.
As ‘Stranger Things‘ gears up for the fifth and final season, fan speculations are at a high regarding who will make it to the end, and who won’t? Right now, the Duffers remain tight-lipped about what’s ahead. However, given their careful approach to character deaths, any losses in the finale are likely to have a profound impact.
