Warning - This article contains major Stranger Things Season 4 spoilers.
Although some fans have decried the inability of the Duffer Brothers to kill off any of the long-standing cast members ofStranger Things, it appears that there was originally a death on the cards for the finale that didn’t make it into the final version. While it would not have resolved the gripes of those wanting to see complete carnage in the season 4 finale ofthe Netflix monster hit, there was originally a plan to kill off Hopper’s unexpected Russian ally Dmitri at some point during the last two episodes of the season.
WhileStranger Thingshas continued to be one of the biggest IPs in Netflix’s arsenal, the lack of main character deaths in the fourth season left some feeling like the Duffer Brothers had not gone as far as they could have when unleashing the horror of Vecna and the Upside-Down on Hawkins. Of course, many were left emotionally drained from the death of Eddie Munson, a character that only joined the story this season and ended up giving his life to help the kids “kill” Vecna in the final act, but there is always a little bit of a complacency feeling when pretty much the entire main roster of characters end the show mostly unscathed.
While speaking toColliderin one of their many recent interviews, the Duffer brothers explained that there was a plan to have Dmitri killed off that did not happen, which could well lead to actor Tom Wlaschiha reprising his role in the final fifth season of the show. The Duffers said:
“In terms of who makes it, who lives or dies. I think there was a version where Dimitri, AKA Enzo, didn’t make it. Then he ended up making it. But that’s [the most] radical of a departure from the original idea versus what we ended up with.”
Related:Stranger Things Season 4 Surges Past 1 Billion Viewed Hours at Netflix
Max’s Life Hangs In The Balance In Season 5
Season 4 ofStranger Thingsmay not have taken the bold move of killing off a long-standing character from the series, but for a while it seemed almost certain the Max, played by the incredible Sadie Sink, would not make it beyond the finale. As events came to a head, Vecna began to drain the life from Max, breaking her bones and teetering on the verge of completing his much-needed kill. However, appropriate, an 11th hour intervention by Eleven saw Max survive the ordeal, only to be left in hospital, brain dead.
It is clear that Max’s story is not yet done, andher life will hang in the balance in season 5. While it seems unlikely that Max would survive the brutal near-death experience of season 4 only to be killed off in season 5, with the show now coming to its conclusion, there are many who believe the Duffers will finally bring death to Hawkins in a way that really packs a punch. With filming expected to take place next year, and the Duffers having stated that they will always be looking to deliver quality over speed, it will be at least two years before we discover how it all ends for the residents of Hawkins, one way or the other.
