Is Eddie Munson really dead? ‘Stranger Things 5’ fans hope for a comeback, but it may come with a twist
The first four episodes of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 just dropped, and we can’t stop talking about it. Right now, several fans of the hit Netflix show are wondering which characters will be back for the highly anticipated finale of the beloved sci-fi series. When we talk about fan-favourite character Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), it seems like he might not return for the series finale, as his character heroically died in the Upside Down in season 4. However, Quinn has previously teased the fans about the possibility of his character’s return. While at a convention in 2024, Quinn was asked if he would be back for season 5. As per Elle, Quinn simply said, “I don’t know.”
Soon after, many fans took to Reddit and expressed their desire for Eddie’s comeback on the show ‘Stranger Things.’ One Reddit user wrote, “I think he may appear in a flashback or a vision just like how Billy appeared in S4.” Another netizen went on to say, “I don't think he will return, and tbh I don't really want him to return now.” Followed by a third user who penned, “I’m sure we’ll get a cameo.” Another fan commented, “I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s a cameo, pretty much all the other major dead characters got one or at least had their body shown. The only problem with Joseph is that he was Busy with a capital B during filming, so who knows?”
Recently, ‘Stranger Things’ co-creator Matt Duffer debunked all the fan theories about Quinn’s comeback. During an October 2025 interview with Empire, Duffer confirmed that Quinn’s character, Eddie, won’t be appearing in the fifth and final season of the show. Then, Duffer said, “I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people! But no, he's dead. Joe is so busy anyway that everyone should know he's not coming back. He's shot like five movies since! When the hell has he got time to come and shoot 'Stranger Things'? No, sadly, RIP. He's fully under that ground."
The characters and actors who are returning for ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 include Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), Jim Hopper (David Harbour), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).
