Who is Going to Die in Stranger Things 5?

We made it.

I cannot believe the day is finally here. Stranger Things 5 releases TONIGHT. This wait has felt like ages, but we have made it. I am at a loss for words with how excited I am. Anyways, my final post leading up to Stranger Things 5 is going to be my death predictions. The Duffers have always been bad about killing off main characters, but I bet that will change in season five. I guess we will see at 8 o'clock tonight. Oh my God. I'm so excited. I cannot believe it's here.

15. Holly Wheeler

We know she'll be in danger, but killing her would seem cruel

Holly is the character everyone expects to vanish this season, so she will definitely be in peril. However, she will likely be the youngest of the main cast, so killing her off just seems mean. I can't say she's entirely safe because she will likely be in danger throughout the season, but it just doesn't seem like it'd be earned. Although Holly has been in every season, she's never been a main character, so her death would just feel unsatisfying in every way.

14. Dustin Henderson

If you don't kill Steve, killing Dustin would be just as devastating

Of the main kids, Dustin seems like he's in the least danger. Again, killing him would just feel pointless. He's been through a lot with Eddie's death already, and he doesn't seem like the type that would put himself in front of everyone else. Unless they really, really want to break everyone's hearts, Dustin should be safe, but I don't really feel one hundred percent sure about anyone living this season out. But if I were to make a bet about a major character living, Dustin would be the one.

13. Lucas Sinclair

Unless he sacrifices himself for Max, Lucas should make it through this season

They've heavily marketed Lucas to be in danger, which makes me think he's probably safe. They did the same thing with Steve in season four: they made it seem like he was absolute toast and then he made it. Unlike Dustin, however, Lucas has a reason to die: Max. Maybe he could sacrifice himself to let Max wake up or to save her life. I don't know if that would happen. I don't know if it would be satisfying. But that's the only real reason I could see Lucas dying.

12. Mike Wheeler

The Wheelers are in danger this season, so maybe Mike puts himself in harm's way

The primary reason that I think Mike is relatively safe is because I don't think enough people would care if he died. Mike was the heart of season one, but since then, he kind of become the worst. Season four made him a bit more likable, but since that first season, he has been a whiny, naive brat that shows none of the kindness and caring that he did when Will went missing. That said...if they wanted to redeem his character and have him go out on a high note, I could see him sacrificing himself for either Will or Eleven. Will did say that Mike was the heart of the party in season four, so maybe he continues down that path and gives himself up to save everyone else.

11. Max Mayfield

Maybe she truly does never wake up

I also think Max is pretty safe, because she got f**ked up heavily at the end of season four. She did technically die after being attacked by Vecna, which is part of the reason I think she will survive season five. Killing her off would feel cruel, especially after this poor girl already got blinded and had her limbs broken in the last season. On top of that, it'd be derivative. Unless they figure out some cool way to do it, I really think Max is safe because of the fact that she was completely maimed and has already been through enough.

10. Jim Hopper

They wouldn't kill him off twice...right?

Much like Max, I feel like it would be cruel to kill off Hopper, because he already died. It would probably be lame if the Duffers "killed" Hopper, had him spend a season trying to get back to Joyce and Eleven, has him reunite with them, and then kill him off again. The only thing that makes me feel like it could happen is that he is always the one to thrust himself into danger first. He has no problem risking his life and sacrificing himself if the situation calls for it, so he could hypothetically be unsafe, but I just don't really see it happening.

9. Nancy Wheeler

This would be a heart-breaking way to solve the love triangle

There is a big gap in danger between Hopper and Nancy. These next seven are my primary candidates to die. Nancy is the unsung hero of Stranger Things. She's nearly as badass as Eleven, but she's kind of also the glue that holds the entire group together. She is a great combination of caring and bold, and that is exactly what makes me terrified for her life. She is, like a lot of the characters, willing to put herself in harm's way to help others, so that could definitely lead to her demise. It would also present an interesting dynamic for both Jonathan and Steve, as they would definitely both grieve Nancy heavily but in different ways. This would rock everyone emotionally if we lose her, so she is definitely a major possibility.

8. Sam Owens

Hawkins Lab's nicest doctor seems very killable

This is a weird one, because I don't honestly know if Owens is alive. The last we saw of him, he was handcuffed to a pole in the NINA lab. My guess is that he will play a part in the military plot line of season five, and I think he will probably not make it out. Hawkins Lab has always been heavily connected to the Upside Down, so a major way to disconnect the Upside Down from our world is to get rid of the lab. Owens, although a good guy, is the current representative of Hawkins Lab, so I could definitely see him having to go down with his work. He could also go out protecting Eleven from the evil military. Either way, I do not think the friendly doctor is going to live out season five.

7. Joyce Byers

Maybe she sacrifices herself for the safety of her children

These next two are the hardest two to judge. Joyce is very similar to Hopper, because she will be the first to jump into danger to save others, especially her kids. That will automatically make her a primary candidate for biting the dust. On top of that, she has faced so much trauma and horror due to the Upside Down that she might just try to stop it even if she has to die. The thing that makes me unsure is that she deserves a happy ending. She has been through so much, and if she died, she would not get her ending with Hopper and her kids would essentially be orphans (because there's no way Lonnie is taking care of Will). So I don't know. I'm iffy, but I don't feel comfortable about her safety.

6. Eleven

If there's a big final sacrifice, El seems like she might be the one to go

To me, Eleven half seems like the most likely candidate to die as well as the least likely. On the one hand, it would make the most sense. She opened the first gate. Her powers are connected to the Upside Down. She has a past with Vecna. All of these signs point to her having to be the major sacrifice that stops the Upside Down entirely. The real only thing that holds me back from putting her in the top spot is that I don't think they would do that to Hopper. It feels horrible to kill off his second daughter after he already lost his first. That really throws a wrench in things, because if that weren't the case, I think it would almost be chalked in that Eleven would not make it through season five. That said, I still think she could make the final sacrifice to destroy Vecna and the Upside Down for good.

5. Jonathan Byers

The marketing has me scared for Jonathan's ultimate fate

They've got to solve the Nancy-Jonathan-Steve love triangle somehow, and I feel like the most likely way to solve that is with a death. The marketing has subtle hints that Jonathan might be the one to go. Nancy has been very sad throughout all of the trailers, and I think there's a chance that it's because Jonathan is gone. We know Will will be in danger throughout this season, so maybe his older brother sacrifices himself to save him. Normally, I would feel safe about Jonathan because he isn't a beloved character, but this could definitely be his swan song.

4. Will Byers

It all started with him so maybe it all ends with him

Much like Eleven, Will makes a lot of sense. This whole journey started with his kidnapping. He has had some sort of connection to the Upside Down throughout the show. The Duffers have said that season five will focus heavily on Will. That, paired with the fact that he's been sidelined since season two, really makes me think that he might have to go down to win this final battle. He's been an outcast since he was kidnapped, so that makes me think that he might just embrace it and go out as a hero to stop this evil from destroying Hawkins. That, or Vecna always had a reason for having him kidnapped in the first season that leads to his ultimate demise. I don't know what Will's arc will be in the final season, but I do not see it ending in a happy way for him, unfortunately.

3. Steve Harrington

I hate even putting this idea on the list

I know, I know. You don't want it to happen. I don't want it to happen. No one wants it to happen. But we have to face the facts: Steve is probably going to die. If the Duffers want to absolutely tear our hearts out, they will kill him off. And it would make a lot of sense. He has always been the babysitter, the mom who protects the younger kids. He is the perfect candidate for a heroic sacrifice. On top of that, there's not really any reason he shouldn't die. There's not some loose thread that has to be resolved with his character arc. It wouldn't be derivative. It would be pure, nearly unbearable heart-break, but it would probably cement him as one of the best TV characters ever. Even thinking about it hurts. No one is prepared for it to happen, but out of our heroes, I think Steve is the one who is probably going to kick the bucket.

2. Karen Wheeler

The Wheeler's caring mother is probably toast in the first few episodes

I am almost positive Karen is getting popped in the first few episodes. As we've all speculated, the mysterious vanishing in episode two is likely Holly Wheeler, and, in most of the marketing we've seen, Karen is with Holly. Well, if Holly vanishes, Karen might have to die in an attempt to save her. She would stand no chance against a Demogorgon or Vecna. This would also explain Nancy looking so upset throughout all of the marketing. If they want to establish the stakes from the get-go, killing Karen would definitely be a way to do it. She's not a huge character, but her death would absolutely be felt by both the characters and the audience. So prepare to watch her die tonight, honestly.

1. Vecna

There's no way the main antagonist survives this season

This is maybe a little bit of a cheat because he's not a hero and it's so obvious. There's basically no way in which the show ends well with Vecna surviving. It does not look like he can be stopped. He definitely cannot be redeemed. The Upside Down has been his since the beginning of the show, so to destroy it and turn everything right side up, he has to die. I am truly convinced that if Vecna does not die, this will be a disappointing end to the series. Look at all of the biggest TV shows and movies with great villains: they all die in the end. Thanos, Palpatine (twice!), Voldemort, The Night King, Sauron (kind of)...these are all big bads that are on Vecna's level. He is going to die. And it will be glorious.