Warning: SPOILERS lie ahead for Stranger Things season 4, volume 2.
Stranger Things season 4 volume 1 introduced the world to Eddie Munson, the strange yet sweet leader of Hawkins High School's Dungeons & Dragons group, and volume 2 snatched him away. In the explosive season finale, Eddie (played by Joseph Quinn, Catherine the Great) met his tragic end at the hands of the terrifying Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) hell bats despite having previously brought down the Upside Down with his musical rendition of Metallica.
While Quinn's time on Stranger Things may be done, the mark Eddie left on Hawkins will not be forgotten by fans for a long time. Naturally, viewers are now more pumped than ever to see Vecna and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) go head to head in a final season showdown.
Screen Rant spoke to Quinn about fans' extreme reactions to Eddie's demise and the way in which they've channeled their emotions, as well as what he hopes his legacy will be in Stranger Things season 5.
Screen Rant: I don't know how online you are, but Eddie Munson is trending. I'm reading all of them, and it's so delightful. Have you seen all the reactions to the episode yet?
Joseph Quinn: I haven't yet. I'm kind of trying to not, but my dad keeps kind of binging on it. So, he keeps telling me various things. But, yeah, it's amazing.
Do you understand how beloved Eddie Munson is?
Joseph Quinn: It's a lovely feeling. It's hard to wrap my head around, but the fact that people have responded so well to him is a pretty crazy thing.
There has been justice for Barb, and justice for Bob. But are you ready for justice for Eddie? I'm fired up. I'm pissed. I want Eddie back.
Joseph Quinn: Well, I guess we could join with justice for Barb and Bob. Yeah, take 'em down.
I'm just so furious at the town of Hawkins. Will they ever accept that Eddie was truly a hero?
Joseph Quinn: That's kind of the kick, isn't it? It was just rough that he dies, and people don't realize what a hero he is. But hopefully, he'll have his name cleared in season 5. Maybe, we'll see.
What has been your favorite takeaway from doing the show? I gotta say that that musical moment of you just smashing the guitar was incredible. What's been your favorite part of doing the show?
Joseph Quinn: Oh, that there was so fun. But I think all of the scenes with all of the gang. I loved the kind of ensemble stuff, when you're just getting into it with everyone.
But I'd say that the highlight was probably the Metallica sequence, just because it was so fun. The whole time I was doing it, I was like, "I'm never gonna be able to do anything this cool again. This is it, so make the most of it."
You said you weren't incredibly online, but if you click Eddie Munson on Twitter, people are doing all kinds of incredible art of that scene already. There's just amazing stuff coming out.
Joseph Quinn: It's amazing. The fan art aspect of it is so touching; the fact that it means so much to so many people. And that's amazing. I don't know how to express it, but it's crazy.
I think Eddie doing "This is music!" was such a great moment. Do you know what your Vecna song is at this point to pull you back in?
Joseph Quinn: I've been asked this, and I've committed to this kind of stupid, eurotrash song by this band called Vengaboys. It's called "Up & Down," and I'm just gonna stick with it, because we've come this far. And it's "Up & Down" by Vengaboys.
Stranger Things Season 4 Synopsis
It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.
Check out our interviews with Stranger Things stars Noah Schnapp, Charlie Heaton & Eduardo Franco, Robert Englund, as well as Jamie Campbell Bower and Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink & Priah Ferguson.
Stranger Things season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.