Stranger Things viewers could never forget what happened to Dustin's cat, Mews, but the same can't be said about the Byers family dog. The pet, named Chester according to the scripts, appeared in multiple Stranger Things season 1 episodes before disappearing from the series altogether – an absence that has been raised by fans over the years. Here's what happened to Chester and why he was left out of recent seasons.
Although not directly referred to by name in Stranger Things, Chester made his first appearance in the show's pilot. When Will (Noah Schnapp) was being chased by the Demogorgon, the dog greeted the young boy when he arrived home. Chester then barked at the mysterious monster as Will searched for a place to hide. Following Will's disappearance, Chester alerted Chief Hopper (David Harbour) to the shed, presumably the spot where the Demogorgon got a hold of Will before taking him to the Upside Down.
In total, Chester was present during four episodes of Stranger Things season 1. His last appearance came in the season 1 finale, "The Upside Down." Once Will returned, life seemed to go back to normal, and as the Byers family was preparing for Christmas Eve, Chester stole raw meat off of the kitchen counter. Sometime after 1983, Chester disappeared, and Stranger Things season 3 revealed the dog's fate, which was also confirmed by a key actor.
Noah Schnapp Confirmed Chester's Death
At a panel at Stranger Con Chicago ahead of the Stranger Things season 3 release, Noah Schnapp confirmed that Chester passed away after the events of season 1. Even though the dog wasn't mentioned in season 2, Schnapp added that a gravesite for Chester was added to the set of season 3. The addition of the grave was probably meant to tie up loose ends resulting in the dog's disappearance from the show. It was odd for the Byers family to have a pet and then for the animal to be absent for the follow-up season, even though the family home was a primary setting.
The reasoning behind Chester's exit could be due to Schnapp's co-star, David Harbour. Since Hopper put so much focus on investigating Will's disappearance, he spent a lot of time interacting with Joyce at her home. The Chief of Police also had the notable run-in with Chester, which wasn't an easy sequence to film. Harbour had been vocal about the difficulties working with the dog, calling it the "worst actor" he had ever worked with during an interview with Howard Stern in 2016. At one point, Harbour was even forced to walk off the set when the animal wouldn't cooperate. It sounds like Stranger Things took note and decided to leave Chester out of future Stranger Things seasons to avoid any future conflicts. This may have been for the best, but if Chester stuck around, he could have been another victim of Dart or the other Demodogs.
How Stranger Things Season 5 Could Still Use Chester's Death
Stranger Things is known for bringing back issues from previous seasons into the newest installments — which could yet happen with Chester's death. Stranger Things season 4 introduced the leader of the Upside Down, Vecna, who plays on people's fears and worst memories. Since Will is connected with the Upside Down due to his role in previous seasons, it's possible that he'd be Vecna's next target, and the death of his dog would be a great "bad" memory to use against Will (though he has plenty to choose from). It's well established in the series that Will's feelings are downplayed in Stranger Things or disregarded by the other kids. Coupled with Noah Schnapp's confirmation that Chester is, in fact, dead, it's rather on-point that no one is shown comforting Will over the death of his dog. The Duffer brothers are unafraid of retcons, often reintroducing elements to answer audience feedback, such as making Vecna control the Mind Flayer and bringing Barb back for Nancy's flashbacks. The Byers' family dog is in a good position to return as a traumatic memory in Stranger Things season 5.