Stranger Things has a weird tendency to kill characters whose names start with the letter “B”. The Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi series Stranger Things has become a big hit thanks to its mix of drama, science fiction, and supernatural elements, along with many pop culture elements from the 1980s and numerous references to the works of Stephen King, John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, and more.
Stranger Things' three seasons so far have all focused primarily on the teenagers of Hawkins, Indiana, but while that means there's plenty of humor and moments of warmth, it doesn't mean the Netflix Original Series has shied away from darkness too. There are some genuine stakes, sequences of real horror, and monsters who'll happily kill a human or two. Several characters have died throughout Stranger Things, but Hawkins is oddly far more dangerous (or safe) depending on what letter your name begins with.
This pattern of Stranger Things killed characters with names beginning with "B" was noticed by Reddit users (via Nerdist), and it began very early on in the series. The first fallen Stranger Things character with a “B” name was Benny, the owner of a local diner who takes Eleven in after she escapes from Hawkins Lab. Benny was killed by Connie Frazier, one of Dr. Brenner’s agents. Then was Barb Holland, whose death prompted the “Justice for Barb” movement. Barb was dragged to the Upside Down by the Demogorgon and killed there. The “B” massacre continued in season 2 with the death of Bob Newby. Good ol’ Bob was a Radio Shack manager, superhero, and Joyce Byers' boyfriend. He helped decode Will’s drawings and aided Hopper, Mike, Will, and Joyce in escaping from the hospital, where he was killed by the demodogs.
One of Stranger Things season 3’s big deaths was that of Billy, Max’s step-brother who was a bully during most of his time in the series. Billy died when he sacrificed himself to save Eleven and the rest of the group, including Max. Another “B” character who died in season 3 was Bruce Lowe, a Hawkins Post journalist who constantly mocked Nancy for being a woman that wanted to be a journalist. Bruce was possessed by the Mind Flayer and killed by Nancy. All these characters have first names starting with “B”, so Dr. Martin Brenner doesn’t really count here – after all, there is a big chance that he’s still alive.
Following this pattern, it would also mean that Jim Hopper is still alive somehow, and it could also give some hope in fan-favorite Alexei being somewhere in the world enjoying a cherry slurpee. Whether it’s a coincidence or the Duffer Brothers have something against names that begin with “B”, it’s a fun pattern that will surely make way for some interesting Stranger Things theories.