Warning: This article contains spoilers for season 4 of Stranger Things!
With a ringmaster's sense of the theatrical and a heart of gold buried under his denim jacket, Eddie Munson is the scene-stealing new character of Stranger Things, responsible for some of the best dialogue season 4 has to offer. The dungeon master of the Hellfire Club presents as a possible Hawkins high school bully in Vol. 1's first episode, but a run-in with Vecna soon makes him an ally to the Scoop Troop and the rest of the Hawkins kids.
Some of Eddie's best quotes come from his bombastic Dungeons & Dragons campaign, but many occur during particularly vulnerable moments, like when he's tucking his Brian May curls between his teeth and pouring his heart out to the cheerleading captain. This charismatic metalhead continues the time-honored Stranger Things tradition of turning expectations upside down to create a fan-favorite character.
The Hellfire Club
"The Hooded Cultists Chant, 'Hail Lord Vecna.'"
It's easy to see why Dustin and Mike are so loyal to the Hellfire Club at the risk of being considered uncool; with a dungeon master as entertaining as Eddie, who wouldn't want to play? Putting on a sonorous voice, surrounded by the soft glow of candelabras, Eddie sets the stage for the end of his campaign, in which Dustin, Mike, Erica, and the rest of their cohort must defeat the malevolent Lord Vecna.
Eddie's entire monologue is a delight, and fans find themselves as enraptured as the players. When Erica rolls the winning critical hit, Eddie makes a sweeping bow and proudly declares, "This is why we play." It's not surprising that this scene parallels Lucas's basketball game; the campaign is shown to be just as important as the championship to those who play it, and as Eddie exemplifies, is played with utmost sportsmanship.
When He Resents Being Labeled For Playing D&D
"We're The Freaks Because We Like To Play A Fantasy Game."
While it might not be considered an '80s pop culture reference like that episode of Star Wars: Ewoks, the "Satanic Panic" was a real concern for parents in 1986. As Eddie informs the Hellfire Club in the cafeteria, Dungeons & Dragons wasn't considered a harmless pastime, and studies "linked violent behavior to the game, saying it promotes satanic worship and ritual sacrifice."
Eddie resents being labeled a "freak" for playing a simple fantasy game, going so far as to leap onto one of the tables and belittle the other extracurricular groups that don't get the same scrutiny. This quote makes clear that he dislikes being considered an outcast just for something he enjoys.
When He Resents Conforming
"It's Forced Conforming. That's What's Killing The Kids. That's The Real Monster."
Eddie concludes his speech about the demonization of Dungeons & Dragons by personally insulting members of the band, science club, and basketball team, even going so far as to exchange heated words with Jason, the team captain. He declares that it's the "forced conforming" that's killing kids in Hawkins, not some mysterious monster.
This quote acts as a chilling bit of foreshadowing, as Jason will later stir up fervor at the town hall and inspire a witch hunt for Eddie. The willing conformity of the residents, who are too narrow-minded to see Eddie as anything more than a devil-worshipping "freak," is what almost leads to his death.
When It's Eddie's Time To Shine
"This Year Is My Year. I Can Feel It."
Eddie is a super senior and has missed his chance to graduate on two separate occasions, but thinks that 1986 will finally be his year to cross the stage and get his diploma. He's ready to leave Hawkins and its myopic residents behind, eager to embrace new opportunities in a more welcoming community.
The way Eddie speaks here makes his fugitive turn in the same episode all the more heartbreaking. Even before his meetup with Chrissy, this quote establishes that despite his intimidating exterior, inside, Eddie has hopes, dreams, and aspirations just like any other kid in Hawkins.
When He Picked Dustin And Mike To Be In Hellfire Club
"We Showed You That School Didn't Have To Be The Worst Years Of Your Lives."
It's easy to envision Eddie as a bit of a bully towards younger members of the Hellfire Club like Dustin and Mike; he's older, more aggressive, and makes the decisions for the group. But fans get to learn the backstory of how he met Dustin and Mike, and it's surprisingly touching.
After Eleven and the Byers left Hawkins, Eddie saw Dustin and Mike sitting alone in the cafeteria looking like "lost sheep" and decided to take them under his wing. As polarizing as Eddie can be, and as divisive as his outbursts can appear to other people, he has the capacity to draw people to him and create a sense of community.
When He Feels Like He's Losing His Mind
"Um, You Know, Just On A Daily Basis."
One of the best scenes involving Eddie features Chrissy Cunningham, "the queen of Hawkins High." She wants something to alleviate the traumatic visions she's been having, but a simple drug deal between a metalhead and the most popular girl in school becomes something more meaningful.
Chrissy asks Eddie if he ever feels like he's losing his mind, and he's clearly surprised by her honesty. He decides to respond in kind, and for the rest of their exchange, Eddie comes off as a completely different person; he's open, vulnerable, and surprisingly compassionate towards someone who should be a social enemy.
When He Gave A Chrissy Cunningham A Compliment
"You Were Doing This Cheer Thing. You Know, The Thing You Do...It Was Pretty Cool Actually."
Eddie tries to connect with Chrissy over a shared middle school memory involving a talent show, her cheer squad, and his band Corroded Coffin, and what stands out about their exchange is that not only does Chrissy pay him a compliment, he returns the gesture, admitting that he admired her cheer routine.
It's refreshing to see that when they're away from their respective social circles, the two can find common ground. Eddie's group definitely sounds like a fictional metal band that should be real, and by the looks of the trailer for the second half of season 4, they may take a limited engagement in the Upside Down.
When He Admitted To Being Intimidated By A Cheerleader
"Yeah, Well, I Actually Kinda Thought You'd Be Kinda Mean And Scary Too. In Other News, Flattery Works With Me."
In the final moments of their conversation, both Eddie and Chrissy admit to thinking that they assumed the other person would be "mean and scary," but that to their mutual surprise, they're nothing like what they thought they'd be.
His unexpected willingness to let his guard down, juxtaposed with his brash sense of bravado, makes Eddie's survival something that needs to happen in the second half of season 4. Not since Billy Hargrove has a new character felt so well-developed and complicated (and we all know how that turned out).
When Dustin Asked For A Response From Eddie The Banished
"I Say You're Asking Me To Follow You Into Mordor...But The Shire Is Burning. So Mordor It Is."
When the Hawkins kids find Eddie he's on the run, scared, and out of options. He knows that it's only a matter of time before the police catch up with him and put him in jail for Chrissy's murder. Dustin suggests the only other alternative; march into the Upside Down and kill the real perpetrator, Vecna.
The way to Eddie's soul is clearly through nerdy allegory, and he compares their journey into enemy territory to Frodo and Sam's quest to Mordor. He invokes The Shire (one of the most beautiful locations in Lord of the Rings) burning at the hands of the Dark Lord Sauron and knows what must be done.
When He Gives Respect Where Respect Is Due
"Henderson Told Me You Were A Bada**. Insisted On The Matter, In Fact."
An unexpected feel-good moment comes at the end of Vol. 1 when Steve, Dustin's first older male friend starts to bond with Eddie, the older male friend who Steve suspects might be replacing him. Eddie reassures Steve that this isn't the case because as it turns out, Dustin still looks up to him.
There's something endearing about the fact that Eddie wants Steve to know how much he still means to Dustin, and this small act implies that Steve and Eddie could form an unlikely friendship. Just one more reason why Eddie needs to make it to season 5.