Summary
- The question of Steve Harrington's fate has plagued fans since the very beginning of Stranger Things.
- After becoming a fan favorite, the character never seems to take a break from beatings and near-death situations.
- However, this does not mean that the final season will end Steve's arc on a tragic note.
- The showrunners may have another development in store for him.
'Steve will die next season' has been a never-ending thing since Stranger Things hit Netflix in 2016. Season 5 is no exception. The drawn-out wait for the final installment, which is not expected to premiere until 2025, has been marked by speculation about Steve's possible fate.
While many fans and media seem convinced that Steve is the prime candidate for the Season 5 casualty list, there is good reason to believe that the Duffer Brothers have another path in mind for him.
After all, the character has managed to defy the odds in every previous season so far.
Steve's arc changed in Season 1
During Netflix's Geeked Week 2022, Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that Steve was supposed to be killed off in the first season.
They couldn't remember the exact circumstances of the tragic event, but they were sure that the famous battle with the Demogorgon was originally part of Jonathan's father's arc.
What prompted the writers to change the storyline was Joe Keery's phenomenal performance, which made it impossible to drop the character and gave him the biggest development in the entire series.
At first, Steve is this douchebag jock and easy to hate. But since the fight with the Demogorgon, his character starts to change and gradually becomes the fan favorite babysitter, chauffeur, everyone's confidant and of course the ultimate monster hunter.
Steve keeps getting beaten up and recovering
Steve never stopped finding himself in near-death situations. In Season 2, Billy gave him the most graphic beating in the show's history. In Season 3, Russian soldiers tortured him and only luck helped him escape.
In Season 4, Steve narrowly escaped death twice. First, he survived an attack by Demobats, and then he was nearly suffocated by Vecna's tentacles.
It has gotten to the point where the beating is inevitable in every chapter, and the writers seem to be playing a terrifying game with the audience. How much more can your favorite character take?
Steve might have a purpose other than death
Other than messing with the fans, Steve's streak of bad luck could have another purpose.
Instead of killing the character off in the final season, which, frankly, will accomplish nothing but pissing off the fans, the Duffer Brothers could use Steve's numerous encounters with the Upside-Down inhabitants for plot development.
After all, Steve has fought more monsters than any other character on the show (with the exception of Eleven). He faced the Demogorgon, Demodogs, Demobats, and Vecna. That could come in handy in the final battle.
Plus, if Netflix is planning on expanding the Stranger Things universe with spinoffs, fan-favorite characters like Steve are their best bet.
And if you think Steve's arc would be incomplete without a final death, remember that he's basically a teenager trying to move on from his ex-girlfriend. Meeting someone new would be a much more fitting end for him.