Stranger Things Prequel Makes Eddie Munson's Story Even More Heartbreaking
As if our hearts didn't ache enough for this guy.
Summary:
- Stranger Things prequel novel Flight of Icarus reveals heartbreaking details about Eddie Munson's backstory
- Turns out, his absent father was trying to train him to be a thief since childhood
- The new detail only adds to the already tragic character journey Eddie had on Stranger Things
Eddie Munson has probably become one of the most beloved secondary characters in Stranger Things... only to get brutally murdered in the end of the very season he was introduced in, in line with the painful tradition of the show.
To make matters even worse, the new Stranger Things prequel, Flight of Icarus, stormed into our lives to make them even more miserable with yet another not-so-fun-fact. Well, news flash: Eddie Munson's father was an even worse person than we thought.
Who Was Eddie Munson's Father?
In Stranger Things, we don't get to know Eddie's father too close. We know he's Alan "Al" Munson, notorious for constantly exercising questionable schemes. At some point, he disappeared from Eddie's life, leaving him to live with his uncle.
Al's reputations was probably one of the factors that made it easy for the Hawkins residents to fall for the theory that Eddie was behind Vecna's hideous crimes. Well, turns out, Al almost made sure his son actually grew up to be a criminal!
In Flight of Icarus, we get to know that Al actually tried to squeeze himself back into Eddie's life. Two years before Stranger Things season 4, Al returned to Eddie... only to try and sign him up for his schemes, not to make up for being an absent father.
Turns out, Al had been teaching his son to steal since his very childhood, apparently seeing him as his future partner-in-crime. Luckily, his son somehow grew up into a much more decent person than his father ever was, even though the original show never delved into the topic too much.
However, this didn't stop Joseph Quinn from developing his character in accordance with his painful backstory.
"I thought that his mum had maybe passed on or had left, and his dad was in prison," Quinn said. "He was very estranged from his parents, and that brings up all the stuff that brings up for young people."
Will Eddie Be Back in Stranger Things Season 5?
In the finale of Stranger Things season 4, Eddie basically sacrificed himself in the Upside Down so that the Hawkins gang could take Vecna down. His character's journey was as tragic as it could be, and given that he has gained a massive fanbase around his persona, many people beg for him to return in the final season somehow.
While Joseph Quinn himself tries to avoid fan speculations about his character's return as much as possible, several fan theories about Eddie's comeback do make sense. One of the most popular ones implies that Eddie will return as vampire Kas from Dungeons & Dragons — in the board game that Stranger Things heavily references all the time, this character helped destroy Vecna.
However, as of now, Eddie is dead-dead. Some fans actually believe it's for the best, arguing that the character's resurrection will only butcher his season 4 arc. All we can do is wait and see what kind of surprises Stranger Things' fifth and final season has in store for us.
Source: TUDUM