This article contains spoilers for all seasons of Stranger Things.While Stranger Things certainly has a thing for fake deaths, including Will Byers' (Noah Schnapp) in Season 1 and Hopper's (David Harbour) in Season 3, the series doesn't shy away from killing relatively important characters. Since the incredible series began in 2016, viewers have been continuously surprised by some of the twists and turns the Netflix show's mind-blowing storyline has endured.
Whether we saw some of these deaths coming or not is one thing; how incredibly heartbreaking they were is another. Although some of these characters were deserving of their tragic fates, which is the case of Dacre Montgomery's character Billy, often it's the way these particular scenes are handled and executed that makes them excruciating. Because the fourth season has finally premiered, and with it came new names to add to this list, we have decided to rank all the major deaths so far.
12) Connie Frazier
Antagonist Connie Frazier, portrayed by Catherine Dyer, was an evil government agent. Although many wouldn't remember her without a rewatch (which kind of highlights how bad of a character she was), Connie was tasked with protecting the secrets of Hawkins Lab, working, of course, alongside Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine).
She is ultimately killed by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in Season 1 when the character resorts to the power of biokinesis, which results in both Connie and her agents freezing as their brains get crushed, bleeding out their eyes.
11) Jason Carver
Here's the perfect example of a character who got what he deserved. Between spreading lies all over the place and messing up other people's very calculated plans, the death of antagonist jerk Jason Carver, portrayed by Mason Dye, barely caused anyone's tears to shed.
Many bad things were going on in Season 4. Jason's body casually tearing apart thanks to big bad Vecna opening a gigantic gate throughout Hawkins was not one of them.
10) Dr. Martin Brenner
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
To be fair, the only reason Dr. Brenner's death isn't ranked lower is solely due to Eleven's relatively emotional (and understandable) reaction to it and the fact that he attempted to redeem himself by saving her life. Whether fans like it or not, the two characters are delicately linked by a highly problematic past. Unfortunately, long before Hopper's days, Modine's character built himself up as a father figure in El's life.
Although "Papa" was the overarching bad guy from the beginning and got everyone the creeps whenever he showed up on screen, his death scene was very emotional and got some fans wondering why they felt bad for such an abusive, wicked character.
9) Barbara Holland
Are we going to talk about how Barb's (Shannon Purser) death inspired a whole movement named "Justice For Barb"? Absolutely. Though the character barely appeared on screen, many audience members were upset about her sudden death.
We first met Barb in Season 1 of the Netflix series, and she was often portrayed as the nerdy best friend of popular Nancy Wheeler. Many agree that she was a relatable character who deserved better.
8) Heather Holloway
Heather was a recurring character who worked alongside Billy as a lifeguard at the Hawkins Community Pool. Although she did not have much screentime, Francesca Reale's character seemed like a sincerely sweet girl who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time: during one of her shifts, she found Billy acting odd and went to check on him.
She went missing, and Eleven later found her body, which pretty much confirmed her death. Much like Nancy's (Natalia Dyer) best friend, who died tragically before her time, the character had potential and was genuinely only trying to help when she fell victim to the Mind Flayer.
7) Chrissy Cunningham
Another unfairly short-lived character was Grace Van Dien's Chrissy Cunningham. Like the two previously mentioned characters who were introduced only to die right after (likewise Patrick and Fred, who had even smaller screentime), she suffered a tragic death. While fans didn't get much background information on her, Chrissy seemed like an anxious but charming girl.
What marked her death mainly was the darkness in the way it was portrayed and the undeniable impact it had on Eddie (Joseph Quinn).
6) Benny Hammond
Not many people talk about this legend, so we decided to do him justice. In case anyone forgot, Benny, portrayed by Chris Sullivan, was the first person to help El when she escaped the lab. He first appeared in Season 1 and was the owner and chef at Benny's Burgers.
The character catered for a starving Eleven and provided her with food. However, getting in touch with the Social Services, in what he thought was a good deed, led him to his death — gone but never forgotten!
5) Billy Hargrove
While it's somewhat unfair to rank Montgomery's Billy this high, it makes sense when recalling how much of a heartbreaking moment it was for Max and how he tried to redeem himself by saving everyone. Nevertheless, nothing makes his actions acceptable, justifies his weird behavior, or makes him much of a better character.
While the scene itself was harrowing to watch, it was primarily due to the aftermath impact it had on Billy's little sister. Much like Dr. Brenner's death, many fans found themselves strangely grieving a loss that wasn't theirs.
4) Alexei
Alec Utgoff's wholesome Alexei, the Russian scientist who worked on the Key beneath the Starcourt Mall against his will during Season 3, just wanted to have fun and enjoy the finer things in life — such as attending an American 4th of July Fun Fair for the first time and having heaps of fun while doing it.
Unfortunately, the childlike Looney Tunes enthusiast suffered a rather heartbreaking death as he fell victim to Grigori (Andrey Ivchenko). Moments before he was killed, the oddly adorable character could be found celebrating the victory of winning a giant stuffed Woody Woodpecker.
3) Bob Newby
Likewise, Benny and the character that takes the second place in this list, Bob, died as a hero. In Season 2, Sean Astin's incredibly kind character sacrificed himself selflessly. Bob was wholly devoted to Joyce (Winona Ryder) and her children, often doing everything he could to ensure their happiness and safety.
Being too pure for this world, Newby was tackled and killed by several Demodogs, to every viewer's surprise.
2) Eddie Munson
Very few things are quite as devastating as watching a character you just got deeply attached to die a very undeserving death. Though the audience was blessed with Eddie's presence for one entire season, fans worldwide openly expressed dissatisfaction with the character's catastrophic demise.
What's even more upsetting (besides all the wasted potential) is that Joe Quinn's character ultimately died attempting to save a town that despised him, often painting him as the source of all their problems solely based on his looks and interests. Although his death scene is unbelievably sad, it is the one where Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) later reveals to Eddie's uncle what has happened that feels like a hard punch in the chest.
1) Max Mayfield
Technically, Sadie Sink's character lost her fight with the Vecna and died for a few minutes when Eleven brought her back to life. Nonetheless, although there are chances that Max will get to fulfill her wish of going to the films with Lucas (Caleb Mclaughlin) eventually, she is currently canonically brain dead, as recently confirmed by the Duffer brothers.
There are so many heartbreaking things about this almost-death scene. In the end, the realization that Max barely experienced happiness during her entire life is what completely wrecks the viewer. If there is a character that undoubtedly deserves better, it is her. And the thought alone that the beloved character might not survive is beyond soul-shattering.