One statement from Dustin makes Eddie’s sacrifice, which has become one of the most heartbreaking sequences in the whole series of Stranger Things, even more heartbreaking. After mainly avoiding it in season 3, Dustin and Mike returned to their passion of Dungeons and Dragons in Stranger Things season 4. They join the Eddie Munson-led Hellfire Club, a D&D gaming group run by an eccentric dungeon master. Eddie wasn’t the usual notion of a hero; he was an overtly nonconforming figure who struggled to graduate from high school while being held back.
However, Eddie eventually takes a stance and identifies a cause worth fighting for in the Stranger Things Vol. 2 conclusion. Eddie fulfilled his character arc by confronting danger head-on rather than fleeing, as he stated he had always done, by bravely giving his life in the Upside Down to save Dustin and the others. It was difficult to witness Eddie’s ultimate heroic deed, but what Dustin said about him later just made it worse.
In the aftermath of a burned-out Hawkins, Dustin runs upon Eddie’s uncle and breaks the news to him with passion. It’s a touching moment shared by the only two individuals in the community who actually cared for Eddie and could see behind his imposing demeanor. Eddie’s passing is worsened by one phrase in Dustin’s eulogy, though. Eddie’s uncle is informed by Dustin that he “never ever saw him become angry.” Eddie is often depicted becoming angry throughout Stranger Things season 4 therefore this phrase is comically incorrect. More than that, it makes the flattering remarks spoken about him sound untrue, which lessens the impact of his sacrifice.
If Eddie is a complicated character, Eddie’s sacrifice will work better.
Eddie frequently loses his temper in Stranger Things, and this behavior becomes clear during the course of the season. Eddie is quickly depicted as a passionate person with a short fuse and the potential to be somewhat frightening even before Mike and Dustin introduce his character and worry about asking him to postpone their D&D session. He frequently threw fits, griped, and yelled during season 4, and it was this behavior that ultimately made his sacrifice appealing.
Due to the Satanic Panic frenzy, Eddie found himself in the heart of a terrible predicament where he was accused of murder by the entire village. He was rightfully furious about what had happened to him and afraid about what was ahead, which was evident in quite a few “Jesus H. Christ!” cries. Instead of portraying Eddie as a saint who always behaved rightly and gently, it is considerably more effective to show that he overcame his wrath and sacrificed himself.
Dustin, as wonderful as he is, was probably only attempting to calm Eddie’s uncle down by emphasizing his nephew’s sacrifice. Or maybe it was inspired by Dustin’s own life and speaks more to who he is as a person. Dustin in Stranger Things is lacking a father figure, which is why he was so drawn to Steve in season 2 and Eddie in season 4.
Eddie plays a father and brotherly role in Dustin’s life, therefore it’s possible that his idolization of him has rendered him incapable of speaking negatively about him. While it’s evident that Dustin’s remarks about Eddie in Stranger Things were made with the greatest of intentions, it’s also critical to keep in mind that Eddie’s sacrifice was significant because he was nuanced at his core.
