This article contains spoilers for Stranger ThingsStranger Things is one of the most popular series that Netflix has ever made, gaining a huge following, with millions of viewers and tons of discourse online. If you’re not aware of what Stranger Things is about, it follows a group of kids that get mixed up with supernatural business and a girl who can control things with her mind. The group of kids is extremely likable, and you’ll find yourself growing attached to each one, as well as heartbroken when terrible things happen to them throughout each episode. Even though this is a show about monsters and young girls with superhero abilities, it also has a lot of heart and depth to it. There have been plenty of emotional moments in the show, such as the killing of Barb, that seem to be brought up in every season. Here’s a list of the most emotional moments, ranked.
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10 Mike Jumping for Dustin
Netflix
Season one Mike is extremely different from teenage Mike in season four. When Lucas, Dustin, and Mike get cornered yet again by their bullies and things get way out of hand, Mike proves to be incredibly selfless. Dustin is being threatened, and the bully tells Mike to jump off the cliff in order to save him, so he does exactly that. Mike takes a big breath before stepping off the side of the cliff, not knowing that Eleven was going to be there to save him. Mike was going to sacrifice himself for Dustin without hesitation.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Steve’s Rejection
It’s no secret that Steve Harrington has a big heart. He’s proved time and time again that he can’t win a fight to save his life; he’s the best babysitter to the kids, and he’s very much in love with Nancy. Even though their relationship is semi-toxic, according to Screen Rant, Nancy doesn’t love him back and tells him in the worst way; drunk and incoherent. It’s clear that Steve is still hung up on Nancy throughout season four, desperate to find a happy ending and true love. Will Steve find what he’s looking for by the end of season five?
8 Will’s Confession
Will is a damaged character. He’s had so much trauma placed on him throughout the series that sometimes it’s overlooked to deal with other things. In season one, Joyce Byers tells Hopper that Will’s father used to refer to him by slurs, ashamed of his own son. So when Will confesses to Mike in the back seat of the pizza van, and Mike seemingly just doesn’t get it, it’s devastating. And it’s not to say that Mike rejects him, but it clearly took so much for Will to even get the words out and then to be ignored is just painful.
7 Dustin Telling Wayne about Eddie
Netflix
Other than the actual scene where Eddie dies, this is one of the saddest scenes regarding the metalhead. Out of the group, Dustin was the closest to Eddie, since he was mostly seen as a freak and a stoner. Dustin was also the only one able to approach Eddie’s uncle Wayne, the only person in town who was actively looking for Eddie. Dustin tells him that Eddie died in the “earthquake” and that his body is gone, so he can stop looking. It’s heartbreaking, Wayne’s face morphing as he processes the words and Dustin having to lie in order to sell the story and allow Wayne closure.
6 Bob’s Sacrifice
It’s one of the most talked-about deaths in Stranger Things fandom. Vulture states that Bob was so likable because of how nice and dad-like he was, so his death was even worse. When Bob got attacked by the demo-dog, audiences were shocked and heartbroken, simply because of how fast he was killed off. Fans have noticed that’s a running theme for the showrunners, introducing likable characters before killing them in a devastating way.
5 Billy’s Moment of Redemption
For the majority of his time on the show, Billy was a hard character to like. He was openly racist toward Lucas, abusive toward Max, and kicked Steve’s butt within an inch of his life. However, and not justifying his actions, his sacrifice while saving Eleven was a big deal. He was possessed by the Mind Flayer and then once regaining consciousness, he does what’s right and protects El. His shot at redemption is cut short, but is remembered through fans.
4 Hopper’s “Death”
The season three finale was incredibly intense. While Eleven was saving the world (again), Hopper made a huge decision that affected the entire group. He gave up his life in order to save everyone else, and Joyce had to watch as he was met with his demise. Twitter and other social medias were flooded with posts about his “death”, but then confusion set in as it was revealed that he was alive and in Russia.
3 Hopper and Eleven Reunite
The moment that everyone was waiting for throughout season four. Hopper’s alive, Eleven’s alive, and the reunion comes at the very end of the season, just to make the viewers sweat it out. Eleven thinks he’s dead, but when Joyce rescues him and brings him home, everything is made right. They joke about the three-inch rule with the bedroom door, and their teary reunion makes the emotional ending of season four somewhat better.
2 Eddie’s Demise
The death that everyone saw coming, but still was extremely devastating. Throughout Stranger Things, there have been plenty of brave characters that give up their lives to save the ones they love, and Eddie joined that roster. Fans were heartbroken when he didn’t follow Dustin back through the hole, rushing back into the upside down to face the killer bats. He gets torn apart, bitten to death, and for some reason, none of his friends can bring his body back to the real world.
1 The Crew Saving Max
The most talked-about scene and episode of season four was in “Dear Billy.” When Max faces Vecna and almost succumbs to the horror that is his version of death, her friends are the ones that bring her back to reality. Lucas didn’t give up on her, even though she pushed him away, and proved to be there for her even when she landed in a coma.
