Stranger Things Fans Have A Solid Choice For The Show's Saddest Death
Netflix's "Stranger Things" has killed off many a supporting character — the only main character to die was swiftly brought back — during its four-season run. And it's been done in a gruesome fashion nearly always. More importantly, starting with the mystery of Barb's (Shannon Purser) disappearance in Season 1 right up to Eddie Munson's (Joseph Quinn) tragic demise in Season 4, each passing left an imprint on viewers' minds.
But which of these deaths has been the saddest, according to fans? Based on an overwhelming amount of responses on a Reddit thread, Season 2's all-American father figure Bob Newby (Sean Astin) was the solid choice for many. Redditor u/zeyore pointed out, "I miss Bob in every season, even the first one." This is easy to see as Bob's tragic mistake that cost him his life in Season 2's "The Mind Flayer" episode led to one of the most devastating scenes in the sci-fi drama series.
Although Newby's passing occurred in 2017, audiences still find it hard to think about Astin's character without getting emotional. In addition to strong support for a couple of other cast members heavily mentioned, the RadioShack manager's exit from the series has clearly made the biggest impression.
Bob Newby's demise was mentioned the most by fans
In addition to Bob Newby's death appearing the most on a "Stranger Things" subreddit thread about the saddest deaths, the character was also consistently mentioned on a r/AskReddit thread discussing the most emotional deaths of any media. Redditor u/princessdirtybunnyy shared, "Bob's death in 'Stranger Things' absolutely gutted me." Fan u/LinzAni21 took things a step further by observing, "Bob Newby in 'Stranger Things.' I refused to keep watching after that, I was so upset."
On the show's subreddit, the love for Bob Newby was also in plain sight. u/Puzzleheaded-Cold-33 stated how they missed the character even in the very first season, in which he did not appear. The impression he left throughout the second season was enough to garner him hero status in their eyes. But Joyce's (Winona Ryder) love interest in the second season was not the only passing that viewers highlighted. Two deaths in Season 3 also scored high marks.
Alexei and Billy round out fan choices for the saddest death
Character dynamics were some of the best and worst moments of "Stranger Things" Season 3. But the untimely passings of both Alexei (Alec Utgoff) and Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery) can certainly straddle both categories depending on how fans processed their deaths. Redditor u/Euphoric_Stock2446 stated, "Bob was great but honestly we didn't need another adult character added to the Hawkins crew there are already enough. Alexei was different, he could've helped in different ways. Gotta go with Alexei."
Although Billy started off as a sort of villain in Season 2, his character did reveal his caring and selfless nature in the final episode of Season 3, "The Battle of Starcourt." Redditor u/Mindless_Echidna_166 pointed out how Billy was on a road to redemption from his abusive actions towards his younger sister Max (Sadie Sink) in "Stranger Things 2." The nature of his death, the portrayal of how he truly loved his sister, and his sacrifice to save Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in the Season 3 finale made Billy's death the most emotional for them.