In a new chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn opened up about *that* heartbreaking finale scene.
The following article contains spoilers for episodes eight and nine of Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2.
Of the many things that one will watch Stranger Things Season 4, Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson has to be among the top five. The newest addition to the show quickly became a fan-favourite due to his personality and his well-rounded character arc, which – spoilers – sadly came to an end during the final two episodes of season 4, when Eddie sacrificed himself to save his friends – but not before giving us an epic rendition of Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’. Fitting, given how Vecna controls and kills people.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Joseph Quinn expressed his relief and satisfaction about the growth that Eddie experienced over the course of a few episodes – proving that he wasn’t a murderer and a coward.
“I think that’s such a big part of Eddie’s story. It’s a redemption tale. I think he’s completely haunted by his inability to do anything to save Chrissy and how powerless he was at that moment. And obviously being blamed for that murder is devastating and then having to go into hiding. I think he gets a little bored with feeling pathetic and unable to do anything.” he told the publication.
“And then at some point in episode 8, a switch flips, and he decides that he’s going to prove himself. The opportunity then arises, but he has to pay the ultimate price. But he proves to himself that he certainly isn’t a coward.” Quinn added.
Still, it didn’t make shooting that gruelling finale scene – when Eddie finally succumbs to his injuries in Dustin’s arms – any easier.
Love Film & TV?
Get the latest Film & TV news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
“It felt like I was pounding pints of [fake blood].” Quinn said, before adding that the pressure to get the scene right was well and truly on.
“The moment was a bit of a monkey on my and Gaten’s back. We wanted to do the best that we could, but it was shot very late in the day. It was a kind of very brutal night shoot. We did the bat fight and the Metallica sequence that evening. We had very little time left, but we managed to get my coverage done before the sun came up. And then, months later, we got Gaten’s coverage.” he said.
Quinn also opened up about another thing that kept the viewers hooked this season – the dynamic between Eddie Munson and Gaten Matarazzo’s Dustin Henderson. When asked whether he saw Dustin as a brother or as a version of himself, Quinn speculated that it perhaps ‘a little bit of both’.
“Definitely, there’s a fraternal kind of connection there. I certainly had those kinds of relationships with people who were a bit older than me. It’s a kind of admiration for them.” he said.
“Those years when you’re a teenager when the hormones are raging, and it’s horrible, and it’s weird — anyone who’s walked down the path and has a couple of miles more than you, you want that advice. And when you’ve got a younger person, you kind of see aspects of yourself in them.” he added.
For more on this topic, follow the Film and TV Observer.
Check out Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson playing Metallica on Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2:
