Why Eddie Munson is the MVP of Stranger Things Season 4

Stranger Things is back with a bang  this week, returning to Netflix via seven lengthy episodes. And while it’s good to see Mike, Dustin, Will, Lucas, and Eleven again, there’s a new character who could be the breakout star of this season, and his name is Edward Munson.

One of the reasons Stranger Things hit so big was because of the quality of the characters. The show’s creators – Matt and Ross Duffer – craft kids who are both likeable and believable, resulting in the audience truly caring about their plight.

And across the show’s first three seasons, they’ve expertly added to that roster. Tough teen Max (Sadie Sink) and conspiracy theorist Murray (Brett Gelman) added spice to Season 2. Then hilariously deadpan Robin (Maya Hawke) brought the laughs in Season 3.

Season 4 hits this week, with Eddie Munson frontrunner to be the show’s latest breakout character.

Who is Eddie Munson?

Eddie Munson runs The Hellfire Club, Hakwins High’s Dungeons & Dragons game, crafting campaigns for the D&D kids in his year as well as Dustin, Lucas, and Mike.

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He’s a rebel and a metal-head who lives head-to-toe in denim and wears his hair long like his favourite rock bands.

The jocks mock him and Steve Harrington calls him a “freak.” But Eddie doesn’t care, so-much-so that early in Episode 1 of Season 4 he stands on a canteen table at lunch and tells the rest of the school that they are the losers.

Who plays Eddie Munson in Stranger Things?

Although the character is very much American, Eddie Munson is played by English actor Joseph Quinn.

Quinn is no stranger to scary sci-fi having appeared in WWII zombie horror Overlord. But before that he made his name in period projects like Dickensian, Howard’s End, Les Miserables, and Catherine the Great.

The eagle-eyed might also have spotted him in Game of Thrones, as a character called Koner in Episode 4 of Season 7.

Why might Munson be Stranger Things’ MVP?

Eddie Munson is hilarious in the first episode, standing up to bullies, sparring with wisecracking Erica, and making Steve jealous due to his friendship with Dustin. But it isn’t all laughs for Edward.

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As Episode 1 progresses he gets involved with a cheerleader, which leads to a drug deal, where something terrible happens that sends Edward on the run.

Those events put Eddie Munson at the center of Season 4’s storyline, and while we won’t say more to avoid spoilers, rest assured he quickly becomes one of Stranger Things’ most compelling characters.