Eddie Munson From 'Stranger Things' Is The Metalhead Representation We All Need
If you've managed to cop the new season of 'Stranger Things' yet, you will have met Eddie Munson. He's the head of the Hellfire Club, he's a metalhead, he's a little cowardly at first, but he's really coming into his own by the end of the season - and a vital member of the older teenage Scooby gang. He's proved his worth and he literally dove into a hellgate. He's repping metalheads to the world at large right now - and he's showing that the 'Satanic Panic' of the 80's was so unfounded!
All hail Eddie Munson!
Stranger Things Season 4 has dropped on Netflix and the newest cast member to the team is metalhead Eddie Munson. OBVIOUSLY modelled on a combination of the 80's versions of James Hetfield, Dave Mustaine and Ronnie James Dio, he is also the leader of the "hellfire club" - the Dungeons and Dragons club named after the Hellfire Club from the X-Men Comics. He is meant to represent all the things that set off the "Satanic Panic" in the 80s - heavy metal, comic books and Dungeons & Dragons. In reality, though - he's a pretty sweet guy who is passionate about a number of really awesome things - and just a guy just growing up and realising a bunch of things about himself.
Popsugar said of his outfits throughout the season "Eddie, who becomes a good friend of Mike’s, has a look inspired by a young James Hetfield of Metallica. “He’s very much a fan of Wizard metal music, like the bands Dio and Iron Maiden.” The producers even went so far as to contact Ronnie James Dio's estate - and they donated a bunch of actual vintage Dio shirts and clothing to create Eddie's iconic 80s metalhead look.
He's witness to the first death that sets a lot of things in motion in the season, and becomes a very useful ally to the crew in Hawkins. He spends a lot of the time in this segment of the season as the focus of the town's mis-directed anger - and he's seemingly an easy target - he literally wears a shirt saying Hellfire, metal bands had a pretty bad name at that time, due to things like the movement against KISS in the late 70s and he drinks and is seen as a bit of a slacker.
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But, as anyone knows of metalheads from any generation, we are just people who like the darker side of life, and are extremely passionate about our music and our spooky things. The Duffer Brothers knew what they were doing when they wrote Eddie in and we are so glad they did. It's sick to see metalheads NOT being the (actual) villain of the piece for once!
Meanwhile... someone drop a heavy version of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill?
Stranger Things Season 4 is out now. Cop it on Netflix.
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