Stranger Things’ Halloween Reference Secretly Made Eddie’s Story Sadder

Warning: Spoilers for Stranger Things season 4, volume 2!

While Eddie Munson putting on Max’s Michael Myers mask was funny when it happened, the ending of Stranger Things season 4, volume 2 made the Halloween reference surprisingly tragic. Stranger Things has always referenced classic ’80s pop culture and season 4 was no slouch in this regard. While still nailing the “Steven Spielberg meets Stephen King” tone of the show, Stranger Things season 4 also referenced everything from the classic slasher franchise Nightmare On Elm Street to Hellraiser across its two parts.

However, some of the pop culture references in Stranger Things went deeper than mere nods to beloved movies, songs, and TV shows of the iconic era. Kate Bush’s seminal hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” became an anthem for Stranger Things season 4’s heroine Max Mayfield. Meanwhile, Dungeons and Dragons once again stood in as a symbol of counter-culture in a decade that infamously enforced conformity. Similarly, Eddie’s subtle Halloween reference was not only a fun nod to the beloved slasher movie but also a devastating tribute to his misunderstood character.

In Stranger Things season 4, volume 2, Eddie wore Max’s Michael Myers mask to help hide his identity in the trailer park. Although, since the group was sneaking into a trailer to steal it, an additional layer of disguise was hardly necessary. Like Stranger Things season 3’s earlier Christine nod, it was a funny visual gag and a cute reference for fans of vintage horror. However, this joke became sad when, in the series finale, Eddie was painted as the boogeyman of the small town of Hawkins, being seen as a Satanic mass murderer whose evil actions rocked the once sleepy suburb. He was made out to be a real-life Michael Myers while only Dustin and the gang knew his true heroism, making the joke a sadder touch in retrospect.

Why Eddie’s Michael Myers Mask Is A Tragic Stranger Things 4 Nod

Stranger Things’ Halloween Reference Secretly Made Eddie’s Story Sadder

In the Halloween movies, particularly the critically-derided later sequels, which were hugely popular around the time that Stranger Things season 4 was set, Michael Myers is the monstrous, inhuman killer that the news considered Eddie to be. The Satanic Panic subplot of Stranger Things season 4 saw the town try to blame Vecna’s killings on the devil, with metal music, Dungeons and Dragons, and the proud outsider Eddie being seen as incarnations of Satan’s influence on the suburb. Satanic moral panics were a real-life phenomenon in the decade, and the besmirching of Eddie’s name after his heroic self-sacrifice was made sadder by the show’s earlier hint that he would always be seen as the Michael Myers of Hawkins, Indiana.

Whether Eddie’s name will be cleared in Stranger Things season 5 remains to be seen. There is a possibility that, with the Upside Down now merging with Hawkins as a whole, the locals may no longer be able to ignore its influence and could be forced to reckon with the reality of Vecna, meaning Eddie’s sacrifice wouldn’t have been in vain. However, Stranger Things 2’s insulting #Justice4Barb moment means viewers shouldn’t hold their breath. The unsung hero of Stranger Things season 4 may never have his name cleared and could always be seen as the Halloween villain of his hometown.

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