In Stranger Things Season 4, Eddie Munson is wrongfully accused of the murder of Chrissy Cunningham, mostly because he fled the scene of the crime but also because he is into heavy metal and is mistaken for a Satanist.
That’s similar to what happened to Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, who were accused of the murder of three eight-year-old boys. Like Eddie, Echols listened to heavy metal and was viewed as a misfit but Echols was eventually released from prison after almost three years on death row.
It has been confirmed that Eddie was loosely based on Echols who has shared his thoughts on Joseph Quinn’s character.
“In case anyone else is wondering, I was tremendously honored by it. And I greatly appreciate all the new eyes and hearts it has brought to our fight,” Echols tweeted. He then shared his reaction to Eddie’s epic guitar scene in the Upside Down.
“I was watching it at 3 am in the morning, and when I heard the very first chords from Master of Puppets, my heart exploded,” Echols wrote.
We’re not surprised that Echols himself was moved by what happened in Stranger Things Season 4. Although Echols’ fight continues to this day, Eddie was unable to clear his name before his death. On the other hand, fans still believe there is a chance Eddie will be back in Stranger Things Season 5.
All nine episodes of Stranger Things Season 4 are now streaming on Netflix.