'Stranger Things' Theory Explains Why Nancy Might Die in Season 4

Nancy Wheeler from Stranger Things might the sassiest, gun-shootin’ big sister there ever was, but according to a recent fan theory on Reddit, it is time for her to get the ax.

User aagaash2001 recently posted a theory about our dear Nancy (Natalia Dyer) in response to speculation that her onscreen (and off) boyfriend, Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), would die in the upcoming season.

They speculate, “Everyone is saying that Johnathan [sic] might be the death that happens in Season 4. At first I thought that might be possible, but then the more I think about it, the more likely Nancy might be killed off.” The fan then explains that Nancy’s death would spark different character arcs for Jonathan, her ex-boyfriend Steve (Joe Keery), her brother Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and her mother Mrs. Wheeler (Cara Buono).

The Redditor goes on to argue that Nancy’s death would give Max (Sadie Sink) and Mike, who often bicker, a chance to bond over the loss of a sibling. It would also “heighten the stakes” of the beloved Netflix series, preventing it from getting stale. The user continues with:

“Yes, they killed Billy and Bob, but they were characters we didn't know from Season 1 (but Bob deserved better, let's be honest). And yes, they ‘killed’ Hopper, but until a body is seen, he is not dead. It's time to kill off a character that we knew and loved from Season 1, and unfortunately, as seen in the second [season], she is the most expendable.”

I’m sure some fans would disagree with this theory (especially since Nancy is the only one who has a decent shot), but it's true that we will likely need to brace ourselves for another big loss in the forthcoming Season 4.

This article also appears on Mental Floss.