The following contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1, now streaming on Netflix.
Stranger Things is no stranger to fake deaths. Dr. Brenner was presumed dead after being attacked by a Demogorgon at the end of Season 1, but he survived. Dr. Owens should have died in Season 2, but he didn’t. Then, in Season 3, Hopper was supposed to be dead after sacrificing himself to close the gate to the Upside Down, but he also survived. Season 4 already had its "required" fake death. Viewers thought that Henry Creel was killed in 1959, but he was actually a despicable killer -- who then became Vecna. However, some viewers are convinced that Stranger Things is hiding another fake death in Season 4.
The opening minutes of the new season were pretty harrowing. After a routine morning for Dr. Brenner, he made his way to the Hawkins National Laboratory and got to work. But it wasn't long before everything went to hell. Originally, the season made it look like Eleven snapped and killed everyone. Later, an extended version of the scene showed that Henry Creel/001/Vecna was the real killer. Either way, the implications were simple: Dr. Brenner and Eleven were the only survivors. Yet, a Reddit theory suggests that another one of Brenner's test subjects made it out alive.
The theory, posted to Reddit by u/no_one_here_123, states that 010 from Brenner's lab survived the massacre and became Eddie Munson. It's become a bit of a controversial theory as it's made its way around the internet, but there is some supporting evidence. So, here's a quick look at why Eddie might be 010.
Why Eddie Munson Is 010 From The Hawkins Lab
The first piece of evidence comes from Stranger Things' present day. When Eddie and Chrissy meet in the woods for a drug deal, the two of them get along pretty well. During their conversation, Eddie says that he looked different when they first met because he used to have a buzz cut in middle school. While that's far from proof, buzz cuts in Stranger Things almost always point to Eleven and the other Hawkins Lab test subjects. Also, from the way Chrissy talked, it seemed like Eddie just showed up in Hawkins out of nowhere.
Many fans would say that 010 died in the flashback scene, but that isn't 100 percent confirmed. Clearly, it looked like 010 died, especially when Dr. Brenner cradled him in his arms. The thing is, all the other subjects and lab workers were mangled with bloody tracks on their faces. Yet, 010's face was obscured he whole time. So, maybe that was hiding the fact that he wasn't dead, even if Brenner thought he was. Perhaps he survived and was taken away by someone after the fact.
The whole thing could be proven when Eddie first learns about Eleven. Someone having superpowers is a pretty big deal, but Eddie wasn't fazed. If the theory is true, he probably doesn't remember the lab or the fact that he has powers. Just like Eleven, his mind likely blocked the memory of the massacre from conscious thought, but his lack of reaction to the superpower revelation hints that his subconscious knows what's going on. With all the evidence, it's certainly possible that Eddie is 010.
Why Eddie Munson Is Not 010 From The Hawkins Lab
While there is proof that Eddie is 010, there is also proof to the contrary. First the timeline is just a bit off. Chrissy said that she knew Eddie in middle school. Meanwhile, it looked like 010 was about 12-years-old during the massacre, which would have him in 7th grade. So, even if 010 survived, the odds of him being integrated into a normal life (after years of isolation and that traumatic of an experience) would be unlikely.
There's also the fact that Eddie wears a watch over his left wrist. Some fans think that he's hiding his "010" tattoo, but he took the watch off to show Nancy the time -- and nothing happened. If the watch really was hiding a tattoo, it would be odd to have a scene focused on his watch and nothing come it. The final bit of proof, though, is a key difference between Eddie and 010's physical appearance. While they look alike with a cursory glance, Eddie's eyes are brown and 010's eyes are blue. Of course, all of this could be explained away in Volume 2, and Eddie could still be 010. Fans will just have to wait and see if 010's death was the latest in a string of Stranger Things fake deaths.
To see if Eddie Munson is 010, watch Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2 on Netflix, which premieres on July 1.