Did you know that the Stranger Things character Eddie Munson is actually based on a real-life person? A famous person in fact.
Recently Buzzfeed put together an editorial where they wrote about movies and TV shows that feature a nod toward a real-life person or event.
Among the media they wrote about is the Netflix show Stranger Things; specifically, they write about the beloved character Eddie Munson (played by actor Joe Quinn).
While they write about what Eddie’s character is like within the show, they also mention that he is actually inspired by a famous individual (and a metalhead at that).
That individual is none other than Damien Echols of the West Memphis Three.
Per Buzzfeed:
“Stranger Things’s Eddie Munson, played by Joseph Quinn, became one of the breakout characters of the show’s most recent season. His storyline, which involves him being accused of a murder he didn’t commit because of his love for playing Dungeons & Dragons with the Hellfire Club, was inspired by Damien Echols, who was similarly accused of murder in 1994 as part of the West Memphis Three.”
This point is also backed up by the Netflix Geeked Twitter account, which wrote:
“STRANGER THINGS 4’s Hellfire Club storyline — and especially the character Eddie Munson — were inspired by the documentary series PARADISE LOST. Eddie is loosely modeled after writer and artist Damien Echols, who was a member of the West Memphis Three.”
Prior to Damien becoming a successful writer and having a successful podcasting career, he was most infamously known as part of the West Memphis Three, which involved three young men (Damien among them), who had been accused of murdering a child (with folks believing the murder was part of a Satanic ritual).
The trial gained a lot of media attention, with several rockers speaking up in defense of the guys, believing them to be innocent; such rockers involve Metallica, Patti Smith, Ozzy Osbourne, and more.
All three men pleaded not guilty but would end up being imprisoned for the crime. At one point, the three entered an “Alford plea,” which per the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute:
“registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges.”
After entering the Alford plea, the three men were released from prison (having served a total of 18 years).
What do you make of Stranger Things‘ Eddie Munson being loosely based on Damien Echols?
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STRANGER THINGS 4’s Hellfire Club storyline — and especially the character Eddie Munson — were inspired by the documentary series PARADISE LOST.
Eddie is loosely modeled after writer and artist Damien Echols, who was a member of the West Memphis Three. pic.twitter.com/nyUnvZ5B8x
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) May 28, 2022