Does ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Episode 1 Title Hint at Eddie Munson’s Return? Metallica Theory Takes Hold on TikTok

Could it be…?

After the reveal of the title of Stranger Things Season 5's first episode, fans are speculating that Eddie Munson (played by Joseph Quinn) might make his return to the series after all.

***Spoilers below***

Sweet, spirited metalhead Eddie Munson became a fan-favorite during Season 4 of Netflix's hit supernatural series. The outcast high school student died tragically, yet heroically, in the ninth and final episode of Season 4.

In the final Season 4, Vol. 2 episode, titled "The Piggyback," Eddie sacrificed himself to save his friends after performing a truly epic Metallica solo, leaving him dead in the Upside Down after dying Dustin's arms.

Now, after Stranger Things revealed the official title of the first episode of Season 5, "The Crawl," fans have crafted a new theory involving Metallica that hints at Eddie's return.

The theory popped up in a viral TikTok shared Monday (Nov. 7).

"Is Eddie actually going to be alive?" one fan of the show questioned in a video explaining the theory, which involves the lyrics to Metallica's "Master of Puppets."

Of course, "Master of Puppets" is the song Eddie performed on top of his trailer in the Upside Down last season.

"Come crawling faster / Obey your master," Metallica's lyrics go, which fans are now theorizing might be what the title of Season 5, Episode 1 is in reference to.

Does this mean Eddie might come back to life somehow and literally "crawl" his way out of the Upside Down? Furthermore, will Eddie be working as an agent for Vecna — the "master" he must "obey"?

The TikTok has over 700,000 views as of publishing, and many fans agree the theory seems plausible, or at least possible.

"Out of all your theories, this one is the only one that makes sense and might actually be real," one person commented.

"[Maybe] vecna is going to use him as a puppet," one viewer noted.

Fans are even speculating that Eddie could come back as Kas the Bloody-Handed specifically, Vecna's trusted vampire lieutenant in the actual Dungeons and Dragons game.

"I know it’s putting a lot, and I mean a LOT of faith into the duffers, but if we’re following through with the eddie/kas vampire theory… we’re gonna get to see eddie munson be the one to KILL vecna," one fan tweeted.

Another fan theory that circulated earlier this year involved Eddie being compared to Halloween's Michael Myers, who was killed and "resurrected" multiple times in the horror franchise. Eddie briefly wore a Michael Myers mask during an episode of Season 4.

Regardless, fans will have to wait until the premiere of Stranger Things' fifth and final season in 2024 to find out if any of these theories come true.

But at least there's some hope for Eddie to hold onto — for now, anyway.