If you’ve already seen Eddie Stranger Things 4, you’re probably as much a fan as we are of Eddie Munson, the character played by British actor Joseph Quinn who has stolen the hearts of millions of fans.
Find out more about the chilling true-life story of Damien Echols, which inspired the Duffer brothers to create Eddie Munson.
Who is Eddie Munson in Stranger Things 4?
In case you haven’t seen the new episodes of this hit Netflix retro series yet, we warn you that you might find some spoilers in this article. On the other hand, if you are already waiting for season 5 of Eddie Stranger Things and want to know more curious facts about one of its star characters, you are in the right place!
Eddie Munson has caught the attention of fans and it is about a young man who is simply a little different from the others, which could get him in a lot of trouble (as he is associated with some satanic cults). Thus, Eddie will accidentally become one of Vecna’s many victims.
The story that inspired this special character in the series
It all starts when Chrissy is chased by the villain of the show, which makes her hallucinate. Thus, in a desperate attempt to clear her mind, the beautiful and popular cheerleader seeks the support of Eddie Munson (who gives her some drugs). Shortly after, at an unfortunate moment, the character of Joseph Quinn witnesses the brutal murder of Chrissy (thus becoming the strongest suspect in the murder, because, in addition to being the last person to meet her, his strange appearance makes him very suspicious of the police).
Munson knows that no one will believe his innocence, but he discovers that Max, Dustin, Lucas, Steve, Robin, and Nancy are the only ones who can help him (because only they know what’s going on in Hawkins ). Let’s remember that the police consider Eddie to be the culprit (without question) since he is known as ‘the devil’ and is a fan of the Hellfire Club game.
Now, since we know in summary the history of this character, that serves as a context to talk about Damien Echols, who at the age of 18 was accused of three murders in Arkansas, United States.
Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were the murdered 8-year-olds and their deaths became very famous due to their bizarre irregularities. The bodies of the boys were found naked in a creek (with signs of violence) and Damien was the number one suspect due to his strange clothing and his history of rebellion.
Finally, without true and compelling evidence, the police of that state convicted and tried Damien Echols along with two of his friends (Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr.), in 1993.
What we know about Damien Echols
He was born on December 11, 1974, his real name is Michael Wayne Hutchison but he decided to change it shortly after he and his mother moved in with his stepfather (from whom he adopted his new last name). This young man, who was born into a toxic and destructive family nucleus, wanted to transform his identity by moving to West Memphis, to create a new life for himself.
Unfortunately, Damien faced some challenges as a teenager, which led him to drop out of school and become a typical troubled kid in his community. It was thus that his notoriety showed him as the ideal candidate to be designated as one of the worst American murderers .
Diagnosed in a psychiatric hospital with delusions of grandeur and persecution, auditory and visual hallucinations, disordered thought processes, substantial lack of insight, and chronic and disabling mood swings, this young man spent nearly 20 years in prison for a crime he had never heard of. no evidence against him, so he was finally released on August 19, 2011.
You may not have known this, but Echols’ story grabbed all the headlines of its time and even caught the attention of Eddie Vedder and Johnny Depp (who were calling for justice for Damien ).
