As we all know, Netflix’s Stranger Things is a global phenomenon. And with the new season 4, the show has grown even more exponentially. Even introducing a slew of new characters to join the extended gang. Most notably, the addition of the Dungeons and Dragons metal head Eddie Munson.
Sporting classic 80’s long hair and sleeveless denim jacket with a giant Dio patch on the back, Eddie Munson has stolen the hearts of fans worldwide. And honestly, at first, I thought he’d just fall through the cracks of all the side characters on the show. That a metal head would never be accepted in today’s pop culture climate. But thankfully I was proven wrong. Our heavy metal hero quickly soared to the top of the pops in the cast. Even attracting the attention of pop mega star Doja Cat.
So why now, in 2022, is the metal head the most popular guy? It’s simple. Because the Duffer Brothers created him to be a hero. So often in pop culture, the metal guy is portrayed to be overly dude aggressive, satanic or just plain stupid. And Joseph Quinn’s portrayal of Munson in none of those things. A nerd? Yes. But as it turns out, he’s quite sensitive, smart and brave. While also being a proficient musician with his guitar. Much like most of the metal community. His portrayal teaches folks that heavy metal is first a foremost a musical genre that’s entertainment. Not to be taken literally. We’re not satanists, we’re not dumb and we sure as hell aren’t all doing guttural growling all the time. We like melody, we like song structure. We respect the purity of music as a whole. And that come across clearly with Eddie Munson.
And now, due to a crucial scene in the season four finally, Metallica have re-entered the top 20. Their 1986 magnum opus, ‘Master of Puppets,’ is featured in a key scene in which Munson plays the iconic riff in order to distract monsters in the upside down. While the rest of the gang finds and attempts to destroy Vecna (the series antagonist), Munson sacrifices himself in what may be the most emotional scene in the entire series.
The result? Heavy metal mania! A whole new generation is turning themselves onto heavy music. And learning that it’s nothing to be feared. It’s something to be celebrated. It’s bad ass music. And with what’s happening in the world currently, there’s no better genre to fill the angry gap that’s felt throughout the human populace. The best part? Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’ is just the tip of the iceberg.
