Season 4 of Stranger Things allowed us to meet a new character, Eddie Munson. Colorful and very endearing, he is accused of leading a satanic cult. His story is inspired by a tragic news item.
Warning, spoilers! This article reveals key plot elements of Season 4 of Stranger Things. If you haven’t seen Part 1 of Season 4 and don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read on!
Eddie Munson (played by British actor Joseph Quinn), with his metal look and his passion for Dungeons & Dragons, only arrived in season 4 of Stranger Things and he has already managed to make a place for himself among the fan favorite characters.
At the head of the Hellfire Club, where the group plays Dungeons & Dragons, the teenager is often misunderstood by his peers in Hawkins, in particular the sportsmen who call him a “monster”. Unfortunately for him, it gets him on the run when cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham, whom he had befriended while buying him drugs to calm his nightmares, was killed by Vecna in his caravan at the end of episode 1.
Besides having to face the Upside Down, Eddie is a wanted man. He has a target placed on his back by Jason, captain of the basketball team, convinced that he is the leader of a satanic cult, responsible for Chrissy’s death.
While waiting to find out what will happen to him in Volume 2, which will be released on July 1, the most surprising thing is that his story is based on real events and a fever that has invaded the Bible Belt. southern region of the United States where Christian fundamentalism is very present) in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
More specifically, Eddie Munson is based on the experience of a certain Damien Echols, one of the members of the “West Memphis Three” (“The Memphis West Three”) whose case has been ongoing for nearly 30 year. Netflix confirmed during Geeked Week ’22 that Eddie’s story is loosely based on this drama, which has already been the subject of a documentary: Paradise Lost.
Here’s what happened in the case and why Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Charles Jason Baldwin continue to fight for justice.
What happened in the West Memphis Three affair?
On May 5, 1993, three close friends – Steven Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers (all eight years old) – disappeared from their neighborhood in West Memphis, Arkansas. Their bodies were found the next day in a nearby forest. The victims were stripped and tied up before being thrown into a stream.
Due to the violent and cruel nature of the murders, suspicion quickly fell on Damien Echols (born Michael Wayne Hutchison), an 18-year-old goth teenager who lived nearby. At the time, there was a growing panic of Satanism, especially around the Bible Belt. Damien made no secret of his love of metal bands, wore his hair long and showed interest in the art of magic.
He was also known to police, having been arrested for shoplifting and burglary in the past, and had a medical history of treatment for mental health issues. Charles Jason Baldwin (called Jason) was a friend of his but, unlike Damien, the 17-year-old had a good educational background and his love of art was known.
netflix Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson
Both Jason and Damien were arrested when police obtained a confession from a distant acquaintance, Jessie Misskelley, a 16-year-old teenager who was interrogated for 12 hours without supervision. Jessie, who had an IQ of 72, said he was with the boys when they committed the crime and stopped one of the boys from getting away, although he didn’t – even participated in the murder.
Parts of his statements were leaked to the press even before the trial began. And while there’s no DNA evidence, no connection to the boys, Jessie’s ever-changing story, and even alibis supporting the teens’ innocence, the ensuing trial rose to prominence in the media, with the story presented as a ritual murder of a Satanic cult.
All the while, Damien, Jason and Jessie have continued to maintain their innocence. Some of the parents of the victims even came to the defense of the boys. Eventually, in 2011, the trio agreed to a controversial scheme known as the Alford plea which allows someone to maintain their innocence, but agree to plead guilty, effectively closing the case in the eyes of the court. State but opening up possibilities such as parole.
In return, their sentences were all reduced to time served, and they were finally released after 18 years with a 10-year suspended sentence.