Top 20 Saddest Stranger Things Moments

#20: Alexei’s Death

“Chapter Seven: The Bite”

Poor Alexei. All he wanted to do was watch cartoons and have fun at the fair. Unfortunately, he betrayed his native country and got a bullet in the abs for his efforts. So much for that. What makes Alexei’s death so heartbreaking is the lead-up to it. He and Murray bond over Hop and Joyce’s relationship drama, and he has an absolute blast at the fair, especially once he wins a Woody Woodpecker plushie. Combine that with his love for cherry slushies, and you realize that Alexei has the joy and innocence of a child. You could probably tell that his demise was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier to stomach.

#19: Dustin Is Left Out at the Dance

“Chapter Nine: The Gate”

Poor Dustin. After everything he’s been through - Dart, the creepy tunnels, the Demodogs - he just wants one normal moment that a kid his age should get. In the Season two finale, he shows up to the Snow Ball looking sharp, curls styled, Farrah Fawcett spray in full effect… and then, no one wants to dance with him. He watches Lucas go off with Max and he’s rejected again and again, forcing him to just…stand there by himself. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. Luckily, Nancy steps in to save him, showing him kindness when he needs it most. It’s sad, yes, but it’s also a beautiful moment for Nancy, who completes a character arc of sorts by finally showing Dustin some kindness.

#18: Karen Talks to Nancy

“Chapter Four: The Sauna Test”

“Stranger Things” has some fantastic monsters and epic storytelling, but it has always maintained a beating heart through its beautiful relationships. In season three, Nancy is fired for overstepping at the newspaper, and she does something that no teenager ever wants to do - she opens up to her mother. Karen reciprocates with her own vulnerability, talking about what it’s like to be stuck, to lose your sense of self, and to feel like you’ve missed your chance. It’s a quiet scene - no Demogorgons, no Upside Down - just a mom and her struggling daughter trying to connect through their shared humanity. And she also proves to be an insanely awesome mom, giving Nancy the pep talk she desperately needed in that moment of pain.

#17: Eleven & Hopper’s Talk In the Car

“Chapter Nine: The Gate”

After a season of tension and explosive anger, it was nice to see Hopper and Eleven finally share a moment of tenderness. It comes in the season two finale, after Eleven has returned from her little punk foray in Chicago. David Harbour absolutely shines here, as Hopper shows a rare moment of tenderness and finally allows Eleven inside, probably for the first time ever. He apologizes for his past behavior, admits his insecurities, and even reveals the existence of Sara. The scene provides viewers with that unique “Stranger Things” concoction of heart and devastation, and the tears can’t help but flow.

#16: Mike & Hopper’s Confrontation

“Chapter Nine: The Gate”

The final episode of season two is just a whirlwind of emotions. First, we get the touching reunion of Mike and Eleven, a moment that we had been eagerly awaiting all season. This leads to an explosive and physical confrontation between Mike and Hopper, which culminates in Mike crying in Hopper’s arms. It’s devastating seeing Mike in such a distressed state, and it once again reinforces what kind of a father figure Hopper is to these children. They may not always agree with his methods, but he’s always there for them in the end. It’s moments like these that elevate “Stranger Things” above the competition.

#15: Will’s “Death”

“Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly”

We imagine that this is the moment that hooked a lot of viewers. The third episode ends in spectacular and heartbreaking fashion, as Will’s corpse is fished from the quarry while a cover of David Bowie’s Heroes somberly plays in the background. It was a huge and greatly unexpected curveball that both broke our hearts and made us respect the show for its penchant to take major narrative risks. Of course, Will didn’t ACTUALLY die, but hey, we didn’t know that at the time! This scene also gave us the great funeral sequence, and while that later scene was quite sad as well, it was alleviated by the knowledge that Will wasn’t actually dead.

#14: “I Felt It... Everywhere.”

“Chapter Four: Will the Wise”

This scene is basically every parent’s worst nightmare. In it, Will tells Joyce about his experiences with the Mind Flayer, how he felt it take control of him, and how he just wants the entire thing to be over. It’s a gut-wrenching scene that makes us feel terrible for both Joyce and Will (particularly Will), and it proved that Noah Schnapp was one of the most talented child actors in the biz. He deserved all the awards for this sequence alone, because he tugged at our heartstrings like no other.

#13: Talking to Will in the Shed

“Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”

Joyce Byers has been through hell trying to save her son - and in the season two finale, she’s pushed to her emotional breaking point. Can’t say we blame her. As the Mind Flayer takes over Will’s body and mind, Joyce tries desperately to reach the son inside. She and the gang get together in the Byers’ shed and try to reach Will’s humanity by reminiscing about good memories and telling him what an awesome kid he is. Their love for this kid is truly unshakeable, and watching everyone share their heartfelt stories is a moment of tear-inducing beauty.

#12: Barb’s Death

“Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly”

All memeing aside, Barb’s death is actually quite horrific. First, she’s ignored and laughed at during Steve’s party. Then she’s blown off by Nancy, who tells her to go home so she can sleep with Steve. And finally, as she’s moping by the pool, she is devoured by a monster from another dimension. Now that is not a good way to go out. Just to rub salt in the wound, we also see Barb’s corpse in the Upside Down, and it is not a pretty sight. Many people can see themselves in Barb, and her death was both horrifying and upsetting to witness. There’s a reason why she became such a popular meme!

#11: Eleven Watches Papa Die

“Chapter Eight: Papa”

Dr. Brenner - or “Papa,” as Eleven calls him - is one of the series’ most complicated figures. And our feelings for his demise are equally complicated. When he’s fatally shot while helping Eleven escape the Nevada lab, she’s left torn between love for her father figure and resentment for everything he did and everything he represents. She holds his hand as he dies, but she also refuses to give him the forgiveness and understanding that he so desperately craves. She says goodbye to her Papa, but she’s really saying goodbye to her demons and her life as Eleven

#10: Billy’s Surfing Flashback

“Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum”

Billy Hargrove wasn’t exactly a hero for most of his time on “Stranger Things,” but this scene gave us a look behind his anger. When he’s possessed by the Mind Flayer, Eleven enters his mind - and what she finds is devastating. While inside, she comes across a core memory of Billy’s as a young boy, surfing in the California ocean while his loving mother watches on proudly. The soft light, the sound of the waves, and Billy’s face gives us all we need - this is when Billy was happy. Of course, we soon see what happened to result in the Billy of 1984. It doesn’t redeem the abusive teen, but it at least provides a moment of sympathy.

#9: “Goodbye, Mike.”

“Chapter Eight: The Upside Down”

We can say this with confidence – the crew of “Stranger Things” knows how to craft a season finale. By the end of the first season, we were left in absolute tatters as Eleven sacrificed herself for Mike and the gang. The scene is beautifully shot and tailored for maximum emotional impact, including the use of slow motion, lingering shots of heartbroken faces, and a beautiful and melancholic score. It was a tragic culmination of both the main story and the Mike-Eleven subplot, and it served as a beautiful ending to a beautiful season.

#8: Billy’s Sacrifice

“Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt”

It’s amazing what the writers were able to do with Billy and Max in season three. They were introduced in season two, and it wasn’t exactly a smooth transition. Many people found their presence jarring and needless, and they did little throughout the season to warrant their introductions. That all changed in season three, when Billy did a Steve-esque 180 and became a fan favorite. His sacrifice in the mall is one of the season’s standout moments, and his apology to Max is simply beautiful. We never expected to cry over Billy of all characters, but such surprises are what you get with “Stranger Things!”

#7: Hopper’s “Death”

“Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt”

Man, the final episode of season three REALLY destroyed us. Everything was well and good and exciting, until Hopper found himself trapped by the door-opening machine. Accepting his fate, he gives Joyce a poignant nod of approval before she flips the switches and vaporizes everyone in the gate room. It was an agonizing scene in the moment, as both we and Joyce simultaneously understand what Hopper is asking her to do - and what the consequences of flipping that switch would be. Luckily, this wasn’t the end for Hopper, but even knowing what we do now, we still can’t stop the tears from flowing.

#6: Bob’s Sacrifice

“Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”

While Billy and Max were considered a dud by some, Bob was welcomed by the “Stranger Things” fanbase, and let’s be serious, that was mostly due to Sean Astin. How can you not love that adorable man? Unfortunately, he was ripped to shreds by the demodogs, so that broke our hearts into a million pieces. The sequence was surprisingly bloody and graphic, which of course made it that much more difficult to watch and experience. The man was a saint, and he most definitely did not deserve to go out in such a painful and violent manner.

#5: Dustin Tells Eddie’s Uncle About His Death

“Chapter Nine: The Piggyback”

Eddie Munson’s death wrecked us all - we’ll get to that in a moment, don’t you worry. But what makes his death even sadder is the fact that Hawkins doesn’t mourn him. Not only do they not mourn him, but they vilify him, falsely believing that he was the leader of some type of Satanic death cult. But there’s one person who knows the truth, and that’s Eddie’s uncle, Wayne. Dustin tells Wayne that Eddie isn’t actually missing - he’s dead. The truth understandably ruins Wayne, but at least it provides some type of closure. The scene is fraught with emotion, giving Gaten Matarazzo his time to shine as a dramatic actor. And what a job he did.

#4: The Sara Flashbacks

“Chapter Eight: The Upside Down”

Before he was the lovable, grumpy Sheriff of Hawkins, Jim Hopper was a loving father. In a fantastic bit of economic storytelling, we see the entire tragic story of his daughter, Sara, through brief but traumatic flashbacks. We see a variety of images that tell us all we need to know. Hopper reads to her in her hospital bed. He cries in the stairwell, probably unable to cry in front of others but doing so in a moment of privacy. And he holds his partner as Sara dies in front of them. And most of this plays out while he’s saving Will, a spiritual redemption of sorts as he saves another kid from death, being unable to save his own.

#3: Eddie’s Death

“Chapter Nine: The Piggyback”

He didn’t run this time. At least he can say that. In one of the most heroic and heartbreaking moments of the entire series, Eddie Munson sacrifices himself in the Upside Down to draw the attention of the demobats and buy his friends more time. Unfortunately, the bats swarm him and rip him to pieces, and he dies in Dustin’s arms, still cracking jokes. It’s a classic tragedy - the outcast who finally proves his worth to the world, only to die a misunderstood hero. And what a moment this was for both Joseph Quinn and Gaten Matarazzo, both of whom give excellent performances.

#2: Hopper’s Speech

“Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt”

Was this a fantastic way to end the season or what? Hopper’s speech is easily one of the show’s most upsetting sequences, not only in regard to the words themselves, but the way in which they’re mirrored and referenced on the screen through the brilliant editing. The speech serves as a touching summation of the show’s themes regarding growing up and moving on, and it’s contrasted with scenes of the Byers moving out of Hawkins. It’s such a perfect sequence that it could have served as the series finale, a fitting send-off for Hopper and a show based around nostalgia and looking back at times gone by.

#1: Max’s Death

“Chapter Nine: The Piggyback”

The “Running Up That Hill” sequence is iconic, and it absolutely made us cry, but that’s more uplifting than sad. You know what is sad? Her death. When Max briefly dies in Lucas’s arms, we are left complete blubbering messes thanks to the absolutely insane performances of Caleb McLaughlin and Sadie Sink. After a season of depression and total detachment, Max finally learns the value of life and begs Lucas not to let her go. Lucas, meanwhile, is completely powerless as his ex-girlfriend dies in his arms, at one point even screaming for his sister, Erica. We can’t even say that without tearing up a little. They really didn’t have to go this hard!

Which scene had you blubbering? Let us know in the comments below!