Stranger Things 3

One question fans have had since Season 2 of ‘Stranger Things’ premiered has been what exactly happened to the Byer’s family dog, Chester, who played a relatively large role in a few Season 1 scenes, namely trying to protect Will from the Demogorgon in the first episode, and then being the one to sense Will’s presence in the Fort when he was trapped in the Upside Down. The fact that the dog was just gone in Season 2 left a lot of fans speculating what exactly happened to poor Chester. Now, however, we recently found out the real answer.

First off, we should remember last November when David Harbour spoke on the absence of the Byer’s family dog, quipping that:

 “The dog was let go after the first season. Emotional problems. Wouldn’t come out of his trailer, threw coffee at assistants. Was too much.”

Harbour went on to seriously tell Uproxx that:

“There was a day with this dog that was the worst actor I’ve ever worked with in my life.”

He went on to explain that the dog would not bark on cue and was very difficult to work with on set, with that day Harbour himself storming off-set when he just could not deal with the dog anymore. How much of that is true and how much was still Harbour kind of kidding around is not exactly known, but if true, it would certainly help explain why the dog would be cut without ceremony.

And then comes this week’s news, from star Noah Schnapp. While answering some fan questions during a recent interview, Schnapp replied when asked about Will’s dog:

“I think he died…Like, in this season, there’s a grave for him that you see.”

He quickly realized his mistake and tried to quiet the crowd, but to no avail, the video made its way to YouTube, and the secret was out.

 

So now we know the Byers family dog died sometime between Seasons 1 and 2, which were about a year apart, and left enough time for them to mourn their family pet, though it does seem a bit odd for the dog to just disappear the way it did. But it is a testament to both the fans and how much the Duffer Bros pay attention to those fans that the dog was missed. So much so that an explanation is being included in Season 3 for his absence, and who knows? His death may be part of a larger mystery explored in Season 3, but most likely it was just something done quietly in the background to make for a smoother set.

Do you have any thoughts or theories on Chester’s passing? Or the reasons behind it? Feel free to share in the comments below!