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At the start of Stranger Things Season 4, Caleb McLaughlin’s character Lucas has made some new friends. Tired of being bullied, he joins the basketball team to try to get in with the jocks. His plan seems to be working, until Jason, the captain of the team, becomes convinced that the Hellfire Club is a group of Satan-worshipping murderers. Although Jason beats the crap out of Lucas, McLaughlin doesn’t see him as that bad of a guy.

Mason Dye as Jason Carver in Stranger Things Season 4. Jason holds a microphone and is wearing a basketball jersey.
Mason Dye as Jason Carver in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 |

Lucas tries to be friends with the jocks in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4

Throughout Stranger Things, Dustin, Mike, Will, and Lucas have all experienced plenty of bullying. In Stranger Things Season 4 the kids head to high school, and Lucas decides to try to put an end to being tormented. “It was interesting that he decided, ‘Okay, I’m gonna go on this journey myself,’ but he’s still cool with his friends. He still wanted to play D&D, and then be with the jocks,” McLaughlin said in an interview with IndieWire.

Lucas’ hopes are quickly shattered when Eddie Munson becomes the prime suspect in Chrissy Cunningham’s murder. Chrissy’s boyfriend Jason, the head of the basketball team, becomes convinced that Eddie and the Hellfire Club are behind the grizzly deaths occurring in Hawkins.

Caleb McLaughlin doesn’t think Jason is a terrible person

In the final episode of Stranger Things Season 4, Jason finds Lucas and Max at the Creel House. Max is under Vecna’s spell and Jason seems convinced that Lucas is the culprit. This leads him to beat the crap out of Lucas. Still, McLaughlin doesn’t think Jason is as bad of a guy as he might seem.

While speaking with IndieWire, McLaughlin discussed the bullying Lucas and his friends endure in Stranger Things. Lucas is bullied for his skin color. Later, Max’s brother Billy tells her not to associate with him for the same reason. “People miss those things,” the actor stated. “I love Dacre [Montgomery], he’s an amazing actor, his character Billy is amazing, but Billy really isn’t a great guy.”

McLaughlin continued with the revelation, “Jason is actually a better guy; Jason was just misunderstood. Jason took Lucas in, was trying to show him the ropes — maybe he was arrogant, a little obnoxious, but he wasn’t racist. He wasn’t really that bad.”

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“His girlfriend died, he thought Eddie killed her, and then he was just trying to be the superhero but ended up getting cut up in half, sadly. Lucas’s girlfriend’s brother hated him because he was Black and threw him up against the wall in Season 2, and was like ‘Stay away from her.’ I think people miss this! I don’t know why.”

The Satanic Panic inspired ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4

In his own backward way, Jason does seem concerned with protecting the innocent people of Hawkins. Unfortunately, he has all the facts completely wrong. But surprisingly, getting swept up in the idea that Satan worshippers are targeting innocents is something that really happened in the 1980s and 1990s.

In fact, Joseph Quinn’s character Eddie Munson is based on one of the West Memphis Three, Damien Echols. According to Den of Geek, “The West Memphis Three were three teenagers who were accused of murdering three eight-year-old boys in what was presented to the press as a Satanic sacrifice.” The three teens were accused on baseless “evidence,” such as the fact that they wore dark clothes and listened to heavy metal.

All episodes of Stranger Things are currently streaming on Netflix.

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