With the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” rapidly approaching, every fan of the show is wondering the same thing –- how will the highly anticipated saga come to an end? Many plot points remain unexplained, including: the true nature/origin of the Upside Down, the Russian involvement, Vecna’s ultimate plan and Will’s connection to Vecna. The question of which beloved characters will live and which will die a tragic death remains in the forefront of viewers’ minds. . How should the Duffer brothers bring this masterpiece to a close, and will it meet the expectations of their fans?
First and foremost, the identity of the Upside Down has remained a mystery since the first season. Why was there an evil, alternate dimension identical to the home of our main characters? Why was the Upside Down frozen in time on the day of Will’s disappearance? The creators of the show must have had an origin story in mind when writing a made-up dimension, often described as “hell,” into all four seasons. With
spine-chilling creatures and major plot points developed in this supernatural world, the Duffer brothers owe their viewers an in-depth explanation of its origin in Season 5–, possibly through Vecna who seems well versed in the Upside Down lore.
Equally puzzling, Seasons 3 and 4 show heavy involvement from a group of shady Russian soldiers. It can be inferred that their motivation for acquiring and training Demogorgons revolves around developing a military advantage through a weapon that no one else has. Still, that does not explain how these soldiers heard about such creatures or how they managed to get them in a Russian prison. As far as viewers know, connections between the Upside Down and this dimension had been confined to Hawkins. Was Dr.Brenner conspiring with the Russian military all along? Did a gate to the Upside Down open in Russia? Fans are hoping all of these questions will be answered in Season 5, especially after Hopper endured such torture in the prison.
Perhaps the most staggering storyline of the entire show is the truth about Vecna. When Eleven sent him into the Upside Down, he was reborn as a creature with the acute capability to torture and murder victims using only his mind – how was that possible? This connects back to the aforementioned idea that we do not yet fully understand the powers of the Upside Down or its inhabitants. In the recently released teaser of Season 5, we see a flashback to when Will was captured in the Upside Down, choked by Vecna with a mysterious, seemingly powerful vine.We hear Vecna utter, “We are going to do such great things together, William.” Is this foreshadowing a future plotline involving Will and Vecna? Does their storyline involve taking over Hawkins? The world? If this is the case, the rest of the characters will need to devote all energy towards breaking Will’s ties to the Upside Down and Vecna. Fans can only hope that saving the world does not require the gruesome murder of Will Byers.
A particularly devastating component of Season 5 which is bound to jerk tears is the inevitable death of a few beloved characters. Watchers frantically ask, “Who will it be?” “How many?” and “Is Max still alive?” as the release date gets closer. The Duffer Brothers did a fantastic job writing these characters to be loveable and relatable, leaving viewers with a deep sense of connection to their personalities. Every character has their endearing qualities and reasons why their death would be tragic, but in my opinion, the hardest to watch would be Steve’s. Known as the “babysitter” of their tightly-knit circle, Steve endured heart-melting character development as he grew into a fun-loving, sarcastic and deeply kind person. If I could pick one character to survive, I would choose Steve. Nonetheless, any main character’s death would be earth-shattering for the Stranger Things fandom, with fans impatiently awaiting the reveal.
All questions will finally be answered, starting with the season’s release date on Nov. 26, 2025. Fans anticipate a season full of twists, tears and closure, hoping to receive long awaited answers to their burning questions regarding the mysteries of the Upside Down. Even without every answer, all viewers can recognize the Duffer brother’s artistry in creating this one of a kind masterpiece and trust that the final season will not disappoint.
