Here’s What To Remember Before Stranger Things Season 5
It’s been three years, so let’s brush up.
A lot has happened since we last checked in on Hawkins, Indiana. In 2022, Stranger Things introduced a new host of characters, sent Kate Bush rocketing up the charts, and left us with an epic season finale. Now, the series is returning in an unprecedented three parts: Episodes 1 through 4 of Season 5 drop on November 26, Episodes 5 to 7 on Christmas Day, and the feature-length series finale on New Year’s Eve.
But with 18 months passing in the world of the show, and three years having gone by in reality, there’s a lot to remember ahead of Season 5. Here’s everything you need to keep in mind as we start the final season.
4. Hawkins Is Forever Changed
In the early seasons of Stranger Things, the Demogorgons and the Upside Down were state secrets, and with each passing episode, we learned more about just who knew what was going on. In Season 4, that was brought to a boiling point when Vecna opened four gates throughout town. For the average Hawkins citizen, this was quite the shock.
The event was played off as an earthquake, but more people than ever are both threatened by the Upside Down, and aware of it. The military will play a big role in Season 5, as will new villain Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton) and her Wolfpack mercenaries.
Dr. Kay brings a military presence to Stranger Things Season 5.
3. Max Is Still In A Coma
Vecna attacked Max (Sadie Sink) at the end of Season 4, and despite Lucas’ (Caleb McLaughlin) constant blasting of Kate Bush, she’s yet to come back. But where is she really? She’s not in the Upside Down like Will (Noah Schnapp) was in Season 1, because her body is still in the Rightside Up. Is she just in a normal coma? What could bring her out of it?
We don’t know yet, but there are only eight episodes left to find out, and it’s highly unlikely the show will end with Max down for the count.
2. The Romances Are Well Established
Stranger Things has had more than its fair share of love stories. Season 4 saw Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) confess his love for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), while Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and Jim Hopper (David Harbour) have their own thing going on. Lucas is forever by Max’s bedside, and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) and Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) are solid in their relationship, now that the love triangle with Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) is pretty much abandoned, and Steve is more concerned with his friendships with everyone.
The only remaining possible romances are between Robin (Maya Hawke) and her crush Vickie (Amybeth McNulty), and Will’s continued exploration of the queerness Season 4 seemed to imply.
Max is still in a coma in Season 5, and Lucas has been waiting for her all along.
1. Everything Is Coming Full Circle
Every new update from Stranger Things Season 5 suggests it’ll dwell on the show’s past. Set photos showed familiar locations, and even the episodes titles reflect Season 1, like the still-redacted episode called “The Vanishing of ______,” echoing the title of the show’s very first episode, “The Vanishing of Will Byers.”
Showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer have even discussed how similar this season is to Seasons 1 and 2. “If you’re going to rewatch anything, I would definitely rewatch those early seasons because it really is about tying [everything] back to seasons one and two,” Ross Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter. “[Those] are the seasons we referenced the most, because we really wanted this to be circular and to come full circle. There are a lot of mysteries we set up and then intentionally did not answer in those early seasons.”
If you want a specific syllabus, the Duffers highlighted four episodes that will play into Season 5:
- Season 2, Episode 4, “Will the Wise”
- Season 2, Episode 6, “The Spy”
- Season 4, Episode 7, “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab”
- Season 4, Episode 9, “The Piggyback”
Now’s the time to study up before Season 5 starts its lengthy journey to the finish line.
