WARNING: Spoilers for Season 5, Volume 1 of Stranger Things ahead!
On November 26, after years of anticipation and excitement, Volume 1 of the final season of Stranger Things was finally released to audiences — along with some game-changing information about the story that thrilled fans. The cliffhanger ending of Season 4 set the bar high, but this season hits the ground running, revealing a quarantined Hawkins enclosed by the military. The core characters prepare to defeat Vecna while Dustin grapples with the after-effects of Eddie’s death and the Wheelers deal with Mr. Whatsit, the mysterious “imaginary” friend of Holly Wheeler.
New additions to the cast include Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay, a government scientist tasked with tracking Eleven and studying the Upside Down; Alex Breaux as Lt. Akers, a U.S. military officer in Kay’s specialized unit; Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler, Mike and Nancy’s younger sister; and Jake Connelly as “Delightful” Derek Turnbow, Holly’s classmate who became a key character and immediate fan favorite in Episode 4.
So far, Season 5 has delivered everything it has promised: Will’s connection to the Upside Down is further explored with him gaining powers and Max is revealed to be trapped in Henry Creel’s memories. However, there are some parts left less satisfying. What is Vecna’s ultimate goal? How will the series end?
So, what can we expect from Volume 2? Here are a few theories:
- Time Travel
One of the biggest theories for Season 5 is that time travel will play a big role in solving the mystery of the Upside Down. Clocks and time have been some of the biggest symbols tied to Vecna since his introduction to the show (he shows all of his victims the image of the grandfather clock and, as Mr. Whatsit, he holds a pocket watch). Last season, Vecna was even seen turning the hands on a clock backwards while he suspiciously told Eleven that he didn’t have to live by the same rules as other people. Furthermore, at the end of Season 4, Vecna seemingly gives Nancy a vision of the future, though it is unclear whether this is actually something he saw or if it is just a warning to scare Nancy.
There are also several cultural references that point to the symbolism of time travel: Back to the Future has been referenced in both Season 3 and Season 5, and A Wrinkle in Time has also been glimpsed in multiple scenes: both classic stories in which time travel is essential to the plot. In a scene from Volume 1, high school teacher Mr. Clarke gives a lesson on wormholes to his class. He states that, theoretically, they would be able to bend time and space. Often, Mr. Clarke’s lessons are used as foreshadowing for the rest of the season, and it has been noted by fans that Will’s drawing of Vecna’s pillars somewhat resembles the drawing of the wormhole. This is especially important, as Mr. Clarke was not featured in season 4, so bringing back his character must hold some significance. It even looks like Vecna needs twelve children for his plan — just like twelve hours on a clock? While we don’t know what Vecna’s plan actually is, it is possible that some details of this theory could come to fruition. Even though the evidence is strong, I feel that time travel could create an ending where the characters just reset everything from the previous seasons, which would undermine the importance and emotional impact of the rest of the show.
- Vecna vs. the Mind Flayer
Another theory that has gained traction is that Vecna might not be the ultimate villain. In a recent interview, Noah Schnapp said that he considers Vecna to be the most misunderstood character. He started to explain his reasoning before Millie Bobby Brown cut him off to avoid accidental spoilers. We already know that Vecna was once a psychic child named Henry Creel who was kidnapped by Dr. Brenner after murdering his family. In the show, it is implied that he met the Mind Flayer after Eleven sent him into Dimension X and that he subsequently molded it into a spider-like shape to control it. However, in the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which premiered in London in 2023, it was revealed that Henry Creel was once a good kid until his mind was slowly taken over by the Mind Flayer once he got his powers. Additionally, the play also reveals that Henry’s fear of Max’s cave in the “memoryscape” is tied to the origin of these powers. Some theories suggest that the version of Henry in the memoryscape is the real, suppressed version of himself, while Vecna is simply a servant of the Mind Flayer. Another version of the theory is that Henry is abducting these kids to create an army to defeat the Mind Flayer. This would track with the name that the kids call him (“Mr. Whatsit”) since, in A Wrinkle in Time, (which, as mentioned previously, has been referenced multiple times in the show,) Mrs. Whatsit recruits a group of children to defeat an evil entity known as “The Black Thing”. Coincidence? I feel like this theory is one of the most interesting because it would add layers to Henry’s characterization, though I don’t know how realistic it is given that we haven’t seen the Mind Flayer return to prominence in a while, especially since Vecna still seems to be the biggest focus.
- Steve Harrington
Out of all the theories about which characters will die in the end, a common consensus seems to be that Steve will not make it out alive. Personally, Steve is one of my least favorite characters, so I wouldn’t mind if he doesn’t make it, but many other fans would be devastated. His death could resolve the Jonathan-Nancy-Steve love triangle storyline, though, and give the character an epic conclusion. We can’t be sure, however, that the writers would do this to Dustin, seeing as they already killed one of his closest friends, Eddie, in the last season.
- Kali
Kali (“Eight”) was first introduced in a one-off episode in Season 2 as another one of Brenner’s test subjects who escaped years ago. Her psychic powers included the ability to create illusions and manipulate the perceptions of others — very different from many of the other test subjects. However, at the time, her story felt disconnected and irrelevant from the rest of the show, especially since her character hasn’t shown up since. Until now. Her reintroduction at the end of Volume 1 suggests that her character will be crucial in defeating Vecna.
- The Thessalhydra
So far, a new villain or adversary is introduced in every season of Stranger Things. Some fans think that the newest villain of this season will be a monster called the “thessalhydra,” which, as a known villain in DND (Dungeons and Dragons), was mentioned in the first season and was drawn by Will in Season 4. While it is a good idea, I don’t see the show introducing yet another villain figure at this point in the show. But, who knows?
Make sure to check out Stranger Things: The First Shadow, currently on Broadway, and don’t forget to watch Volume 2 of Season 5 on Christmas and the Finale on New Year’s Eve!
