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This article contains spoilers for Seasons 1-4 of Stranger Things.
One of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time makes its return on November 26.Â
Stranger Things is a cultural phenomenon. First premiering in 2016, the show has captured the attention of millions of people all over the world. It follows a group of kids living in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, as they uncover the secrets of the “Upside Down,” a parallel dimension filled with government coverups and terrifying monsters.Â
The first three seasons premiered in 2016, 2017, and 2019, respectively. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, season 4 was released much later in 2022.Â
According to the show’s creators, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, there were a plethora of reasons for Season 5’s delay. Some of those reasons include the pandemic, the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike, and the Duffers’ intense attention to detail. The cast and crew filmed Season 5 for an entire year, which equated to over 650 hours of footage. According to Variety, the budget for each episode of this eight-episode season was between $50 million-60 million.Â
Fans are hoping to see this beloved show wrap up in a satisfying way. They’ve had over three years to discuss, study, and theorize about Season 5’s plot line. Many are desperate to see what truly happened to Will when he was taken by the Demogorgon in Season 1, if fan favorite Eddie Munson will resurrect as a vampire, or if Max will survive her near-death experience with Vecna.
Fans got a glimpse of Season 5 when the first five minutes of the first episode were released on November 6. Though only a peek at what’s to come, viewers got a look at what Will was doing in the Upside Down during Season 1.
The clip showed young Will on November 12, 1983, six days after he was kidnapped from Hawkins. He hides from the Demogorgon in the Upside Down version of Castle Byers, the outdoor fort he made in his backyard. To comfort himself, he quietly sings “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. Eventually, the Demogorgon finds him and, after a failed escape attempt, drags Will to Hawkins Library. It is there that we see the show’s main villain, Vecna, who pins Will to the wall with the help of slimy, snake-like vines. The clip ends after a distressed and seemingly unconscious Will gets a vine shoved down his throat.Â
I first started watching this show when I was in middle school. Nine years later, I’m still just as excited for the fifth season. I hope to see the kids defeat Vecna and put an end to the terror that has been plaguing their small town. I also hope that Eleven and Mike live happily ever after, and that Max wakes up from her coma with Lucas by her side.
But most of all, I hope that Steve Harrington survives.
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