On Nov. 26, the first half of the long-awaited final season of Stranger Things premiered on Netflix. Stranger Things is a supernatural show set in the 80s, where the search for a missing boy leads multiple characters from a small Indiana town to experience otherworldly events that threaten their existence.
This #1 Netflix show in the world has been running since 2016, with its fifth and final season upon us.
The eight-episode season is being released in three volumes: volume one, containing the first four episodes, released on Nov. 26; volume two, with the next three, released on Christmas Day; and the series finale is set to release on New Year’s Day.
The release of the first volume has left fans buzzing, and with about a month to go before the second half, their imaginations have been running wild. With nothing to do but wait, fans have started theorizing about how it will all end.
No worries if you’re not sure where to find these theories, because I’ve curated a list of five popular Stranger Things theories to keep you satisfied while waiting for the rest of the season.
If you haven’t started watching the final season, be warned, spoilers for volume one are ahead.
- The Mind Flayer
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Remember the villain before Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower)? This theory involves the Mind Flayer, the large, ominous black shadow in the hellish sky that destroyed the brand-new mall.
In season four, we discover that Vecna was behind the supernatural events throughout the show. Still, many have speculated that Vecna is not the true villain and that he is being controlled by the Mind Flayer.
Part of this theory concerns the Broadway show First Shadow, based on Stranger Things. This show follows the life of Henry Creel before becoming Vecna. According to IMDb, the play is currently considered a canon prequel to Stranger Things.
In the play, Henry goes missing inside a cave as a child and is forever changed. The same cave is shown in episode three, where Max (played by Sadie Sink) hides because Vecna cannot enter it because of her fear of it. It’s theorized that this cave is where Henry encounters the Mind Flayer.
This seems like a very plausible theory, and I find the idea that Vecna has just been a puppet this entire time to be quite the twist.
- The Wormhole
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The wormhole theory connects to episode three, where science teacher Mr. Clarke teaches a class about wormholes and how they allow you to travel through galaxies or dimensions. In this lesson, he draws a wormhole, which looks very similar to Will’s (played by Noah Schnapp) vision.
This theory builds on the previous theory that Vecna is being controlled by the Mind Flayer, suggesting that Henry getting lost in that cave sent him to a different dimension—the one where the Mind Flayer resides.
That large gooey wall in the Upside Down that nobody can identify? On the other side is that dimension.
The theory’s overall conclusion is that the Mind Flayer will use this wormhole to come through into Hawkins and merge the Upside Down with the real world.
- It was all a dream!
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This theory is mainly seen as a joke, but it has happened in other media before, so it’s not exactly impossible. According to some conspiracists, everything that has happened in the show has been a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) game between Will, Mike (played by Finn Wolfhard), Lucas (played by Caleb McLaughlin), and Dustin (played by Gaten Matarazzo).
All the demogorgons, Russian-driven plots, government meddling, and tragic death are just figments of the boys’ imaginations. This could culminate in the final scene revealing the boys playing D&D in Mike’s basement, bringing it back to the first season, which starts just like that.
I think out of all the theories, this one is the least likely to happen, as it would make absolutely no sense and feel very cheap.
- Will the Spy
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The spy theory is the idea that Will has unknowingly been a spy for Vecna this whole time.
It has been shown multiple times that Will has a strong connection to Vecna and can sense him. Add on the reveal that he can now tap into the hivemind and see through not only the demogorgon’s eyes, but through Vecna’s as well.
If Will can do that, who’s to say Vecna hasn’t been doing the same thing to him? This could mean that Vecna has known everything and has been leading them all towards a trap, with Will’s help.
This theory makes a lot of sense to me. If Will can see through Vecna, it’s very believable that it’s a two-way street. We know the two have had a connection since Will was taken, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this were to unfold.
- What is the Upside Down?
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The Upside Down has been a significant setting in every season of the show, but as viewers, we don’t even know what it is.
All we know is that it’s a replica of Hawkins, and Eleven (played by Millie Bobby Brown) opened the first-ever gate there when she sent Henry away, and it turned him into Vecna.
This theory has been circulating on TikTok, where fans of the show present a well-thought-out theory about the Upside Down.
Essentially, they’re suggesting the Upside Down consists of Vecna’s memories from when he was a boy and lived in Hawkins. Once he was sent to the Upside Down, he was taken by the hivemind, which is what also happens to Will when Vecna takes him.
This is how Vecna can access Will’s memories and recreate more of Hawkins.
As for the parts of Hawkins he can’t get from Will, he sends his demogorgons to relay the memory to him through the hivemind.
In the end, Vecna’s final plan could be the creation of a new world in the Upside Down.
I’ve always wondered what the point of the Upside Down was, so I find this theory interesting and could see something very similar playing out on screen.
There you have it, five creative and complex Stranger Things theories—most of which I could see happening. There are plenty more theories out there, especially on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit; you might even find yourself coming up with your own.
Whether these theories turn out to be spot on or in an entirely different galaxy, it helps to keep the hype for this beloved show alive, and in less than a month, we’ll finally get what we can only hope to be a satisfying end to this iconic show.