Stranger Things is a well-beloved franchise. I’ve watched the show since its original release, and every new season has marked a unique part of my life. I’ve always loved the 80’s Spielberg-esque style and the combo of dramatic horror and coming-of-age. Because of my love for the show (and after a 4 hour theory session with my roommates), I’ve decided to make an (extremely biased) list of my top 5 predictions for the final season.
- Steve Will Die
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Starting off with a rough one. Steve is arguably one of, if not the most beloved character in the series. His transition from a typical high school bully to a fully rounded, empathetic, and caring character is some of the best character development I’ve seen on TV.
But, being realistic, I don’t believe he’ll survive the events of Season 5. His character wasn’t even supposed to live past Season 1, and I think Steve being such a fan-favorite will add even more emotional value to his death. There’s a scene in the trailer of Nancy manically scrubbing off blood from her hands, and I believe it would make sense if it was Steve’s.
- Eleven Won’t Die, But She Might Lose Her Memories
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A lot of people believe Eleven will sacrifice herself at the end of the season, but I disagree. Eleven already had an arc of death-by-sacrifice at the end of Season 1, and Mike already went through mourning her. Though I believe that her death would be emotional, I think it would be overdone.
Eleven has been the connecting tie between our protagonists and the supernatural, and it would make a lot more sense for her to suffer some sort of amnesia. For El to forget not just her powers, but all the people she has made connections with, would be way more devastating to watch than her death and wouldn’t run the risk of doing something that had already happened.
- Will is Going to Be THE Protagonist
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There’s another scene in the Season 5 trailer of Vecna possessing Will. This, along with Will’s Season 2 arc where he’s used as a puppet for the Mind Flayer, makes me believe that Will is going to be the most important character for Season 5.
Episode four of Season 5 is called “Sorcerer”, and I believe this is a direct reference to Will. He’s the sorcerer in their DND campaign, and I’m fascinated to see how they play with this idea. Whether he’ll just get possessed like the trailer alludes to or if he’ll gain powers like El, I’m unsure, but I am sure that Will will be the most important character.
- Max and Lucas are Both Making It
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Max was one of the most important characters in Season 4. We left her character with Lucas at the hospital, and while Caleb McLaughlin has already dropped hints that his finale is different from the rest of the characters, I don’t think that that means he’s dying.
It’s clear that the Duffer brothers are okay with separating the gang into different groups, and I think that Lucas and Max will have to fend for themselves with no help from any adults or their friends. Having Max, still injured, fight to protect herself in the hospital is something I’m extremely nervous to watch, but I still believe she will survive. My main question is, will anyone open Max’s letters from Season 4?
- Our Characters Will Leave Hawkins
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This is more of a hope than a prediction, but I believe that whatever happens in Season 5, the characters we have left will be able to leave Hawkins and move on. We all want closure, and a happy ending for the characters that we’ve watched grow up, seeing them put Hawkins behind them and never look back, is the best way to do this. Hopefully they stay out of Russia as well.
Those are my top five predictions for Stranger Things Season 5! I’m just so excited for such a beloved franchise to be coming back, and for the series to be coming to an end that everyone working on the show is happy with. Tag us on Instagram or TikTok with your top predictions, and let us know what you think about the new season on November 26th!