4 Stranger Things Characters Missing From Season 5 (Whose Fates We Want To Know)

As the curtains close on the final chapter of Hawkins’ battle against the Vecna and the Mind Flayer, Stranger Things fans have been left with a bittersweet mix of closure and curiosity. The stakes in Season 5 were higher than ever, with the core Party facing off against the masterminds in the Abyss in a desperate struggle for their lives and their town. While many major arcs were brought to satisfying ends in the epic 2.5-hour finale, the sprawling nature of the series, with a massive cast of characters, inevitably left several threads dangling. Some of the fan-favorite supporting players, who previously proved instrumental in the fight against the supernatural, were notably absent from the final episodes. Whether they were sidelined by the chaos of the military quarantine or simply lost in the shuffle due to the ensemble’s growing numbers, their silence has been felt.

As the series enters its afterlife through spinoffs and nostalgic rewatches, the question remains: what happened to those who were left behind?

4) Terry Ives

Eleven’s mother has been a haunting presence since the early days of Stranger Things, last appearing during the second season’s dive into her daughter’s tragic past. Despite the emotional weight of their connection in their psychic mindscape, Terry remained largely absent as the series reached its climax. Fans had long speculated that her psychic connection would play a role in the final war, but she remained off-screen throughout the entire final season.

The lack of resolution between Eleven and her mother one final time felt like a missed opportunity for emotional closure. Given that Terry’s catatonic state was the result of the same lab experiments that created the conflict that defined the entire series, seeing her one last time would have grounded the story’s conclusion. Her status remains one of the show’s most tragic loose ends, leaving us wondering if Eleven ever returned to her mother’s side for one last visit after the final world-ending threat was over.

3) Argyle

After becoming a breakout favorite in the fourth season, the pizza-delivering, van-driving stoner from California was nowhere to be found during the final showdown in Hawkins/the Abyss/the Upside Down. Argyle was essential for comic relief and logistical help during Mike, Jonathan, and Will’s journey across California, Utah, and Nevada to find Eleven. But his journey seemingly ended as soon as the Byers family returned to Indiana. His absence was felt by those who enjoyed his unique chemistry with Jonathan and the rest of the younger gang.

Many hoped to see the Surfer Boy Pizza van roll into town to help with the final battle. Instead, Argyle was simply written out without so much as a line of dialogue explaining his whereabouts. While it makes sense that he might stay in California or with Suzie’s sister, Eden, in Utah, the total silence about his character feels like an oversight for someone who was so pivotal to the group’s survival just one season ago.

2) Suzie

Suzie was a standout from the moment she appeared on screen. As Dustin’s long-distance girlfriend from camp and a genius who saved the world more than once with her tech and math skills, Suzie was a valuable asset to the Party. From her iconic duet with Dustin to her help in Hopper and Joyce’s retrieval of an essential code to destroy the secret Upside Down drill under the mall, she was Dustin’s most reliable secret weapon. However, in the final season, the ham radio remained silent. Despite Dustin’s overwhelming grief and personal struggles throughout the final season, Suzie never made an appearance to offer her trademark support or her technical brilliance.

Subtle hints in the finale suggested that the two may have drifted apart or broken up off-screen during the military quarantine. This lack of explicit resolution is frustrating for fans who were heavily invested in their quirky romance. Suzie was more than just a girlfriend; she was a brilliant mind whose talents could have been invaluable during the technical hurdles and advanced scientific knowledge needed for the final battle, making her absence a significant loss for many viewers.

1) Dr. Owens

Dr. Sam Owens was last seen in a precarious position, chained to a wall in a secret underground bunker while the Nina Project facility was taken over by a dangerous faction of the US military. As one of the few government officials who genuinely cared for Eleven and the entire fate of Hawkins as a whole, his fate was a major cliffhanger heading into the final season. Unfortunately, as the credits rolled on the series finale, his status remained entirely unaddressed, leaving his ultimate survival as one of the show’s biggest overlooked mysteries.

Whether he was rescued (by either his captors or allies) or left to rot in the ruins of the bunker remains unknown. His deep knowledge of the Upside Down and his history with Eleven would have made him a vital ally, particularly to Dustin with Brenner’s journal, in the endgame. The decision to ignore his character entirely has fueled endless fan theories, with many hoping that a future spinoff might finally explain what happened to the good doctor.

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