After a decade, Stranger Things is about to wrap up. Considered one of the best Netflix originals (it amassed a crazy 7.2 billion minutes of viewing with Season 4), and also becoming the most-watched series in 2022, it’s time to get the tissues ready to cry. Very little is known about the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, though the Duffer Brothers have already dropped some details about the episodes and how insanely emotional it was for the cast to film the final chapter of the story. So, we can only speculate about what’s next and hope that our favorite character doesn’t meet their end at the hands of Vecna.
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Something important to mention about Stranger Things is that it’s already been confirmed that season 5 will wrap up all the arcs and the main plot perfectly, without leaving anything hanging. But what the show has done most in the last few episodes is leave a ton of doors wide open, so fans have basically been running wild with theories all this time. That’s why we’ve listed, out of many, the main things the series really needs to answer (and prioritize, since some questions even go back to the first season).
What Is Max’s Fate?
If there was one character who really stood out in Season 4, it was Max (Sadie Sink), serving as the main example for the gang to understand exactly what Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) was capable of. She went through a lot and gave us one of the most intense episodes when she had to run from the villain to the tune of the hit “Running Up That Hill.” It turns out all that chaos left her with some major aftereffects, the biggest of which was when, in the last episode, Eleven tried to save her, but the whole thing left the redhead completely blind. This led fans to think her spirit might still be hanging around in the Upside Down.
The Duffer brothers have already spoken about Max, revealing that, besides her blindness, she’s braindead with all her bones broken. Knowing that is pretty nerve-wracking for the audience, but all hope isn’t lost. The creators have also made it clear she’ll have a pretty big role moving forward. Sadie Sink, when asked what to expect, even said, “they love having me run. That’s all I’ll say.” So we’ll definitely see Max in action again, most likely indirectly, since it’s not physically possible for now. Will Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) come back to try to help her again, or maybe this time Will must step up? After all, he’s got a connection to Vecna, too.
Why Is the Upside Down Stuck in Time?
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One of the big discoveries, and maybe the one that raises the most questions to date, is time standing still in the Upside Down. Even though the place is a mirror of real life, when Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Eddie (Joseph Quinn), and Robin (Maya Hawke) find themselves there, they realized they weren’t in 1986, but in 1983. How? Right now, it’s tough to say what exactly needs to be done to answer that question. One thing, though, could be a clue – the famous grandfather clock. When Henry Creel/Vecna’s backstory was revealed in flashbacks, it turned out that one of his psychic abilities helped him reverse time at one point. With that, a new question pops up – why?
According to the Duffer brothers, this whole issue with frozen time is a factor in Season 5. Basically, we can expect it to help uncover the mystery around the villain’s motivations. In their words, “It’s going to play such a huge role moving [forward].”
What Is the Origin of Vecna’s Powers?
Season 4 finally revealed Vecna as the series’ big villain. In a long and totally intense scene with Henry’s revelations to Eleven, we see the secret unfold in detail through flashbacks. But, just like with the Upside Down, there are still some questions left unanswered about him. One of them, and probably the biggest, is: where did Vecna’s powers really come from? He was Dr. Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) first experiment and the main reason for the tests at Hawkins’ lab, but how did his abilities come to be? Was he born with them? Was it part of a project like the other kids?
There’s still a lot we don’t know. It’s possible that some mysterious or supernatural event in his past made him special. Digging into this would probably help fans finally understand his connection to Eleven. Will isn’t far off from this either, since it’s known he’ll play a huge role in the final season – the whole story of Stranger Things started with him. Could it be that Vecna chose him from the start? If so, why? The origin of his powers just keeps raising more and more questions.
Who Is Eleven’s Biological Father?
This is one of the questions fans have been asking since the beginning of Stranger Things, especially when Eleven’s mother was revealed. Eleven’s past has been discussed a lot over time, and the whole audience loved the relationship she developed with Hopper (David Harbour). But just like with Vecna, there are still some gaps, and knowing who her dad is could be totally game-changing – especially since no one knows anything about it to this day. Various theories have been put forward, including the possibility that Henry is her father. Another suggestion is that she was Dr. Brenner’s creation using Henry’s DNA.
This remains one of the biggest mysteries and the one that stirs the most curiosity. But considering how long it’s gone without confirmation, we can only hope it’s something really important to the overall plot, and not just some detail that might’ve been overlooked. The Duffer brothers have already confirmed that nothing in the series is random or happens by accident.
What Is the True Nature of the Upside Down?
Just like with Vecna’s powers, Stranger Things needs to dive deep into explaining the creation of the Upside Down. What we learned from last season is that Eleven opened the rift, and through it, Henry was thrown in and ended up there. But where did this scary place come from? How does it really exist? It’s the biggest symbol of the series and one of the most intriguing elements, especially because of its particles. The Mind Flayer, for example, was shaped by Vecna from them, but what is their nature? And if we think about other creatures from this place, we can’t forget about the Demogorgons. Where did they come from?
On top of that, the origin of the Upside Down also needs to be explained more clearly to finally answer why it’s a replica of Hawkins. In the first season, we understood how it works based on the concept of parallel realities explained by teacher Mr. Clarke (Randy Havens), but so far, that was just an assumption that hasn’t been explored in depth. Why does this dimension even exist?
Did Eddie Really Die?
Even though the Duffer Brothers gave an answer when they revealed that Eddie is really dead, the fact is, there have been so many theories over time about the possible return of this fan favorite that we have to wonder if he’s really gone. According to the creators, the character’s tragic fate was sealed from the start, even though nobody expected him to become such a phenomenon among the fans. The famous idea that he could be Kas from Dungeons & Dragons still lingers in the minds of many, and so far, it’s not something that has been 100% ruled out.
One thing is for sure – Eddie will still be important even after the end of Season 4, because he will continue to impact the lives of characters like Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and the town of Hawkins, which saw him as a criminal. Joseph Quinn has already been asked about his return to the story, and his answer and reaction only hinted that we might still see him. So, will Eddie return as a vampire or just in a flashback?
How Will the Characters’ Relationships Play Out From Here On?
Nancy and Steve dated at the beginning of Stranger Things and had some issues with Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). The trio basically became a love triangle (or at least, that was the initial idea). Over time, Nancy and Jonathan got into a serious relationship, but Season 4 showed that this fell apart, and Nancy started spending more time with Steve again. With the whole main plot going on, the romance arc revealed that things are shaken up and ready to change. Nancy will need to make a choice at some point about who she wants to be with (or if she wants to be alone), especially since we’ve seen Jonathan has no intention of going to college with her.
At the same time, there’s Will (Noah Schnapp) and Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) relationship. Best friends forever, recent episodes have shown that Will’s feelings are a bit different from Mike’s. Will hasn’t come out to the gang yet, but the audience can see that it’s a really painful subject for him. This leaves the question of how this might strain his friendship with both Mike and Eleven, since they’re both dating each other.
Season 5 of Stranger Things is set to drop this year on Netflix.
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