Almost ten years since the first season of Netflix’s hit show “Stranger Things” released, the fifth and final season is set to hit streaming platforms in three volumes starting on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
“Stranger Things” takes place during the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. The first season revolves around a main group of kids — Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Eleven — as they try to find and rescue their friend Will, who we later find out was kidnapped by a supernatural monster to an alternate dimension called the Upside Down.
Other important characters include Will’s mother Joyce and brother Jonathan, who are desperate to find him; Mike’s sister Nancy and her boyfriend Steve, who inadvertently get roped into the plot; and the town police chief, Hopper, who investigates the suspicious activity in town.
The third season leans into a retro-horror genre that pays off well in the final episode, which is powerful and agonizing at the same time.
The fourth season marks what I consider to be the beginning of the end; that is, the main villain finally comes into focus, and the season ends on an ominous cliffhanger.
The fifth season, coming out Nov. 26, is meant to pick up where the fourth left off, with the town of Hawkins being infected by the Upside Down and the villain, Vecna, still alive and at large.
I, personally, love the theories and predictions that come with the show. With the recent trailer, premiere, and an exclusive look at the first five minutes of the season, I can honestly say that there is going to be no mercy.
Each character is as endangered as the next. “Stranger Things” has made a habit of introducing characters for one season, then letting them become beloved and brutally killed. This has become predictable, which is exactly the opposite of what this final season needs to be.
While there may still be those formulaic placeholders in this season, I suspect that some of the main characters may not make it out. The characters I think are most likely to die this season are Eleven, Steve, Joyce, or Dustin. These are the characters whose arcs are, for the most part, complete or near-complete in the show, where a death would be an appropriate and fitting end. However, this is the first time I feel like this show might genuinely surprise me. I’m finding myself unable to truly predict which characters will live or die.
As far as the plot goes, it’s been made evident that Eleven, Will, and Vecna will be key players, although it’s clear that every character has a role to fulfill.
Eleven is always the focus, of course, and with her superpowers restored last season, we can be sure to see more of her in her zone — the trailer gave us several shots of her training, most likely in preparation to fight Vecna.
The first five minutes of the new season were released on Nov. 6, which was a flashback to the first season when Will was stuck in the Upside Down. It confirmed that his kidnapping in Season One was not random. It also proved that Vecna has had a plan for him since the beginning. This is one of the big reasons why he will play a major part in the final season, as it seems that everything is connected back to him.
With this revelation, it begs the question: how much of a hand has Vecna had in the show’s plot and its most pivotal points? Considering we know he initiated and influenced the most important plot line in the show (that being Will’s disappearance in the first season), are there any other plots that have been direct results of his influence?
Early reviews from the premiere screening of the first episode have been positive. It seems we’re going to be seeing some character deaths pretty early on — maybe as early as the first or second episode.As big a hit as “Stranger Things” is, all good things must come to an end. I strongly urge you to watch this show if you haven’t already, and if you have, get your tissues ready for an emotional final season that is sure to pull at the heartstrings.
