Stranger Things season 5 will bring the beloved Netflix show to a close, and there are many theories about how the new episodes will play out. With Stranger Things season 4’s ending bringing the Upside Down to Hawkins, the stakes are higher than ever for Eleven and the gang. They’ll need to find a way to defeat Vecna and rid their world of the monsters from the Upside Down permanently, neither of which will be easy tasks to accomplish. It’s possible Stranger Things‘ final season will feature major deaths, and that’s not all viewers are anticipating from the big conclusion.
With Stranger Things season 5 not releasing until at least 2025, fans have had plenty of time to speculate about what’s next for Hawkins and their favorite characters there. The theories about the beloved Netflix show have ranged from outrageous to predictable. And the best season 5 theories walk the line between both, but some are more likely to come true than others.
5 Things Stranger Things Season 5 Should Take From Season 1 (& 5 To Leave In The Past)
As Stranger Things moves into its final season, there are lots of things from season 1 that should be brought back, and others best left in the past.
8 All Of Stranger Things Is Just The Gang’s Dungeons & Dragons Campaign
A brilliant Stranger Things season 5 theory posits that the show will end with the revelation that the entire show has just been the gang’s Dungeons & Dragons campaign. This would bring the series full circle, but it’d likely be unsatisfying to some fans, much like series and movies that end with “it was all a dream.” While this Stranger Things theory is one of the wilder ones out there, it’s been debunked by the Duffer Brothers ahead of season 5. Therefore, while it’s a great theory, it’s the least likely to actually happen when the final episodes debut.
7 Stranger Things Season 5 Will Reveal That Will Byers Is A Traitor
Will Byers being dragged into the Upside Down is what started Stranger Things, and the show has teased the character’s connection to the alternate universe on multiple occasions. At the end of season 4, Will admits that he can feel Vecna’s presence, indicating a connection between the two characters. And the Duffer Brothers already teased a bigger role for Will in Stranger Things’ final season. With all of these things in mind, some viewers have speculated that Will could be revealed as a traitor. This theory hinges on Will’s connection to the Upside Down, as well as the similarities between him and Henry Creel.
Of course, Dungeons & Dragons parties can also have traitors, which would strengthen the show’s link to the role-playing game. Will’s friends have also neglected him in previous seasons, which could motivate him to act against them. Unfortunately, while this would be a shocking and fun surprise, its likelihood isn’t very high. Will becoming a traitor would go against Stranger Things‘ messages about found family and friendship. The optics of making one of the show’s few LGBTQ+ characters the villain would also be pretty terrible.
6 Eddie Munson Will Return In Season 5
This may be more of a wish than an actual theory, but many fans have speculated that Eddie Munson could make a comeback in Stranger Things season 5. Eddie was Stranger Things season 4’s breakout character, becoming a fan-favorite almost immediately after he was introduced. Joseph Quinn’s character sacrificed himself so that his friends could escape the Upside Down. However, not every viewer is convinced that Eddie’s dead. And even those who do believe he perished are wondering if he’ll return as a monster in season 5. It wouldn’t be the first time Vecna used the dead to haunt his living victims.
Eddie’s return would no doubt be a welcome development for many, but it’s not the most likely Stranger Things theory out there. Joseph Quinn already has two replacement franchises taking up his time — A Quiet Place and the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and Stranger Things would risk undoing the impact of Eddie’s sacrifice by bringing him back. This could hurt the ending rather than help it. So, while the notion of seeing Eddie again makes this a great theory, it’s not one that seems particularly strong.
5 Eleven’s Sister Kali Returns To Help Fight Vecna
Eleven’s unexpected trip to Chicago in season 2 remains Stranger Things’ most-underused storyline, and season 4 seemed to forget the show’s lead had a sister altogether. Kali didn’t appear in any of the flashbacks to the Rainbow Room, raising questions about her absence. However, the character’s ability to create illusions could come in handy in the fight against Vecna. That’s why viewers have posited that Kali could return and join Eleven’s fight, making sense of her season 2 aside in the process.
The likelihood of this Stranger Things theory seems like a toss-up, as it would help explain a storyline that will otherwise become a gaping plot hole for the show. However, the writers didn’t seem concerned with Kali in seasons 3 or 4, so it’s just as likely they’ll let go of this subplot without any acknowledgment. After all, Eleven’s trip to Chicago is one of Stranger Things’ more unpopular storylines. Perhaps the creators picked up on that and decided to drop it.
4 Vecna Isn’t Stranger Things Season 5’s Main Villain
Vecna is the looming threat as Stranger Things season 5 approaches, but one theory suggests that he isn’t the show’s true villain. As TikTok user demi.kuijpers points out, Vecna isn’t the most powerful monster in the game Dungeons & Dragons; Borys is. This could indicate that Stranger Things will surprise viewers by introducing a second Big Bad during its final season. It’s worth noting that the show has introduced a new, greater threat with each outing, so this would fit into its structure.
That fact alone makes this a more likely theory than some others. However, the Netflix show might have a hard time establishing the stakes and characterization of a final villain in just one batch of episodes. It’s doable — and it would be a fun surprise — but it is a risky choice. As such, the creators may not go that route, opting for the safer, well-known villain instead. After all, Vecna’s story still hasn’t been resolved heading into the final season.
3 A Member Of The Stranger Things Gang Will Die
There are numerous Stranger Things theories predicting casualties in the final season, and they all come to a similar conclusion: one of the main characters will probably die before season 5 is through. Different theories focus on different characters, but the likelihood of a main member of the Hawkins gang perishing seems high. It would help Stranger Things season 5 establish greater stakes, and it would make up for a surprising lack of major deaths over the show’s previous four seasons. While many supporting players perish, the main group remains mostly intact.
Even the cast members of Stranger Things have suggested that one of the kids should die. Dustin actor Gaten Matarazzo was the latest to pitch this idea, but Millie Bobby Brown and Maya Hawke both shared similar sentiments during lie detector tests for Vanity Fair. With Stranger Things getting darker and the cast members all on board, this theory is among the most likely to come true — though there are a few that seem even more predictable.
2 Will Byers’ Connection To The Upside Down Will Help Defeat It
While the notion of Will becoming a villain is more surprising, the theory that Will’s connection to the Upside Down will help the gang defeat it seems the more probable outcome in season 5. This is one of many Upside Down theories to crop up ahead of the show’s final outing. It posits that Vecna must want Will alive for some reason, as he’s the only person to have spent an extended period of time in the Upside Down and survived. This is suspicious, and it could indicate that Vecna is depending on his connection to Will for something — perhaps to use him as a vessel.
Such a reveal would give Will and his friends the opportunity to take advantage of his link to Vecna. There are numerous ways they can do this, but it’s possible Will will need to sacrifice himself in order to save his home. This would bring Stranger Things full circle, deliver on many teases from earlier outings, and give the ending a meaningful death. For all those reasons, it seems likely that Will’s connection will play a major role in Vecna’s downfall. This is probable even if the effort doesn’t actually kill him.
1 Max’s Consciousness Is Inside Vecna Or The Upside Down
Stranger Things season 4 nearly kills off Max Mayfield, but the finale reveals that she survived her encounter with Vecna and is now in a coma. It’s mentioned that Max’s spirit and mind don’t seem to be present, which fuels a popular Stranger Things theory about the character. Many believe that Max’s consciousness is either inside Vecna or the Upside Down — and that her friends will spend at least part of the final season getting it back. Images teasing a return to Hawkins Hospital add fire to this theory, as that’s where the gang would look if they were investigating Max’s connection to Vecna.
Of all the great Stranger Things season 5 theories out there, this one seems like the most probable. The fourth season goes out of its way to keep Max alive, and it intentionally brings her missing consciousness to light. That sets the stage for another showdown between Max and Vecna in Stranger Things‘ final season. Hopefully, this will end better than the first.
Stranger Things
Inspired by 80s pop-culture and elements of Stephen King’s works, Stranger Things is a supernatural action-drama TV series set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. When a young boy goes missing, his group of friends stumbles upon a young girl with telekinetic powers who recently escaped from a mysterious facility. They soon realize that she may be their only chance at stopping an impending doom that threatens to engulf Hawkins whole.
- Cast
- Finn Wolfhard , joe keery , Jamie Campbell Bower , Brett Gelman , Caleb McLaughlin , Maya Hawke , David Harbour , Matthew Modine , Priah Ferguson , Gaten Matarazzo , Winona Ryder , Charlie Heaton , Sadie Sink , Millie Bobby Brown , Joseph Quinn , Dacre Montgomery , Natalia Dyer , Noah Schnapp
- Seasons
- 4
- Franchise
- Stranger Things
- Writers
- Matt Duffer , Ross Duffer , Paul Dichter , Kate Trefry
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Directors
- Matt Duffer , Ross Duffer
- Showrunner
- Matt Duffer , Ross Duffer
