Netflix invites viewers back to Hawkins, Indiana, for one final showdown. Photo courtesy of Red94.
ELIZA WEST | STAFF REPORTER | emwest1@butler.edu
“Stranger Things” is returning to television screens next week with its fifth and final season. Fans have been waiting to catch up with their favorite Hawkins heroes for over three years following a pivotal season four finale. This season will be released in three parts — Vol. 1 on Nov. 26, Vol. 2 on Christmas and Vol. 3 on New Year’s Eve.
What to know
Season five picks up in the fall of 1987, a year and a half after Vecna’s four gates opened in Hawkins in the spring of 1986. The party makes preparations for their biggest challenge yet, as Jamie Campbell Bower’s Vecna is nowhere to be seen — but surely lurking to make a strike. They are also down a member, as Max is still in a coma from her encounter with Vecna in the finale of season four. In the official trailer, the fictional Indianapolis suburb is under strict military surveillance due to the Upside Down gates.
Along with many fan favorite characters, season five will bring back Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers, who has become increasingly important to the plot. Byers will be the primary focus this season due to his connection with Vecna, creating a full-circle moment in the show. Fans hope to soon understand whether Byers was taken to the Upside Down in season one because of chance or if it was more of a calculated move.
Pre-watch thoughts
Vol. 2 of “Stranger Things” season four was released on July 1, 2022, giving viewers ample time to cook up theories and ruminate on puzzling plot points.
Senior lecturer of German Melissa Etzler leads the “Stranger Things” first-year seminar, where students study the themes of the Netflix hit and its relation to ‘80s horror. Etzler is looking forward to watching more of the spectacular special effects that the show has been lauded for in the past.
“I’m hoping to see some really cool creature feature effects and some more monsters,” Etzler said. “I think that the last season was really beautiful in the way it was shot.”
Along with stunning visuals, viewers want answers to the burning questions that have been at the front of their minds.
First-year sports media major Ryan Manfre listed some of the aspects of the season that he is most looking forward to. Manfre specifically wants to understand the connection between Vecna and the Mind Flayer, who was the third season’s main villain.
“I’m really interested to see how Vecna is controlled by the Mind Flayer,” Manfre said. “I don’t know if he controls it or he thinks he controls it.”
While Byers’s mysterious connection with Vecna is a significant point of intrigue, fans are also looking forward to tying up other loose ends.
“My primary [character of interest] is, for sure, Max,” Etzler said. “I want to see what’s really going on with her.”
More mature rating
In September, Netflix announced that it would be rating season five as TV-MA (Mature Audience). The previous seasons all had TV-14 ratings, leading fans to expect more gore and gloom in the final installment.
Maddie Stewart, a sophomore speech, language and hearing sciences major, questioned how much more gruesome the series can get.
“I feel like last season was pretty violent,” Stewart said. “I’m interested if they could make it more violent than that.”
Etzler is also pondering exactly how the show will manage to become even more nail-biting than its past seasons.
“[The TV-MA rating] surprises me, because I don’t know how they can go darker,” said Etzler. “Season four was very based on horror.”
The first five minutes
In the first episode of “Stranger Things”, Byers goes missing on Nov. 6, 1983, compelling Netflix to officially dub it “Stranger Things Day.” To celebrate the holiday, the fandom typically receives special releases or new content from the “Stranger Things” team. This year, the first five minutes of the season were released, transporting the audience back to season one to show viewers exactly what happened to Byers during his initial stint in the Upside Down.
Despite the brief length of the video, fans experienced a taste of what the season will look like, as well as the new stylistic direction that the creators of the series, Matt and Ross Duffer — more commonly known as the Duffer Brothers — are moving in.
“I think the Duffer Brothers did a really good job of writing the show and keeping everyone on … their toes for what’s to happen next,” Manfre said.
With this being the finale of the show, fans are eager to see how their favorite characters’ storylines will end.
The season premieres next week, with students eagerly anticipating its conclusion. Netflix will be the place to be at 8 p.m. EST during the three release dates as fans flock to see their favorite series.
