Several spoilers from Stranger Things' final Season 5 episodes have already been made officially public by Netflix. The highly anticipated sci-fi show has been guarding spoilers for years heading into its final season, but several hints and clues in Stranger Things' marketing were not addressed in Season 5 Volume 1.
The first volume of Stranger Things 5 established several new norms in the world of Hawkins, Indiana, with the military blockading the town and setting up shop in the Upside Down. Additionally, the group is searching for Vecna's whereabouts after they seemingly defeated him in Season 4, only to discover that he was orchestrating an even more evil plan involving Hawkins' children in Season 5.
Season 5 Volume 1 leaves things on a cliffhanger with its major reveal about Will's connection to Vecna, and Netflix already has some hints that suggest what might be coming next in Stranger Things.
Stranger Things 5 Spoilers Revealed By Netflix
Barb is Back
Shannon Purser's fan-favorite Stranger Things character, Barb, was one of the Upside Down's first victims back in Season 1, and fans never forgot her. Serving as a loyal and logical best friend to Nancy, Barb was taken unjustly by the Demogorgon, and fans have been calling for justice ever since.
While Barb won't exactly be back in Stranger Things 5 Vol 2, the Duffer Brothers confirmed in a Time article that her body would appear, most likely as a part of Vecna's hive. This suggests that there could be a deeper connection between all of Vecna's victims that may be revealed in Season 5.
Musical Moments
Stranger Things' music has always been a highlight of the show, from the synthetic original soundtrack to the licensed music moments like Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill', or Eddie's rendition of Metallica in Season 4. The show has already had some great needle drops in Season 5, but the creators, the Duffer Brothers, suggest there will be more music to look forward to in Stranger Things before it ends.
Speaking to Deadline, Matt Duffer teased that "There are some really cool, but very different musical moments in Volume 2," before adding "and in the finale," confirming some of Stranger Things 5's most significant music moments are still to come.
Time Unraveling
Another common fan theory is that time travel will play a significant role in the final episodes of Stranger Things. The Season 5 synopsis for the Netflix show hinted at this, with the phrase "time itself unraveling" used to describe the plot of the final episodes.
While Stranger Things 5 has employed a form of time travel through Max, who is being held captive in Vecna's mind prison and has experienced some of his memories, the full extent of how time impacts this final season remains to be revealed.
Vecna's History
Speaking of Max and Vecna's memories, more of that storyline has been promised by the Duffers in Season 5 Volume 2. The siblings told Variety that Vecna's backstory is the "new Russia storyline", referring to Season 4's plot arc, which saw Hopper cordoned off from the rest of the group in his own narrative.
In Season 5, Max and Holly are the new Russia storyline, with the duo being separated from the rest of the group in Vecna's mindspace, which it seems they will be exploring much more of in Volume 2. The Duffers explicitly stated that more Vecna memories would be a part of Volume 2, before adding, "we're very happy with how it integrates with the other storylines."
Stranger Things: The First Shadow Connections
Between the release of Stranger Things 4 and 5, a new prequel set in the show's world was released on stage. Stranger Things: The First Shadow told the story of Henry Creel before he became Vecna, examining how he gained his powers and his relationships with some of Stranger Things's characters in the 1950s.
Some of the stage show's plot was integrated into Stranger Things 5 Vol. 1, as Max relived some of Henry's time at school and learned about the cave. But this is not the last connection to the stage show fans will see in Stranger Things 5, with Matt Duffer telling Variety "There’s more overlap with the play," particularly in the "final episode:"
Matt Duffer: When we were working on the play with Kate Trefry, we had Henry’s backstory worked out. There was always a balance that we had to find in terms of how much we were going to put in the play. [The director] Stephen [Daldry] and [the produce] Sonia [Friedman] were always pushing for more and we were pushing back and saying, “Well, we have to wait to reveal that in the show.” You’ll see, especially as you reach the final episode, there’s more overlap with the play.
The Secret of the Mind Flayer
Stranger Things' Mind Flayer, the spidery, shadowy being tied to the Upside Down and present in every season since the Stranger Things Season 1 finale, has long been a mystery. In Season 4, it was revealed that Henry connected with the Mind Flayer upon being banished to the Upside Down, and this seemed to turn him into Vecna.
The connection between Vecna and the Mind Flayer and how closely tied they are is still a mystery in Season 5 of the show, but the Duffers confirmed, in the same Variety discussion, that it's "a question that will be answered in the final episode," meaning fans will have to wait until the finale on New Year's Eve to find out the truth.
