Stranger Things Creators Promise Season 5 Will Answer a Big Question Left Hanging Since Season 1

The creators of Stranger Things person promised fans that Season 5 volition yet reply 1 of the biggest questions near hanging since Season 1 made its explosive debut a decennary ago.

Warning! Spoilers for Stranger Things follow:

This isn’t astir an mentation for what the Upside Down is; Matt and Ross Duffer person already said the 5th and last play volition uncover each connected Stranger Things’ hellish alternate dimension. This is astir the kidnapping of Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp.

Stranger Things began with the mysterious disappearance of Will, and Season 5 volition yet reply wherefore helium was kidnapped and brought to the Upside Down successful the archetypal place. ‘Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers’ is the archetypal occurrence of Stranger Things and the archetypal occurrence of the archetypal season. It was written and directed by the Duffer Brothers and premiered connected Netflix connected July 15, 2016, on with the remainder of the season.

In the caller Season 5 trailer, we spot evil monster Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) successful afloat power implicit Will’s body. “You are going to assistance me… one… last… time,” it says.

At agelong last… we tin begin. The trailer for the epic last play of STRANGER THINGS is HERE. pic.twitter.com/5qi9memqSv

— Netflix (@netflix) October 30, 2025

In an interrogation with Entertainment Weekly, Ross Duffer said that fans should spell backmost to Season 2, Episode 6, called ‘The Spy,’ to assistance them recognize what Vecna means here. This is, Ross said, “the astir important episode,” and shows Will “working, successful a way, for the Mind Flayer.”

In The Spy, Will is brought to Hawkins National Laboratory. At 1 point, a severed tendril from the tunnels is burnt, causing Will to acquisition paint. Will aboriginal points soldiers successful the absorption of a spot the monster doesn’t privation him to see, which turns retired to beryllium a trap. Will says "he made maine bash it" due to the fact that "they upset him." Will, it seems, is the spy.

Fans person for years theorized astir wherefore Will was taken successful Season 1, alternatively than simply killed similar truthful galore others. What happened to him erstwhile helium was kidnapped, and to what end? Finally, we’re getting answers.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Season 5 begins successful the autumn of 1987, adjacent the day of Will’s disappearance successful the Upside Down. “So overmuch of the play was built astir the thought of coming afloat circle, answering galore of the questions that were posed each the mode backmost successful play 1,” Matt said. “I deliberation the 2 biggest questions that we didn’t truly reply successful Season 1 that we bash reply this play is ‘what is the Upside Down, truly?’ and ‘why was Will taken?’”

“We uncover truly everything astir the Upside Down, each of which was planned retired successful play 1,” Matt added. “It was amusive to yet propulsion backmost the curtain connected each of that.”

Here’s the authoritative blurb connected Stranger Things Season 5:

The autumn of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are agreed by a azygous goal: find and termination Vecna. But helium has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the authorities has placed the municipality nether subject quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her backmost into hiding. As the day of Will’s disappearance approaches, truthful does a heavy, acquainted dread. The last conflict is looming — and with it, a acheronian much almighty and much deadly than thing they’ve faced before. To extremity this nightmare, they’ll request everyone — the afloat enactment — lasting together, 1 past time.

Stranger Things Season 5 debuts connected Netflix successful 3 parts, with the archetypal 4 episodes arriving for the Thanksgiving vacation connected November 26. The adjacent 3 episodes premiere connected Christmas, and the bid finale volition debut connected the streamer and successful implicit 350 theaters nationwide connected New Year’s Eve.

Stranger Things Season 5 merchandise dates:

• VOL 1 - November 26, 5pm PT
• VOL 2 - Christmas, 5pm PT
• THE FINALE - New Year’s Eve, 5pm PT

Season 5 arrives implicit 3 years aft the finale of Season 4. For more, cheque retired the burning questions we inactive person from Stranger Things Season 4.

Image credit: Netflix.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].