My Predictions for Stranger Things 5

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Stranger Things 5 is imminent! I cannot believe that this season comes out in just two days. That's insane. I'm so excited. I am honest when I tell you that I have not been this excited for something since Avengers: Endgame. So here is the last post before the season comes out! I have to make my official predictions. Honestly, I have no idea what's going to happen in season five, but I've read and made theories of my own, so here they are. Can't believe it's this week!

10. The OG Four Spend a Lot of the Season Together

In the teaser trailers and behind-the-scenes pictures we've gotten, there are definitely a lot of glimpses of the OG party spending a lot of time together. I personally would love that. For how iconic this show and its characters are, we've not gotten a lot of time with the main four boys together. Seasons one and two had Will in a very different place than the other three and seasons three and four have had the group split up across Hawkins or across the entire country. Season five looks like it might get back to the four boys together, and I think that would make for a nice bookend, since we started this show with the four of them in Mike's basement playing D&D.

9. The Vanishing of [Blank] is Holly Wheeler

This is basically all but confirmed. Nell Fisher of Evil Dead Rise was cast as Holly Wheeler this season, and that immediately gave us a hint that the youngest of the Wheelers was going to have a bigger role. The marketing has shown her in peril multiple times, and it seems like she may be one of Vecna's primary targets at the beginning of the season. When you narrow it down, it's not particularly obvious who else would vanish in the second episode. Sure, it could be The Vanishing of Jane Hopper or The Vanishing of Will Byers Part Two, but I think it's pretty clear that it's going to be Holly vanishing here.

8. Vecna Kidnapped Will, Not the Demogorgon

The inciting incident of the entire show is still somewhat shrouded in mystery. Although it seems like the Demogorgon was the one who kidnapped Will, it has never truly been confirmed. There are a few reasons that this remains a question: the Demogorgon killed everyone else it attacked, but it kidnapped Will. We never actually see the Demogorgon - we just see a silhouette that looks like the Demogorgon but could be a primitive version of Vecna. And the biggest indicator to me is that Will's door is telepathically unlocked when he is kidnapped. Demogorgons have never been telepathic, but Vecna is. So I think this could be one of the big reveals of the season: Vecna was the one who kidnapped Will and his abduction was part of 001's larger plan.

7. Will is the Protagonist of This Season

Will Byers has long been sidelined by Stranger Things. For being the central focus of the first two seasons, it does seem like he has taken a backseat in recent years. The Duffers and the marketing have implied that Will will be one of our central players this season. Not only do I think he will be one of the central players: I think he will be the central player. I think this season is going to explore Will Byers more than Stranger Things has ever explored a character. There is something that ties him to the Upside Down, maybe even more than Eleven, and I am excited to see what that is. I think he will have the most screen time this season. I think he will have the biggest arc. And I am excited to see Noah Schnapp shine in this final entry of Will's story.

6. Linda Hamilton Plays a Sarah Connor Subversion

Linda Hamilton of Terminator fame was cast in this season of Stranger Things. If you look at the legacy castings (Paul Reiser, Sean Astin, Robert Englund, Cary Elwes), they all play subversions of the characters they are best known for. I don't know exactly what a Sarah Connor subversion would be, but I think it will involve her as some high-grade military person who has a softer side than you would expect. I think she will seem like an antagonist at first but maybe soften up and actually help out our main characters. But I don't entirely know. I am curious how she factors in to this story.

5. Steve and Nancy End Up Together

I don't know exactly how this will work, because it feels like Jonathan either has to die or get broken up with, and neither seem likely. However, I think Steve and Nancy will end up together. What I could see happening is that Jonathan leaves Hawkins in the end to start up a new life and lets Nancy go because she belongs in Hawkins with her family and with Steve. That could be an emotional and satisfying ending to both characters: Jonathan has always been insecure and a little selfish, so letting Nancy go could be an interesting conclusion to his arc, because it would show his true growth from season one. Also, everyone wants Nancy to end up with Steve, because it's Steve Harrington. If you kill him off, Duffers, I will kill you off (that's a joke).

4. Multiple Wheelers Die

I think we may be losing a large chunk of the Wheeler family this season. What an interesting kickoff it would be to have Holly be abducted and then her and Karen murdered in the beginning of the season. That would just add so much weight, emotion, and stakes to this season, and it's absolutely something I could see happening. The Duffers have been criticized for not having enough balls to kill off major characters in the past. Well, killing off Mike and Nancy's younger sister and mom in the beginning of season five would certainly remedy that and show us that nobody is safe. If I were a Wheeler, I would be scared for my fate this season. Mike and Nancy, you are not safe either. Ted probably is, because no one would care if he died, but maybe he makes an unexpected sacrifice for his wife or kids. Who knows?

3. Kali Shows Up

This has long been theorized, but I think it could finally pay off in the final season. Kali Prasad, also known as 008, appeared in the Lost Sister plot line in season two. Since that plot was so heavily criticized, she has not re-appeared in the show. I think it would be cool if they can find a sensical way to bring her back and have her help Eleven in the final showdown against Vecna. It would make sense: she likely knew 001 and maybe was even a little bit scared of him, and I don't think she harbors bad feelings against Eleven, so she could definitely make a return in the final season to help take down Vecna.

2. There Are Multiple Deaths Before the Finale

I really think the carnage is going to be heavy this season. I think we are losing multiple characters before the finale. I don't know if it'll necessarily be main main characters, but I could see any Wheeler going. I could see Max succumbing to her coma and dying. I don't even want to say it, but I could see Steve's epic sacrifice being a stage-setter for the finale. I really think the Duffers are going to surprise us with how many characters die off before the finale. It will really make this season feel heavy and impactful, and I think it could make for an epic buildup to the final episode of this show.

1. We Will See Will's Perspective of Season One

This is, in my opinion, one of the coolest things they could do with season five. And I really think they're going to, because it looks like it's been hinted at in the marketing. We don't know that much about the Upside Down, but if Will is going to be a major focus, I really think we are going to see what happened to him during season one. I think we are going to get tons of reveals regarding his connection to the hive mind and Vecna and his possible powers (?). There have been shots of a character resembling young Will in the Upside Down, and it really makes me think that a good portion of this season will be devoted to those flashbacks, which I just cannot wait to see. Ugh. November 27 cannot come any sooner!