Stranger Things 5: What is 'The Crawl'?

The mysterious first episode.

The first episode of Stranger Things 5 was announced to be titled The Crawl long before we got the rest of the episode titles. The Duffers have teased this as the "most eventful first episode since Season 1". So, clearly, The Crawl is something big. Stranger Things loves having these somewhat cryptic titles that tease a group or a character, and this episode is nothing different. So does "the crawl" mean?

5. Some D&D Tactic

Stranger Things loves its D&D parallels

Three of the four seasons of Stranger Things have had significant Dungeons & Dragons parallels, with seasons one and four truly kicking off by basically teasing our principal villain through D&D. The Duffers have repeatedly said that season five is like a mix of season one and season four, so it feels like we might get some more D&D allusions. What if, instead of it paralleling our villain, this season teases the Upside Down's defeat through Dungeons & Dragons? I don't think there's any D&D tactic called 'the crawl', but I could see it being something that the party makes up in D&D and uses it in real life to fight Vecna.

4. Vecna's Return

Last time we saw him, he was crawling (kind of)

Vecna's final scene in season four was him getting burnt alive and shot by Nancy, Robin, and Steve. He Michael Myers-ed out of the scene, however, when he fell on the ground, seemingly dead, but was gone when Nancy and company looked back at where he was. Some could say that he crawled away. We obviously know Vecna is returning in this season, presumably as the main antagonist, so we have to figure out a way for him to get back in the story. 'The Crawl' could be that.

3. The Upside Down Spreading Through Hawkins

Some could say it is "crawling" through the small Indiana town

At the end of season four, four gates smashed together in the middle of Hawkins, causing the Upside Down to bleed into our world. This Upside Down world will be a new status quo for the audience and the characters as was teased at the end of season four. I would expect monsters galore: Demogorgons, Demodogs, Demobats, Mind Flayers, Vecnas...who knows? Maybe 'The Crawl' is referring to some mass movement of the Upside Down and its horrors through Hawkins.

2. Something Under the WSQK Radio Station

Rumors have said that this may be home base for the season

The WSQK radio station seems to be a major location in season five. Hell, episode five is called Shock Jock, which gives heavy DJ vibes. There have been swirling rumors that something significant is under the WSQK radio station. Maybe it's some Upside Down tunnels. Maybe it's some secretive base to hide Eleven in from the military or from Vecna. 'The Crawl' could be referring to this home base...or to the dangers that lie beneath.

1. Will's Plan to Escape the Demogorgon

We know how this episode opens from a tease made by the Duffers

The Crawl is said to be the most eventful first episode since Will's vanishing in season one. It's pretty clear that season five will be exploring Will's time in the Upside Down, because the Duffers gave us the first action line of this episode.

"DARKNESS.

The sound of COLD WIND. GROANING TREES. And...

A CHILD'S VOICE. Singing a familiar song:"

Should I Stay or Should I Go? This action line seems to tease that the season is going to kick off with Will in the Upside Down evading the Demogorgon (or maybe Vecna). Who knows how much of that will be explored in this season, but I think this first episode could really tee us off on Will being abducted and what happened while he was in the Upside Down. The kid probably needed to escape the Demogorgon a billion times, so what if 'The Crawl' was one of his major plans to get out of there? Who knows? We shall see in a little less than a month.