Stranger Things 5: What is 'The Turnbow Trap'?

The mysterious third episode.

We are counting down the days! My individual episode predictions continue with The Turnbow Trap, the third entry in Stranger Things 5. This episode is actually directed by the legendary Frank Darabont (he directed The Shawshank Redemption), who came out of retirement to join Stranger Things. I have very high expectations for this episode, and I am very curious how it relates to this new character of Derek Turnbow and who it is a trap for.

5. A Trap Laid for Derek Turnbow

The newest member of the Stranger Things cast is going to be important to this season

Derek Turnbow is the kid with the glasses pictured above (apologies for the bad image quality but we don't have many good shots of him). He seems to be a peer with either Erica or Holly, and I expect him to play a significant role in at least this portion of the season. The Turnbow Trap clearly connects to him or his family in some way, so it would make sense if it was just simply trying to trap him. There have been rumors that he has a sort of bully role, so maybe this is Erica's way of humbling him. Maybe it isn't as sinister as The Turnbow Trap sounds.

4. A Way to Get Holly Back

If she vanishes in the second episode, the third could be an attempt to rescue her

We all expect Holly Wheeler to vanish in the mysterious second episode, so if that does indeed happen, maybe this trap will be some quick, desperate attempt to get her back. I very much expect Karen Wheeler to not make it out of this season, so it could be a rough stretch for the Wheeler family here. I could see Nancy or Mike, after losing their mom, trying to do something possibly stupid to get their sister back. And, if Derek Turnbow is Holly's age, he could connect to that in some way.

3. A Trap for Will Performed by Vecna

We know their connection is a huge part of this season

Honestly, I kind of doubt this one, because "The Turnbow Trap" does not sound like a term that Vecna would coin. Imagine him saying to his army of Demogorgons "We are going to perform the Turnbow Trap." That'd be very goofy. But who knows? Maybe this will be some plan that the party figures out Vecna has for Will and they do coin the term. Anyways, we know that Will and Vecna's connection will be vital to this season, so I think this could be some sort of hint of a trap that concerns their relationship.

2. A Trap for Eleven by the Military

The hunt for Eleven seems to be a major plot line

The first ever tease we received for the fifth season of Stranger Things was a missing poster of Eleven. This is likely a tease of this military plot line. We know that Colonel Jack Sullivan was hunting El in season four, and, with the military presence being heavy in Hawkins after the rifts opened, I feel like it's pretty likely that they will be hunting her throughout the season. In the trailer and the other pieces of marketing we've gotten, it seems like the military will be everywhere, so it is very possible that they are involved with Derek Turnbow and this supposed Turnbow Trap.

1. A Trap for Vecna at the Turnbow Farm

Things could go very, very wrong here

"The Turnbow Trap" sounds like a phrase coined by Dustin or Mike or something, so I really feel like this will be something that is set up to capture Vecna. We know that the party is looking to find and kill him, and I doubt they are going to succeed in either of those things in the first volume of episodes (maybe not until episode four). We know that there's a major farm location, and it has been rumored to be Derek Turnbow's farm. We've seen a Demogorgon bursting through the doors in the farm, so I think it is very possible that, much like getting Holly back, this "Turnbow Trap" is a desperate attempt to find Vecna that is likely going to fail miserably.