‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 First Scene Reveals Truth About Will

Netflix has given fans a sneak peek at the first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5. It looks like the final season will revisit the start of Will Byers’ frightening experiences in the Upside Down.

The new season begins by showing us what Will experienced in the Upside Down after he went missing on November 6, 1983. We’ll discover he actually survived on his own for a significant time, and surprisingly, he met Vecna much earlier than anyone knew – even before the events of Season 4.

The new clip, which came out late Thursday night (November 6th), opens with a young Will Byers inside Castle Byers, quietly singing “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. Things quickly turn terrifying when a Demogorgon crashes into the hut, and Will flees through the dark and eerie woods of the Upside Down. He briefly escapes by climbing a tree, but the monster finds him again, forcing him to jump to another tree. Unfortunately, he falls and is then dragged away.

The scene shifts to Will, who is unconscious and trapped by vines inside the Hawkins Public Library—the same place Joyce and Hopper rescued him from in the Upside Down at the end of the first season. As the Demogorgon retreats, Vecna appears and approaches Will, placing a vine over his mouth that starts to pump dark particles into him. “Finally, we can start. You and I are going to accomplish incredible things together, William,” Vecna says, before the screen goes black.

Watch below:

The Season 5 trailer, which came out on October 30th, suggests Will will be a central figure this season. It seems his link to Vecna – and how Vecna manipulates him – will be a major part of the story.

In the trailer, Vecna says to Will, “One last time, you’re going to help me,” and uses his powers to lift Will into the air, threateningly bringing him closer.

For a long time, viewers have suspected that Vecna will use Will – who was connected to the Mind Flayer in Season 2 – as a weapon against Eleven and her friends in the final season. Recent developments, especially Will’s ongoing ability to sense danger from the Upside Down, strongly suggest this will happen.

Season 5 takes place in the fall of 1987. Netflix’s official synopsis for the season reads:

The town of Hawkins is deeply damaged by the appearance of the Rifts, and a group of heroes have come together with one mission: to find and defeat Vecna. However, Vecna has disappeared, and no one knows where he is or what he’s planning. Making things even harder, the government has put Hawkins under military control and is aggressively searching for Eleven, forcing her to go into hiding again. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance nears, a sense of dread returns. A final, massive confrontation is coming—one that will bring a darkness more dangerous than anything they’ve ever experienced. To finally end this nightmare, everyone will need to work together, one last time.

The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will be released in three parts. The first four episodes will be available on Netflix starting November 26th, followed by three more episodes on Christmas Day (December 25th). The last two episodes, concluding the series, will premiere on New Year’s Eve (December 31st).

Episodes will be available to stream beginning at 5PM PT/8PM ET on their respective dates.

The 10 Darkest Shows on Netflix

Black Mirror (2011- )

Many initially mocked the show Black Mirror for being overly pessimistic about the future, but as things unfold, even critics are starting to see its accuracy. The series, originally from British Channel 4 and now a Netflix original, tells standalone stories about the downsides of technology – people made unhappy by brain implants, video games, and social media, for example. While some storylines are predictable, the show doesn’t shy away from exploring truly dark and disturbing themes. Episodes like “Playtest,” “White Bear,” “The Waldo Moment,” and “Common People” push the boundaries of how shocking and depressing television can be.

BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)

Despite its silly, cartoonish appearance with animals acting like people, BoJack Horseman is a surprisingly depressing show. While it initially attracts viewers with its clever and funny take on Hollywood, it’s the deeply emotional portrayal of BoJack himself that keeps people watching. He’s a horse struggling with intense self-loathing and destructive habits, which pushes away everyone he cares about, with devastating consequences. For every lighthearted joke – like one about Margo Martindale or the running gag about chicken soup – there are five moments that starkly reveal how easily fame and mental health issues can lead someone to feel hopeless.

Making a Murderer (2015-2018)

I’ve seen a lot of true crime documentaries, but Making a Murderer really stuck with me – it’s just incredibly unsettling. What makes it so dark is that Steven Avery, the main subject, was actually proven innocent of one crime he was accused of. The first season follows his story: he spent 18 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, and then, just two years after being released, he was accused of another. The second season dives into what happened after that second conviction, and throughout both seasons, you also learn about his nephew, Brendan Dassey, and his involvement. What really struck me was how the show highlighted the problems with forced confessions and bad legal representation – things that clearly played a role in Avery’s first conviction, and maybe even his second. It’s a really tough watch, but it makes you think.

13 Reasons Why (2017-2020)

The Netflix series 13 Reasons Why sparked controversy due to its intensely dark content. The show centers around the aftermath of a high school student’s suicide and features graphic portrayals of sensitive issues like teen suicide, sexual assault, and bullying. The first season unfolds through a series of tapes left by the deceased student, Hannah Baker, detailing how 13 people contributed to her decision. Later seasons delve into even more disturbing topics, including cyberbullying, murder, and a school shooting, making it a particularly challenging watch focused on the darker side of high school life.

Dark (2017-2020)

No list of dark shows would be complete without mentioning the German series simply titled Dark. It’s a remarkably intricate time travel mystery that follows multiple families across generations in the fictional town of Winden. The story unfolds in the shadow of a nuclear cooling tower and above a cave system with a mysterious power that sends people to different points in time. This creates a complex web of relationships where characters are connected to their own ancestors and descendants. Beyond the initial mystery of a missing child, Dark explores the idea that time is an unstoppable force, and how characters struggle to cope with lives dictated by it, often separated from those they care about.

Mindhunter (2017-2019)

If you’re looking for a gripping crime drama, check out Mindhunter. This show offers a fascinating, and often unsettling, look at the minds of notorious killers and the FBI agents who worked to understand them. Primarily directed by David Fincher, the series follows FBI agents Holt McCallany and Jonathan Groff as they travel the country in the late 1970s, interviewing serial killers to gain insight into their motivations and help with open investigations. With Anna Torv as a psychology professor, the show also explores the early days of criminal psychology – a new approach to understanding why killers do what they do. While it’s not a typical horror show, Mindhunter is incredibly chilling as it delves into the disturbing thoughts and desires of those who commit terrible acts.

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

Mike Flanagan’s debut Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House, is also his most emotionally devastating work, immediately establishing him as a horror director who cares just as much about feelings as he does about scares. Based on Shirley Jackson’s classic novel, the story centers on the adult Crain siblings, all grappling with a shared, traumatic experience from their childhood at their former home, Hill House. While it’s a ghost story, it’s also a powerful exploration of depression, addiction, and guilt, weaving these themes together to create a uniquely heartbreaking story about mental illness and destructive behavior. You’ll be deeply affected by Nell’s episode, “The Bent-Neck Lady,” which will change the way you think about ghost stories forever.

Don’t F— with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)

The true-crime series Don’t F— with Cats is disturbing for a couple of reasons. First, it focuses on a man who filmed himself abusing and killing cats, which is upsetting enough on its own and makes this show not suitable for all viewers. Secondly, the series is dark because it closely follows the online group who tracked down the perpetrator using even the smallest bits of information, eventually discovering he had also committed a murder. While it’s good that internet sleuths helped bring a criminal to justice, the show also reveals how easily someone can find personal information about you online, making you think twice about what you share.

Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)

Rosa Salazar is a fantastic actress who doesn’t get enough credit, and her series Brand New Cherry Flavor is a particularly hidden gem. She plays Liza Nova, an up-and-coming horror director who moves to 1990s Los Angeles after a producer shows interest in her work. When she rejects his unwanted advances, he steals her film, leading her to seek revenge with the help of a local witch. However, using witchcraft has consequences, and Liza quickly finds herself entangled in the dangerous and unsettling side of LA. The show, reminiscent of David Lynch’s work—even featuring actor Patrick Fischler—is full of disturbing imagery and includes one incredibly memorable sex scene.

Adolescence (2025)

Netflix’s critically acclaimed series, Adolescence, is a unique and powerful show that blends a dramatic storyline with a sharp critique of today’s teen internet culture. The series centers on 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is accused of murder after a classmate—someone he admits bullied him online—is found dead. Each of the show’s three episodes unfolds in a single, unbroken shot, following Jamie’s arrest, police interviews with teachers and students, and the impact of the crime on his family. Adolescence honestly portrays the growing gap between adults and today’s digitally-native youth, highlighting the challenges of cyberbullying and complex social issues that parents and educators often struggle to understand.

2025-11-07 09:27