What happened last on ‘Stranger Things’? Everything you need to know before Season 5

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It’s been a while since new episodes of “Stranger Things” were released – the last ones came out in 2022. Since then, production on the final season was put on hold due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes. While fans waited, the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, created a stage play based on the series, which first appeared in London and then moved to Broadway. And Millie Bobby Brown, who was just 12 years old when the show began, has since gotten married and had a baby.

It’s been a while since seasons four and five, so many viewers might not remember all the details of what happened before – unless they’ve been rewatching closely and taking notes! Even things that seemed important earlier on might be hard to recall, a bit like Eleven struggling to remember events in the rainbow room.

Let’s refresh our memories together.

Set mainly in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, “Stranger Things” centers on a group of kids and a few adults who face terrifying supernatural threats. High schoolers Will, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Max team up with older teens Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Robin, along with Eleven, a girl with powerful psychic abilities, to defend their town from a dangerous alternate reality called the Upside Down. This creepy dimension is filled with monsters, strange storms, and a mysterious, otherworldly power. They’re also aided by Joyce Byers, Will and Jonathan’s mother, police chief Jim Hopper, and other key characters in their fight.

Get ready for the final season! Here’s a quick reminder of what’s happened so far, where we left off with the story, and everything else you need to know before it arrives. The fifth and final season will be released in three parts: Volume 1 on November 26th, Volume 2 on Christmas Day, and the series finale on New Year’s Eve.

Where we left off

Season 4 of “Stranger Things” concludes in a dark place, literally.

In Season 4, the villain Vecna was trying to kill four people, which would create four openings to the Upside Down. He managed to do this, even though one of his victims, Max, briefly came back to life. These openings all met in the middle of Hawkins, causing a huge explosion at the Hawkins Public Library. While the authorities called it an earthquake, the group quickly realized what was really happening: the Upside Down and the real world were starting to combine.

As the season ends, dark clouds gather and particles from the Upside Down fill the air. Earlier, Vecna took control of Nancy, showing her a horrifying glimpse of Hawkins being destroyed and the four gateways to the Upside Down opening. These events are all part of his plan to wipe out humankind.

The season concludes with the heartwarming return of Hopper, who was imprisoned in Russia. Joyce and her friend Murray Bauman, a private investigator, bravely rescue him and bring him home. This reunion between Hopper and Eleven, who share a close father-daughter relationship, is a highlight in an otherwise intense and gloomy season.

Awards

I recently sat down with David Harbour, and let me tell you, it was a fascinating conversation. We talked a lot about his character, Hopper, and how dramatically he’s changed throughout ‘Stranger Things.’ But it wasn’t just about the show; Harbour was incredibly open about his own personal struggles with mental health and, surprisingly, drew some interesting connections between Hopper’s journey and his role in ‘Black Widow.’ It was a really insightful look at both his craft and his life.

Despite finally achieving his plan, Vecna was left vulnerable. While he was attacking Max, who was in a dream-like state, Nancy, Robin, and Steve managed to set his body on fire. Nancy bravely continued to shoot at him until he fell from the second floor of his hideout. Though it initially appeared they had defeated him, his body vanished before they could reach the ground, and Will sensed that Vecna was still somehow alive.

Characters who died in Season 4

Max Mayfield (sort of)

Throughout Season 4, Vecna targeted Max, and despite Max listening to Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” on repeat, she couldn’t escape him. Vecna fatally injured Max, but Eleven managed to bring her back to life using her powers. The season ends with Max hospitalized in a coma with multiple broken bones, and her friends are shown worriedly at her side.

Although Max survived, the period where she appeared to be gone was all Vecna needed to achieve his plan. Since Season 4 ended, fans have been discussing whether Max’s mind is stuck inside Vecna’s illusions, or if she’ll wake up with abilities to monitor Vecna. However, Sadie Sink, the actress who plays Max, is still credited in Season 5, and a quick shot in the trailer shows Lucas carrying her, while a Demogorgon approaches – suggesting she’s still part of the story.

Television

With her role as Max Mayfield sparking renewed interest in Kate Bush’s music, The Times interviewed Sadie Sink about the difficulties and emotional depth of her character’s storyline in the fourth season of the show.

Billy Hargrove, Max’s stepbrother, died at the end of Season 3, and his death deeply affected Max. The guilt and sadness she felt made her vulnerable, ultimately leading Vecna to target her.

Eddie Munson

Okay, so I was devastated when Eddie Munson, played by Joseph Quinn, went down in the Season 4 finale. But honestly, he went out like a total legend. He and Dustin were down in the Upside Down, trying to help with the plan to take down Vecna, and Eddie just started ripping a guitar solo – Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” no less! It was amazing, distracting all those Demobats guarding Vecna’s hideout. Dustin even called it the “most metal ever,” which, let’s be real, it totally was. Sadly, even an epic guitar solo couldn’t save them from those creepy creatures.

Once Dustin returns through the gate, Eddie bravely stays behind to fight off the bats, giving his friends valuable time to escape. He’s ultimately overwhelmed by the creatures and dies protecting them, passing away in Dustin’s arms.

I have to say, Eddie Munson really burst onto the scene as a friend to Mike, Lucas, and Dustin through their mutual obsession with Dungeons & Dragons. They even formed the Hellfire Club, a dedicated group for playing the game. Seeing Dustin sporting a Hellfire Club shirt in the new trailer? It’s clear Eddie’s death is going to hit him hard and be a major emotional thread in the upcoming season.

Television

Joseph Quinn, the actor, is anticipating many people dressing up as his character, Eddie Munson, for Halloween. He recently shared with The Times how strange it’s been to experience the massive success of the Netflix show he was in.

Dr. Martin Brenner

Dr. Brenner, known as “papa” to the children he experimented on, was shot and killed by soldiers when they raided his lab. The military thought Eleven was responsible for the unusual events and killings happening in Hawkins.

Brenner, played by Matthew Modine, was heavily involved in MKUltra, a secret CIA program that experimented with mind control and interrogation techniques using drugs. He took in a young Henry Creel – who would later become 001/Vecna – after realizing Henry had the power to move things with his mind. Brenner then attempted to give those same abilities to other children, including Eleven.

As he was dying, Brenner told Eleven he loved her and always intended to help and keep her safe, even though he had hurt her deeply, both mentally and physically.

Other important things to remember

Will’s connection to the Upside Down

Ever since Will was stuck in the Upside Down during the first season, he’s remained connected to that dark dimension. In the second season, the Mind Flayer takes control of him, causing him to feel pain whenever something is damaged or hurt in the Upside Down. Because he’s linked to the dimension’s central consciousness, he can sense when Vecna is nearby, often feeling it as a strange sensation at the back of his neck.

Eleven’s ‘sister’

In Season 4, we learn that Henry/001 killed all the children he grew up with at Hawkins Lab, except for one. Kali, also known as Eight, managed to escape before the attack. She briefly appeared in Season 2 when Eleven ran away and joined Kali’s group of outcasts to help her get revenge on those who had worked at the lab.

Although Kali wasn’t featured in seasons three and four, she’s one of the few characters – along with Eleven and her brother, Henry/Vecna – who possesses significant psychic powers.

‘The First Shadow’

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is a play that tells the story of Henry’s past – how he became 001 and eventually Vecna. While it can be enjoyed on its own, the creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, worked with writer Kate Trefry to ensure the play’s story officially fits into the established “Stranger Things” world.

Some viewers have noticed differences between the stage play and the TV series that suggest Vecna might not be the one truly in charge. Instead, the Mind Flayer could be controlling him, or perhaps even changed who he was when he was human.

Fans revisiting earlier seasons to support this idea note that Dustin, who often correctly predicts things about the Upside Down, made a similar comparison in Season 4. He explained that if the Demogorgon was a minor threat, Vecna is a much more powerful one, like a key commander.

Review

Netflix and ‘Stranger Things’ take on Broadway. Enter at your own peril

A new play, ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow,’ which tells a story leading up to the popular Netflix series, has opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre. This marks the first time Netflix has directly branded a Broadway production.

What we know is coming next

In early November, Netflix shared the first five minutes of the new season, revealing a flashback to when Will was stuck in the Upside Down. The scene shows a Demogorgon carrying an unconscious Will to Vecna’s hideout, where Vecna chillingly states they can finally start their plan. He then says to Will, “You and I are going to do such beautiful things together, William.”

We’re likely heading towards a major confrontation between the heroes and Vecna, and we might also learn more about why Will was the initial target.

Hollywood Inc.

“Stranger Things” finale will be coming to select theaters on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Is this the end of ‘Stranger Things’?

Yes, more “Stranger Things” stories are on the way! Netflix has announced an animated spinoff called “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85.” This series will take place between seasons 2 and 3, and will include the characters fans already know. It was created by the Duffer Brothers and showrunner Eric Robles, though a release date hasn’t been announced yet.

So, the creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, have hinted at something new in a recent Variety interview. They’re working on a spin-off series, and it sounds like they’re really starting fresh with entirely new characters – a complete clean slate, as they put it. It’s exciting to think about what they’ll come up with next!

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2025-11-20 14:38