After binge-watching the first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5, which dropped on Netflix back on November 26, the fandom has exploded with theories about what’s coming next. For the latest breakdowns and news on the show’s massive return, check out coverage over at Ozscreen, where they’re tracking every twist in this epic final season.
Volume 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger, with Will Byers stepping up in ways no one saw coming and questions lingering about several characters who seemed lost for good. The Duffer Brothers have called this season a mix of Season 1 vibes with the scale of Season 4, and it’s clear they’re paying off long-running threads from as far back as 2016.
Will Byers’ Powers: Stronger Than Eleven?
One of the biggest shocks in Episode 4, “Sorcerer,” came when Will unleashed abilities that let him influence creatures from the Upside Down—taking out a pack of Demogorgons without breaking a sweat. Fans have speculated about this since Season 2, when his connection to the hive mind first showed up, but now it’s confirmed: Will has real powers tied to his time as Vecna’s first victim.
Noah Schnapp’s character has always felt the Upside Down more than anyone else, sensing threats since his rescue in Season 1. In Volume 1, we see him consciously tap into that link, raising questions about whether he could surpass Eleven in raw strength against the hive mind. Some point to flashbacks showing Vecna targeting Will specifically on November 6, 1983—the same date as key events in Vecna’s own past—as proof this was planned all along.
Will Max Mayfield Wake Up—or Return Differently?
Max’s story looked wrapped up tragically at the end of Season 4, with her in a coma after Vecna’s attack. But Volume 1 drops heavy hints she’s not gone. Her mind appears trapped in Vecna’s psychic space, similar to other victims like Holly Wheeler in the new episodes.
Sadie Sink hasn’t been confirmed for major screen time yet, but fan theories suggest Max could break free during Volume 2, especially with the group mounting a direct assault on Vecna’s domain. The Duffers have teased emotional payoffs for the original kids, and Max defying death once already makes her a prime candidate for a comeback that flips the script on Vecna’s curses.
Vecna’s Endgame and the Mind Flayer’s Role
Another hot theory: Vecna isn’t the ultimate big bad. Clues in Volume 1 revisit the Mind Flayer as a larger force, with Vecna possibly serving it—or trying to overthrow it. The massive portal opened in Season 4 is expanding, and military quarantine around Hawkins sets up an all-out war.
Fans note parallels to Dungeons & Dragons campaigns the kids played early on, like the Thessalhydra from Season 1, which could foreshadow a multi-layered final boss. With Volume 2 arriving Christmas Day (episodes titled “Shock Jock,” “Escape from Camazotz,” and “The Bridge”) and the two-hour finale on New Year’s Eve, expect these ideas to get tested soon.
Whatever happens, Season 5 is shaping up to close the loop on mysteries that started with Will’s disappearance nine years ago. The wait for Volume 2 feels endless, but the theories are keeping everyone talking.