As Thanksgiving break rolls in, the season we’ve all been waiting for is just around the corner. If you were thinking Christmas, you must be upside down because starting Nov. 26, it’s “Stranger Things” season and you’re going to need to prepare for the last battle of the series. The fifth and final season of the show has been in the works since the ending of Season 4 which came out July of 2022. Producers have confirmed that the new season will be split into three different parts, with the last two dropping around Christmas and New Years eve. But beyond the release schedule, there’s a lot more fans can expect as the story heads into the last chapter. 

Season 5 will have eight episodes, as we have seen that Netflix revealed the episode titles on Nov. 6, also known as “Stranger Things Day”, which is the day that Will Byers went missing back in Season 1. The Duffer Brothers have also confirmed that the final episode will be held in theaters, as it will be around 2 hours long, and are encouraging fans to go see it on the big screen to get the best experience of the sounds and visuals. 

On Netflix’s behind the scenes of Season 5, Noah Schnapp, the actor of Will Byers, comments that this is going to be the best season yet, and if you thought Season 4 was big, just wait until you see Season 5. This is already leading me to believe that the wait was well worth it. These actors have spent nearly half their lives on this series– including Millie Bobby Brown, who began at age 10 and is now almost 20. Because of the cast’s age and the time gap in production, Season 5 will have a time jump that picks up over a year after the events of Season 4. 

Season 4 followed the main group as they dealt with a new powerful entity named Vecna, who was connected to the Upside Down and who some believe to have been a part of the conflict the whole time. The season had a more dark and horror-like tone with the gang being split up into different places; Eleven in California, Hopper in a Russian prison, and the Hawkins crew facing Vecna. While it introduced new fan-favorite characters like Eddie Munson who ended up dying from the Demi-bats in the Upside Down, some viewers found the season too chaotic with multiple plots occurring and certain characters having unnecessary screen time like Argyle the pizza guy. 

Season 5 will introduce new cast members Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler), Jack Connelly (Derek Turnbow), and Alex Breaux (Lieutenant Robert Akers). Fisher’s role as Holly Wheeler will have a new place in the plot this season, being Mike Wheeler’s younger sister. Previous additions Sadie Sink, Brett Gelman, Maya Hawke, Jamie Campbell Bower and Amy Beth McNulty as well as several others will close out the final installment also. Sadie Sinks character, Max Mayfield, was targeted by Vecna at the end of Season 4, and was used as bait in the final plan to defeat him. Vecna succeeded in getting into her mind, breaking all her bones, and blinding her, which technically killed her for a minute until Eleven used her powers to bring her back to life, leaving Max in a comatose state, creating a sense of anticipation for us to wonder what might happen to her. 

There have been an increasing number of theories emerging all over social media, with fans excited to learn more about what the Hawkins crew is going to pursue this time around. Many are thinking that Steve Harrington is going to have this extravagant death to a demigorgon, distressing many viewers online. Others believe Season 5 will revisit Max’s fate, reveal the true origin of the upside down or bring Vecna back in a completely different form. These predictions have grown louder, fueled by cast reviews, leaked set photos and the long wait between seasons. The biggest prediction so far is that since it all started with Will Byers, it’s going to end with him, which I think is the best theory yet. 

My best advice? Be home at 7 p.m. on Wednesday and stay caught up so nothing gets spoiled. We’re in for something darker than we could ever imagine, but as Steve Harrington says, we’ve seen stranger things.