WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Part 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 left pretty much everyone stunned. It seemed to just give us a lot more confusion rather than answers – we still don’t quite know what the Upside Down actually is, what Vecna is doing by taking those kids, and what that weird gross wall’s purpose is. This, of course, leads to a lot of complicated theories about what will happen in Part 2 and 3 of Season 5 (to be released on December 25 and 31, respectively) and how the entire show will wrap up. The creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, have confirmed that while it will bring us back full circle, the ending also won’t be cliche but should make sense for all of the characters.
With only part of the show released, there have been strong reactions from fans. Fans have gone deeper into character dynamics, mysteries and emotional confrontations. Even without the full season being released yet fans feel like this final season is deeper than the rest and more character driven than what the Duffer Brothers have written for the show before.
There is a lot to unpack here. Relationships have drastically changed, mainly with the new development of a friendship between Robin and Will and how she basically guides him into finding his true self. The iconic duo of Steve “The Hair” Harrington and Dustin has unfortunately not lived up to many fans’ expectations this season; they’re arguing all the time instead of joking around, to the disappointment of us all.
One of the shows most talked about parts is the new and improved focus on Will Byers. After years of carrying emotional damage from his time in the Upside Down, fans say season 5 finally lets Will come into his own, especially now that the bowl cut is gone. A fan had a strong reaction to his new development and said “I’ve never been more attracted to Will Byers in my life.”
The fan also pointed out that Will’s scenes with Robin have become a nice add on to the show, as they appreciated the larger focus on LGBTQ+ themes. “I loved all of Robin and Will’s convos,” they said.
This pairing of Robin and Will has also sparked a wave of discussions online, with many fans noting how refreshing and meaningful their conversations feel as the characters navigate the growing tensions in Hawkins.
Some fans, however, took issue with certain character conflicts that unfolded earlier than expected. Another fan shared their frustration over the competitiveness of Steve, stating that “it is actually embarrassing how he’s being competitive with Jonathan.”
This statement reflects ongoing conversations among viewers who question whether particular tensions feel true to the characters or if they signal deeper conflicts that might come out as the season progresses.
Many fans felt similarly to one another, noting that the hesitation to help some members (like Dustin), felt unusual for this group, as they usually drop everything to save each other. One fan expresses their frustration with this; when they were watching the show they thought that “the plan went south and [there was] still nothing from Dustin and [Steve doesn’t] go looking for him?!” Steve and Dustin’s relationship has changed most likely due to Dustin’s depression after Eddie’s death in Season 4, so fans are hoping that it is repaired by the end of the show. One fan theorized that “Dustin and Steve will make up while one of them dies in the other one’s arms,” which would make a horrible ending, but those two characters are two of the most expected ones to die, especially Steve.
People have a lot of different ideas on what will happen in the rest of Season 5. One popular theory is that since Eleven’s “sister” Kali (08) has returned to Hawkins, she, Eleven, and Vecna will team up to defeat the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down. In Season 4, when the Hellfire club is playing D&D with Eddie, they end up rolling a 20 in order to beat Vecna in the game. As we all know, Vecna is number 01, so he could end up turning against the Mind Flayer as it possessed him, so numbers 01 + 08 + 11 = 20, which is the number to defeat the monster. A fan stated that this theory “would make a lot of sense because it all adds up” but that they aren’t sure “how Will and his powers would fit into all of this.”
Even with only a portion of the season being released, fan reactions show that Season 5 is already stirring intense emotions and investment in the narrative. Long established friendships are changing, past story lines are resurfacing, references from the Stranger Things play (Stranger Things: The First Shadow) are coming in , and characters are going into more vulnerable territory. The early episodes suggest this season is not only built on the supernatural but on personal takes as well, which is something that fans have been waiting for as the series approaches its end.
And while viewers don’t yet know how the final battles will play out, one thing is clear from the reactions so far: Hawkins may be preparing for its last fight, but the fans are already bracing for how much more is still to come.
And if you are going to take away anything from this, just remember that Erica told you to “eat your damn pie!”
