In Season 5, Episode 2, Robin also asks Will if he did a mandala in Mrs. Harris's class in fifth grade, meaning they've all had her as a teacher. There has to be a reason later on in the season where this comes in handy, especially because Holly agrees that Mr. Whatsit, aka Vecna, can't do it.

Breaking down the shocking finale of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1, including who lives, who dies, and what it all means.

The Netflix show's creators Matt and Ross Duffer recently talked to Variety about their decision to not kill off any big characters so early on in the final season. As they explained, they're working with 'high points' (wins) and 'low points' (losses) for the protagonists, and the end of Volume 1 already had one of each.

Breaking Down the Ending of Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 1

After three years of waiting, Stranger Things 5 dropped its first volume on Netflix, unleashing another thrilling sci-fi horror adventure that has taken the world by storm. So far, the show’s fifth season has depicted the heroes of Hawkins as they search for Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) in the Upside Down while eluding the U.S. military.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 does not wake Max. But her condition still matters a lot. Her coma keeps everyone’s emotions strong. The group fights harder because they hope she can return. The ending shows that her future is still unknown. Her fate is one of the biggest questions for Volume 2.

The first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 release Wednesday, November 26 just as everyone gets off of work – and out of school – for the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s the perfect holiday watch party event, and Netflix is keeping that philosophy alive with the release of Volume 2 on Christmas Day and the series finale on New Year’s Eve.

The creators of Stranger Things cast their very own high school drama teacher in season 5 — and the story behind the decision is quite special. Co-creator Ross Duffer shared on Instagram November 28,

In Hawkins, monsters may take kids, but nothing survives an ’80s power ballad. Four episodes into Stranger Things Season 5, and Volume 1 is already blasting nostalgia.

3 years and 4 months of waiting is officially over, the fifth season of Stranger Things is now available to stream on Netflix! What a return it was, with an incredible climax to Volume 1 that makes the months-long wait for Volume 2 feel unbearable. Here’s our ending explained to Volume 1 and what we can expect to see in Volume 2 in December 2025.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses major spoilers from Stranger Things Season 5’s first four episodes. Stream them with your Netflix subscription if you need to catch up.