Warning: Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 5, Volumes 1 & 2!
Stranger Things has spent nearly a decade building a world of alternate dimensions, and some burning questions need to be answered ahead of its series finale. The show is known for its intricate world-building and unexpected plot twists, such as the Upside Down being a wormhole, allowing details to unfold over time. Now, it’s time to bring it all together.
With only one episode left to wrap up the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down following Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2’s ending, the pressure is on to tie up loose ends and deliver a satisfying conclusion to the series. While Stranger Things has offered plenty of clues along the way, several major mysteries remain unsolved.
Where Is The Mind Flayer?
The Mind Flayer has notably been missing for the past two seasons. It was last seen in Stranger Things season 3 during the battle at Starcourt Mall, where it was badly injured. The creature was never revealed to be dead, though, which means it still could be lurking somewhere.
One possible theory is that the Mind Flayer is Stranger Things‘ true villain, and it’s saving its strength for the upcoming final battle, relying on Vecna for the smaller confrontations in Hawkins. The Mind Flayer lost to Eleven and her friends before. Now that the stakes are higher than ever, it could just be off-screen and preparing. However, any indication of its whereabouts would be nice, especially with only one episode left.
Another creature that’s also been absent is the Demobats, which were a key player in season 4. Vecna often used them to his advantage, particularly to slow down the protagonists from reaching his power source. With the majority of this season taking place in the Upside Down, it’s odd that their present hasn’t been hinted at. We haven’t even heard distant shrieks from them. Could they be with the Mind Flayer?
How Did Vecna Get His Powers?
Henry Creel started Brenner’s entire experimental program, meaning he was the first to show signs of having psychokinetic abilities. There’s no hint that he was infused with anyone else’s blood, which could mean he was born with the abilities. However, that doesn’t seem likely either.
During Henry’s speech to Eleven in season 4, he revealed that he started exhibiting his powers when he was a child living in Hawkins. We now know that he used to live in Nevada, so we are led to believe that he developed his powers after moving. But the question is: how? The answer to this question could possibly explain many storylines that happened throughout the entire series.
Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 2’s 10 Biggest Spoilers & Reveals
Like the first batch of episodes, Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 provides more answers surrounding the characters and lore of the series.
This storyline is explained in the Broadway prequel, which centers on the life of young Henry in 1959 Hawkins. Stranger Things: The First Shadow connects to season 5 of the series, though its on-screen portrayal has yet to play out.
What Was The Deal With Henry’s School Play?
This moment is quick, but it has some surprising revelations. In Volume 1, Max travels through a series of Henry’s memories after she falls into his trance. She stumbles into his time at Hawkins High School, where she picks up a flyer for the school’s production of Oklahoma! directed by Joyce.
Also in this production were Mike’s parents, Hopper, and Eddie’s father. A character named Patty Newby is listed in the cast as well, though she hasn’t appeared in the Netflix series.
This essentially means Joyce and Hopper knew Henry and worked closely with him. It’s unlikely they would have forgotten him all these years later, especially with everything occurring in Hawkins. The kids commonly refer to Vecna as Henry, so the connection would have been easy for them to pick up on.
The events of the school play are covered in the show’s Broadway play, where Patty Newby is also introduced. Several intense moments unfolded while bringing the play to life, especially during the live show. However, it hasn’t been referenced in the series in too much detail, so it may be too late to unpack it in the finale.
Why Is Henry Scared Of The Cave?
While chasing Max throughout his sequence of memories in Volume 1, it was revealed that Henry fears the cave Max has been hiding out in. Instead of following her inside, he opted to avoid the area.
We’ve never seen him look this frightened before, and it must take a lot to shake the powerful ruler of the Upside Down. There doesn’t seem to be any physical threats present inside the cave, especially considering that Max turned it into her refuge for two years. It could be something psychological that’s scaring him, such as a bad memory.
Volume 2 briefly shows that a young Henry had a dangerous encounter with a man in the desert, but the show hasn’t shown the full flashback just yet. What happened in Nevada, and why does it still affect Henry now? Broadway’s The First Shadow reveals the backstory for this moment, but the question needs to be answered on screen.
What Was In The Briefcase?
As Holly and Max were trying to escape Camazotz and return to reality, they stumbled upon a memory of young Henry trying to help a man in a cave. The man’s identity was unknown, but he was dressed in a lab coat and carried an official-looking briefcase that Henry began to open.
Max pulled Holly away just as Henry was opening it, so we never got to see what was in the briefcase that young Henry took. However, there was smoke coming out of it, which hints that there was something powerful inside. It’s clear it carried something important, or there was at least some importance in the interaction.
Cutting away before we could see what was inside seems to be an intentional choice and will likely come into play sometime in the finale. This scene is referenced and explained in the Broadway play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, but the Netflix series may be taking a different direction.
What Is The Significance Of November 6?
November 6 is an important date in the Stranger Things universe. Will was taken to the Upside Down on this date in 1983, first introducing us to the different dimension. Now, Henry is planning his final attack for this date in season 5.
However, the significance of November 6 actually dates back to 1959. The flyer for Joyce’s production of Oklahoma! that Max found in Henry’s memory in Volume 1 reveals that the show took place on that date. The cast featured notable characters like Hopper, as well as Karen and Ted Wheeler. Most notably, though, it featured Henry.
Something important happened on this date throughout the series on three separate occasions, so it’s clear it’s not a coincidence. What’s the deeper meaning? The First Shadow is centered on the events of the 1959 school play, and it’s clear that some important things happened. Could this be what put November 6 on the radar?
Is Ted Wheeler Alive?
Ted Wheeler’s storyline has been pushed to the sidelines. Karen made an appearance in episode 6, showing she’s alive, and, considering she was walking and ready to fight, she’s seemingly on a steady road to recovery. Her injuries were pretty severe, so it’s a miraculous comeback.
We never saw the extent of Ted’s injuries, but he was revealed to also be in critical condition. If his damage was similar to Karen’s, her recovery is a good indication that he’s also on the mend. None of the Wheelers recently inquired about him or even went to visit him, which gives us no clues about what his fate looks like ahead of Stranger Things‘ series finale.
Volumes 1 and 2 of Stranger Things season 5 are now available on Netflix. The series finale will be released on December 31, 2025!
- Release Date
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2016 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
