Summary
Stranger ThingsSeason 5 will mark the end of the Duffer brothers' sci-fi horror adventure, closing out a story that’s been nine years in the making. Fans have ample theories about Season 5, especially as Vecna seems to have narrowly escaped his demise at the hands of Nancy, Steve, and Robin. Eleven also manages to defeat Vecna’s astral form inside the Upside Down, therefore saving Max from sharing the same gnarly fate as her predecessors. Theories forStranger ThingsSeason 5 seem to range from Will Byer’s connection to the Upside Down to the implication that none of the events in this almost decade-long show ever even happened in the first place.
Fans will no doubt be familiar withthe Eddie Munson/Kas theory, which suggests that Eddie will be resurrected as Kas, Vecna’s right-hand man who eventually betrays and defeats him. But the wild presumptions don’t end there. More characters may be connected in theStranger Thingslore than audiences ever thought possible. As the Duffer brothers have proven time and time again, anything is possible when dealing with otherworldly realms and supernatural monsters. Even some of the wildest fan theories have foundations in reality and, theoretically, could come to fruition in Season 5. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most far-fetched of them all.
Theory One: Kali Will Return and Team Up With El
Stranger Thingsfans will remember Kali from Season 2. She was one of the many children experimented on at Hawkins Lab. Like Eleven, she had a nickname: Eight. Ever since escaping Hawkins, Kali vowed revenge on the people responsible, namely Dr. Owens and Papa. In the episode “The Lost Sister,” Eleven tracks Kali down and confronts her past. Kali demonstrates her powers to Eleven, who no longer feels so alone. While “The Lost Sister” didn’t quite make the cut as one of the more memorableStranger Thingsepisodes, Kali’s inclusion could be significant in Season 5.
If Eleven and Vecna are destined for a final showdown, which seemed to be hinted at in the closing moments of Season 4, then Eleven will need help to take him down. One theory dictates thatEleven will enlist the help of Kali to defeat Vecnaonce and for all, which means Linnea Berthelsen’s character will get a chance to shine inStranger Things' final season and redeem herself for a less favorable episode in Season 2.
Theory Two: Henry and Will Are Connected Somehow
Aside from El,Stranger Thingshas always focused heavily on Will Byers, who also shares a unique connection with the Upside Down. There has been a theory floating around that Eleven and Henry Creel are related by blood, such as Henry being El’s biological father. However, another theory shifts away from Eleven to suggest that Will and Henry are the ones with some sort of unspoken bond.
There are a lot of layers to this theory, as Will could be Henry’s blood relative or simply a pawn in his grand scheme. Will could have been Vecna’s puppet all along or there could be a deeper significance to Will’s relation to the Upside Down and why he was targeted in Season 1. The most popular version of this theory suggests that Henry is going to present himself to Will in his human form through a vision and highlight their similarities as two outcast children. After gaining Will’s empathy, Henry will prey on Will’s sensitivity and sense of justice and try to influence him to join his side.
Theory Three: Max Is Trapped Inside Vecna’s Mind
At the end of Season 4, Max barely manages to escape Vecna with her life. In fact, Vecna came extremely close to killing her. After her near-death experience, Max is left blind and paralyzed. The last we see of her, Max is in critical condition in the hospital with multiple broken bones. She isn’t dead, but she isn’t quite alive, either. In order to offer an explanation for Max’s comatose state, one fan theory details howMax is trapped inside Vecna’s mind.
In Season 4, the infamous “Running Up That Hill” scene sees Max fight back against Vecna in the Upside Down and return to her physical body in the real world. Since Max didn’t fully die, the spiritual and physical parts of her body could have separated, leaving her broken-down body effectively nothing but a vessel without a host, while her spirit remains trapped in the Upside Down under Vecna’s rule.
Theory Four: Karen Wheeler Is Connected to the Creels
Mike and Nancy’s mother, Karen Wheeler, doesn’t play a huge part inStranger Things. She mainly shines in Season 3, when she almost has an affair with Billy Hargrove. Among the many fan theories surrounding Vecna and his origins, one of the most profound is his connection to Karen Wheeler, whom a lot of people believe to be his sister, Alice Creel. The theory originated from the Season 4 character posters, many of which were main characters like Eleven, Mike, and Max. Karen Wheeler, despite having a minimal role in Season 4, also received her own poster. In fact, she was the only supporting character to have one.
Additionally, Karen’s poster had Creel House in the background. This sparked discourse online as to Karen’s connection to Vecna as many people suggested she could be Vecna’s supposedly deceased sister, Alice. Another significant detail for eagle-eyed viewers can be found in Karen’s reaction asVecna’s gates rip open Hawkins at the end of Season 4. Karen is suprisingly unfazed, as if she were expecting such an outcome all along.
Theory Five: The Events of Stranger Things Never Happened
Another fan theory gaining some traction is the notion that the events ofStranger Thingsnever even happened. The Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer, Vecna, all of it. In fact,none of the characters who died actually died, either. The theory suggests thatStranger Thingswas nothing more than an elaborateD&Dcampaign created by Will the Wise in Mike Wheeler’s basement. At the end of Season 5, once Vecna is defeated, the scene will cut to Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin playingD&Dand acting out the conclusion to the battle for Hawkins.
While this theory has mixed reactions, it would be a bittersweet ending to know that all the fallen characters are actually alive and well, but it would take away from the impact ofStranger Things' incredible plot. If it all turned out to be fake, it might be a low blow that the series will never recover from.The Duffer brothers have since debunked the theory, but it still proves to be an interesting take on the show’s overall story.
