Netflix has announced that the fifth and final season of Stranger Things will debut in 2025. And in celebration of Stranger Things Day on November 6th, which marks the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance into the Upside Down, the streaming giant has unveiled a video revealing the final season’s ultra-intriguing episode titles! Watch the video above and get more details on the final chapter below…
Final Episode Titles Unveiled
The last eight episodes of Stranger Things each have titles that hint at the direction of the series finale:
- The Crawl
- The Vanishing of…
- The Turnbow Trap
- Sorcerer
- Shock Jock
- Escape From Camazotz
- The Bridge
- The Rightside Up
The titles come with references to past storylines, beginning with The Vanishing of…, a callback to the series’ first episode, The Vanishing of Will Byers. Fans have speculated that this could foreshadow another character’s disappearance, potentially involving Mike’s sister Holly Wheeler, with actress Nell Fisher rumoured to play a recast version of the character.
The final episode, The Rightside Up, offers a fitting contrast to Season 1’s The Upside Down, suggesting a happy ending (?) and possible resolution to the show’s central supernatural threat. Additionally, The Bridge, the penultimate episode, brings to mind titles like The Gate and The Piggyback from previous seasons, indicating a crucial moment in the journey back to normalcy in Hawkins.
New Mysteries and Intriguing References
Some of the titles introduce new and mysterious concepts to the Stranger Things universe. The Turnbow Trap likely references Turnbow Land Development & Realty, a Hawkins business hinted at in an Instagram post by series co-creator Ross Duffer, who shared an Upside Down-themed billboard for the company. Shock Jock may be a nod to WSQK, a radio station that also appeared in Duffer’s social media posts.
Another fascinating title, Escape From Camazotz, appears to reference the fictional planet from Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, known for its ominous atmosphere and control by dark forces. Exactly how this plays into the storyline remains to be seen, but it hints at potentially new dimensions or antagonists within the Stranger Things mythos.
Script Tease Hints at a Chilling Opening
In addition to the episode titles, fans were given a preview of the opening lines from Season 5, Chapter 1. The brief script segment, shared by the Stranger Things writers on social media, reads:
DARKNESS
The sound of COLD WIND. GROANING TREES. And…
A CHILD’S VOICE. Singing a familiar song:
This ominous start sets an eerie tone, bringing fans right back into the unsettling world of Hawkins. Who is this child? What song is playing?
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— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) November 7, 2023
Returning and New Cast Members
Season 5 will bring back the show’s core ensemble, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, David Harbour, and Winona Ryder, as they reunite for the final chapter. In addition, the new season introduces several fresh faces. Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, and Alex Breaux join the cast, with Terminator star Linda Hamilton also making an appearance. Hamilton expressed her enthusiasm for the series during Netflix’s Tudum event, though her character’s role remains a mystery.
Fall 1987 Setting and Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses
The newly released video confirms that Season 5 is set in the autumn of 1987, placing it four years after the events of the first season. Netflix also shared a series of behind-the-scenes photos featuring a number of beloved cast members, giving fans a sneak peek at the familiar faces returning in the concluding chapter.
