After years of fan theories and unanswered questions, the highly anticipated final season of Stranger Things is taking viewers back to where the supernatural saga began. Netflix has released the first five minutes of Season 5, offering chilling revelations about the night Will Byers disappeared in 1983.
The Return to 1983: Will's Terrifying Ordeal
The opening sequence titled The Crawl transports audiences directly to November 12, 1983, just six days after Will's mysterious vanishing. Rather than continuing from Season 4's cliffhanger, the story rewinds to show a de-aged Will Byers hiding in Castle Byers within the Upside Down.
In a haunting scene, the terrified young boy softly sings Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash, transforming what was once a symbol of brotherly comfort into a survival mantra. As the Demogorgon prowls nearby, Will demonstrates unexpected courage and resourcefulness, fighting back with steady aim and quick movements through the decaying forest.
Despite his valiant efforts, Will is eventually overpowered and dragged toward a lair pulsating with red lightning. This moment marks the first time viewers witness the true circumstances behind his disappearance and meet his actual captor.
Vecna's Master Plan Revealed
From the shadows emerges Vecna, the twisted architect of the Upside Down's horrors. In a chilling confrontation, Vecna approaches the terrified boy, using vines to restrain him while pressing a tendril to Will's mouth.
With sinister calmness, Vecna injects a substance into Will's body while murmuring, At long last, we can begin. You and I, we are going to do such beautiful things together, William. Such beautiful things.
This disturbing act provides crucial answers to long-standing fan questions about why Will was taken instead of killed. The injection appears to create a biological or psychic connection to the Upside Down, explaining the tendril found down his throat during his Season 1 rescue.
The scene also reveals that the Demogorgon operates under Vecna's intelligent command rather than primal instinct, as the creature bows to its master after delivering Will to the lair.
Connecting Past Mysteries
The Duffer Brothers have confirmed that Season 5 will answer fundamental questions established since the series began. Ross Duffer specifically advised fans to revisit Season 2, Episode 6: The Spy to understand the significance of these revelations.
In that episode, Will experiences physical pain when Upside Down tendrils are burned and confesses He made me do it, indicating he was acting as a conduit for the Mind Flayer. The new footage suggests the tendril Vecna forces into Will in 1983 establishes the origin of this psychic bond.
Matt Duffer emphasized that the final season was built around coming full circle and answering questions posed back in Season 1, particularly regarding the true nature of the Upside Down and the reason behind Will's abduction.
Will Byers: From Victim to Survivor
The new footage dramatically reshapes perception of Will Byers' character. Rather than portraying him as the group's weakest member, these opening minutes showcase a young boy demonstrating remarkable grit, resourcefulness, and courage that rivals any Hawkins hero.
His accurate aim, quick thinking, and determination during the Demogorgon confrontation reveal that he's no longer just a victim but central to the story's conclusion. Noah Schnapp's de-aged performance perfectly balances the innocence of 1983 Will with the trauma that defines his older self.
Final Season Release Details
Netflix will release Stranger Things Season 5 in three distinct parts, marking the series' first phased rollout:
- Part 1 (Episodes 1-4) premieres on November 26, 2025
- Part 2 (Episodes 5-7) arrives on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025
- The series finale (Episode 8) debuts on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025, simultaneously on Netflix and in over 350 cinemas worldwide
The final chapter is set in autumn 1987, coinciding with the anniversary of Will's disappearance. Hawkins remains scarred by the Rifts that tore through the town, with the government imposing military quarantine and surveillance cameras monitoring every street.
According to the official synopsis, our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. However, the villain has vanished, his whereabouts and plans unknown. As familiar dread returns to Hawkins, the final battle promises to confront a darkness more powerful and deadly than anything the characters have faced before.
Series co-creator Matt Duffer highlighted the heightened stakes, noting that nothing in Hawkins is normal anymore with restricted movement and Big Brother-style surveillance everywhere. Ross Duffer added that several major revelations were deliberately saved for this final season, promising answers that will fundamentally affect the story's conclusion.
