Stranger Things Season 5 is almost here: everything you need to know before Hawkins’ final battle

WEB DESK: The countdown is almost over. Stranger Things Season 5, the series finale, drops on November 26 (Wednesday), and the fate of Hawkins, and the world, hangs in the balance. It’s been over three years since Season 4 ended, and nearly a decade since the first season introduced us to Eleven, the Upside Down, and a group of kids whose Dungeons & Dragons adventures were only the beginning of something far darker. If you need a refresher, here’s everything you need to remember before diving into the final season.

The saga began in 1983, when a secretive Hawkins lab accidentally opened a portal to the Upside Down, unleashing horrors on the unsuspecting town. Will Byers was the first to be abducted, while a mysterious girl named Eleven emerged with powers capable of confronting the otherworldly threats. Seasons 1 through 3 saw the kids battle the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer, make friends and enemies, and navigate pre-teen romance. But even as they grew, the Upside Down’s menace never truly disappeared, it was biding its time.

Season 4 introduced Vecna, the show’s most terrifying villain yet. A series of gruesome murders revealed that he could manipulate the real world from the Upside Down. Hawkins’ teenagers, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Steve, Nancy, Robin, and newcomer Eddie Munson, uncovered Vecna’s connection to a 1950s murder spree by Victor Creel (played by horror legend Robert Englund). Max, in particular, became Vecna’s target, experiencing terrifying premonitions before her friends saved her with the power of music, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill became her lifeline.

Meanwhile, Eleven grappled with lost powers in California. Under the guidance of Dr. Sam Owens, and reluctantly assisted by her former tormentor Dr. Brenner, she revisited memories of the Hawkins lab and began regaining her abilities. With the help of Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyle, Eleven escaped a U.S. military operation and reunited with her friends.

Joyce Byers and Murray Bauman travelled to Russia to rescue Hopper, presumed dead but held in a prison camp. Using ingenuity, fire, and brute force, they freed him, only to encounter further creatures from the Upside Down on their way home. Back in Hawkins, the town’s group coordinated attacks on Vecna, discovering how his murders opened portals to the Upside Down. A climactic showdown saw Eddie sacrifice himself to protect the others, while Max fell into a coma, setting the stage for Vecna to bring the Upside Down fully into Hawkins.

As Season 5 begins, the stakes have never been higher. The heroes are reunited, but the Upside Down is now fully unleashed, Eleven’s powers are stronger than ever, and Max’s life hangs in the balance. Vecna’s plan is nearly complete, and Hawkins faces a nightmare the town has never seen.

November 26 promises a finale filled with suspense, heroism, and emotional payoffs. Every ally, every secret, and every unresolved thread from the past five seasons will collide. For fans, this is the moment to witness the ultimate battle between light and darkness, and to finally see who survives the horrors of the Upside Down.