Stranger Things is gearing up for its final season, and the first five minutes of Season 5 have teased what’s to come. Unveiled during the Los Angeles premiere on November 6, 2023, these initial moments address one of the longstanding mysteries of the series: the mysterious fate of Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) after his disappearance into the Upside Down.
In an intriguing flashback to November 12, 1983, the audience sees a 12-year-old Will trying to escape from the menacing Vecna after hiding out in Castle Byers for nearly a week. Armed with a shotgun, Will puts up a fight against the searching Demogorgon but ultimately loses his advantage after falling from a tree, a turn of events that allows the creature to seize him.
Noah Schnapp expressed his excitement about this revealing sequence, stating that it provided him with clarity about Will’s experiences in the Upside Down. “I finally know what happened,” he remarked, sharing how the details of his character’s journey were largely unknown to him until they reviewed the scripts together.
Interestingly, Schnapp had anticipated a different portrayal of Will’s ordeal, initially envisioning him hiding passively rather than actively fighting for his survival. The scene indicates that Will displays more strength and resilience than previously assumed, paving the way for a compelling season.
The opening sequence also reintroduces elements from Season 1, including Will’s nostalgic muttering of The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go,” a song that holds sentimental value tied to his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). It also shows the Demogorgon dragging him to a pivotal location – the Hawkins Library, where he would later be found by his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Police Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour).
As ominous as it is thrilling, Vecna’s introduction in this scene promises significant developments ahead. The creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, highlighted that Season 5 aims to resolve lingering questions surrounding Will’s abduction and survival, reaffirming their intention to tie the narrative threads from the entire series together.
Set to premiere on November 26, the final season will roll out its first four episodes, followed by three additional episodes on December 25, culminating in the series finale on New Year’s Eve. Fans can rest assured that more puzzles will be unraveled in the episodes to come, contributing to a satisfying conclusion to the beloved series.