The highly anticipated endgame of “Stranger Things” has officially begun with the release of season 5, volume 1, offering fans a substantial mix of plot threads to tie up. One prevalent theme emerging from the initial episodes is time travel, a captivating genre trope that the show has yet to fully explore alongside its myriad of science fiction elements, such as aliens and interstellar travel.
The first signs of a time travel narrative present themselves in “Chapter One: The Crawl,” where Mike Wheeler’s sister, Holly, is seen immersed in Madeleine L’Engle’s classic time travel novel, “A Wrinkle in Time,” which introduces the “Time Quintet” series. The second episode, “Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler,” references the quintessential time travel film “Back to the Future,” highlighting the iconic flux capacitor devised by Doc Brown. Moving on to “Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap,” the series delves further into theoretical time travel with discussions about wormholes, setting the stage for a compelling storyline.
The looming villain of the series, Vecna, has shown intriguing connections to time themes as well, drawing parallels with “A Wrinkle in Time.” This is illustrated when Holly compares Vecna’s mind to the corrupted planet Camazotz in “Chapter Four: The Wizard.”
As season 5 progresses, it remains uncertain how the plot will leverage these time travel hints. However, the possibilities are endless. There could be a “Back to the Future Part II”-style revisit to iconic moments from earlier seasons, where characters like Nancy Wheeler might face pivotal events, such as Barb Holland’s heartbreaking demise, while others like Joyce Byers could confront the trauma of Bob Newby’s death again.
Moreover, the intriguing notion of resurrecting beloved characters via time travel poses an exciting prospect. Fans might see the return of Eddie Munson, whose powerful guitar performance in season 4 left an indelible mark, or the tragic yet compelling character of Billy Hargrove, enhancing the emotional stakes of the final season.
In season 5, Eddie Munson’s legacy continues to shine through Dustin Henderson, who grapples with the loss of his idol. With endless time travel references peppered throughout the episodes, viewers can only speculate on the future journeys the characters might embark on and which familiar faces may reappear.
“Stranger Things” season 5, volume 1 is currently available for streaming on Netflix, promising an exhilarating continuation of this beloved series as it races toward its conclusion. Fans can stay updated with the latest news by signing up for newsletters or following preferred sources on Google.