Drop everything you’re doing right now – unless you happen to be holding a baby, nitroglycerin or a giant dish of cream pies – because the latest action-packed look at
Stranger Things Season 5 has arrived, and it is clear that TV schedule 2025 will end with lots of dead bodies in and around Hawkins, Indiana. We just have to keep the faith that none of our core heroes will be among the fallen. (Okay, No is probably too big a jump in this case, though The finale is meant to make fans sob.)
Have you seen the trailer above yet? You absolutely need to, because everything described below will probably sound like a stream-of-consciousness mess. With that being said, let’s break this campaign down for what might be the biggest upcoming horror tv show to ever exist, with one of the most exciting highlights being the final not-quite showdown between Vecna and Will Byers.
The song selection; Queen’s “Who Wants To Live Forever?”
Nothing makes hunting down monsters and saving your friends more dramatic than an orchestrated remix of a Queen song. Freddie Mercury’s piercing vocals would bring light even to a place like the Upside Down. The track was released in 1986, which isn’t exactly the most current song from this timeline, but the lyrics are arguably too meaningful for the Duffer brothers to have gone over.
Hawkins is surrounded, which just makes for a bigger body count
The trailer makes it clear that there is a government-enforced border around Hawkins, which we all know will do nothing to stop anything from getting in or out. Vecna cares about a barricade, which is very clear in the last quarter of the trailer. The monstrous villain apparently goes on a homicidal rampage inside one of the military outposts, littering the grounds with uniformed corpses.
The essential D&D reference
While Dungeons & Dragons has been a source of comfort and familiarity for the younger characters, Eleven makes it clear to Mike that this final battle goes far beyond the safety of dice rolls and tales created by Dungeon Masters.
This is not like one of your campaigns. You must not write the ending. Not this time.
I bet Mike still finds a way to affect the ending as if he wrote it.
Dustin and Steve’s tearful hug
God, the emotions on Gaten Matarazzo’s face when he and Steve hug each other so tightly. It’s clear that something terrible is happening, but the stress on his face makes it seem like they just found out that Joe Quinn’s Eddie Munson was still aliveand then had to watch him die all over again. I doubt that is the case, granted what the Duffers have said about Eddie’s fatebut still.
Powers of the student
Since this is the final season, it’s finally time for fans to see Eleven gain full control of her powers, which co-creators have compared to Star Warsthe presence of power. It appears earlier at any time Millie Bobby BrownThe character takes a running leap that looks much more like limited flight than long jump. And later she sends out a power blast that looks like it could take out an entire city. I suspect the way the footage is edited together in those few seconds won’t reflect the final product, but I hope all the colorful energy we see in the film comes from Eleven.
Oh, Lucas
Oddly enough for a final season trailer, we don’t actually see many of the main characters face obvious dangers, even though we as fans know they’re there. One of the core images seen here that applies though is Lucas lying on his back looking nervous as hell as one of the Upside Downs beasts approaches. I actually don’t suspect anything too deadly will happen here, but I wonder why he’s all by himself down there.
Nancy is in beast mode
How bad would it be if one of Stranger Things‘ spinoffs is dedicated to Natalia Dyer’s Nancy Wheeler as an action hero who rides around the country, kicks bad guys’ ass, takes names and chews gum? She already looked like a total boss with a flamethrower in a previous trailer, and now she looks clearly influenced by co-star Linda Hamilton’s iconic character Sarah Connor.
What will Vecna do for want?
The trailer starts with the wind-covered monsters rasping seriously and ends the same way. Only this time we see that Vecna somehow captured Noah Schnapp’s will and seems to be free to do whatever he wants with the dude, saying:
William, you’re going to help me. A. Last. Time.
Like Will has been doing chores around Vecna’s house all summer or something. I don’t know if you can call it “help” when you force someone to do it, you bloody bastard. I can’t tell if I’m more excited or disturbed by the fact that we’re five seasons into this show and I’m not 100% sure how Vecna will use Will at all, and how risky it all is physically and/or mentally for the teenager. Obviously that’s no good or WIll wouldn’t be forced there against his…will.
Will Vecna’s final move be what finally tears the Byers family apart, or will Eleven & Co. to make all the right moves in time to save Will, Hawkins and the rest of the world from the Demogorgon demolished chaos? So many questions, so many hours until we get any of them answered.
Stranger Things Season 5 kicks off its first chapter starting Thursday, November 26, with the second and third drops on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
