The long awaited fifth season of Stranger Things finally returned to Netflix on November 26, 2025. The last season of the show is split into two volumes and the show’s finale. The first four episodes, Volume 1, are now available to stream and Volume 2, which also includes four episodes, will be released on December 25. The season finale will be released on Netflix and select theaters on December 31.
Fans have been waiting since May, 2022 for this season of Stranger Things. However, the show’s conclusion has been a long time coming since the first season was released in 2016. Fans on social media like to tease about all of the things that happened since Stranger Things started nine years ago. Though the wait was long, members of the cast and the creators, the Duffer brothers, are proud of the show’s ending.
Volume 1 sees the return of many fan favorites including Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Steven Harrington (Joe Keery), Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), and many more. It also introduces two new popular characters: Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) and Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly).
The first four episodes take place in 1987 in the familiar setting of Hawkins, Indiana. So far, a lot of the attention has been focused on Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), who is grappling with his homosexuality and connection with Vecna, the antagonist of the series that lives in the Upside Down. The Upside Down is an alternate dimension where creatures, named after Dungeons and Dragons characters, live. Will, along with others, are eager to thwart Vecna’s plans and finally take him down. This requires them to go on “crawls”, or missions, into the Upside Down to track Vecna and the other creatures. When one crawl doesn’t go as hoped, the team has to adjust their plans.
Full of suspense and action, Volume 1 of Season 5 is leaving viewers highly anticipating the next episodes. Social media influencers are creating theories about what the scenes in Volume 1 can mean for Volume 2 and the finale. In addition to the excitement that’s surrounding the next episodes, fans are also worried about one of their favorite characters dying. The Duffer brothers are known for killing off a few characters each season, which is a source of worry for many fans.
Overall, Stranger Things Season 5 has been a success among viewers. Besides the occasional cringeworthy line, fans feel that it has been well worth the wait. In about one month, the renowned show will come to an end, leaving viewers with a sense of closure after nine years.
