The 8 Burning Questions Stranger Things Must Settle

With just three episodes, the latest batch of Stranger Things finally gave us a proper explanation of the Upside Down, a mystery that’s been hanging over Hawkins for years. But as is often the case, solving one riddle just opened the door to a heap more. With only 128 minutes left in the series, there’s a fair bit to wrap up, and fans are left wondering if all the loose ends will get tied up. David Harbour, who plays Hopper, promised that the original storylines would be sorted out in a way that feels right, but with so many characters and wild plot twists, that’s a big ask. Here are the eight questions I’m most keen to see answered in the finale.

The Mind Flayer and the Upside Down’s Timeline

First up, where’s the Mind Flayer? Its massive, spidery form was destroyed at the end of the third season, but it’s pretty clear that’s not the last we’ll see of it. Dustin reckons the Abyss is where the demogorgons, demobats, and the Mind Flayer all come from, and Henry’s had his own run-ins with it. Vecna’s hideout in the Abyss even looks like it’s made from the Mind Flayer’s old exoskeleton. When it does show up, hopefully we’ll get a proper explanation of where it’s been while Eleven and the others have been battling Vecna, and whether it’s really the one pulling the strings.

Then there’s the question of why the Upside Down is stuck on 6 November 1983. That’s the day Dr. Brenner forced Eleven into telepathic contact with a demogorgon, but it doesn’t explain why time froze there. Maybe Dustin will have a crack at explaining it, or we’ll need a physicist to step in.

Strange Happenings and Unanswered Mysteries

Another oddity: after Nancy shot the exotic matter in the Upside Down, she and Jonathan passed out and woke up in a room covered in goo. When they tried to leave, the goo had gone solid right at table height, just as they’d finished talking about their relationship and decided to split. It all seemed a bit too convenient. Why did the goo harden at that exact moment?

There’s also the matter of Henry’s fear of the cave where Max has been hiding. We saw a flashback of a young Henry in a Boy Scout uniform stumbling across a wounded bloke with a metal briefcase in a mine shaft. The man, who had a gun, shot Henry in the hand, and Henry responded by killing him with a rock and taking the briefcase. There’s clearly more to this story, and while those who’ve seen the stage show might know a bit more, it’d be good for the series to fill in the gaps for everyone else.

Motives, Plans, and Relationships

Why does Vecna want to merge the Abyss with the real world? So far, it seems like he just wants to wipe out most of humanity. He’s talked about seeing himself, Eleven, and the others as superior, wanting a world without binary control. But he’s still human, and if he’s scared of a cave, it’s hard to imagine he’d want to live in a hellscape.

As for Kali and Hopper, after Hopper ran through the Upside Down with a bomb and Kali tried to convince Eleven to sacrifice themselves to stop Vecna, I’m not sure I trust either of them not to do something drastic. Hopefully, they’ll realise there are other ways to save their mates, but we’ll have to wait and see what they’re really planning.

Finale Stakes and Unspoken Truths

Will’s coming out in episode 7 was a big moment, but he still hasn’t told Mike how he feels.

“Once Will is talking about Tammy and all that and his experience, yeah, it’s Mike – and his friends – all realising and understanding now for the first time, even if Mike has been somewhat oblivious over these years, what his friend is saying,” Ross later explained to People. “He’s clocking what Will felt over the years.”

I’m hoping for a proper chat between the two in the finale.

Finally, who’s not making it out alive? The Duffer Brothers have said they won’t go full Game of Thrones and kill off heaps of main characters, but the way some of the originals keep dodging death is starting to stretch belief. While I’m not keen to see anyone go, it’d be odd if everyone survived just to avoid upsetting the fans.

Both volumes of Stranger Things season 5 are streaming now, with the finale just around the corner. If the Upside Down isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other top shows on Netflix to check out.