5 Biggest Reveals In The Stranger Things Season 5 Trailer

It might look like there's no end in sight through the eyes of Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), but the brand new trailer for "Stranger Things" screams "grand finale," albeit with a bit of help from Queen's "Who Wants To Live Forever." The latest preview sees Hawkins' heroes, still broken from their previous bout with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), going one more round with the telepathic terror, who might have done the unthinkable and turned one of Eleven's own friends against her.

But while the '80s sounds have our eyebrows raised, it's the sights of the pulse-pounding preview that will be blowing fans' minds, giving us an even bigger, eye-watering glimpse into what dimension-tearing destruction is coming our way. Amid the chaos and copious amounts of tears, there's a lot to pick apart that has us fearful for some characters regarding where they are and what potentially bleak future may await them. As a result, we've gone frame by eerily gloomy frame to see what reveals have been given away and we have some bold guesses for what's coming. So roll the dice, turn on the Christmas lights, and see what you might've missed for the final season of "Stranger Things."

Following the events of "Stranger Things" season 4, it's understandable that we're going to be reunited with the heroes of Hawkins while they're still licking their wounds from their last encounter with Vecna, which left one of their own in the hospital and the other in the ground. The loss of scene-stealing hero Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) is clearly still felt by his good pal, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), who looks to be switching to full high-school rebel and doesn't care about what others might think of him. Riding to school alone and receiving some stern glances in the hallways while wearing a Hellfire Club tee and a jacket that "The Breakfast Club" character Bender would likely appreciate, it's clear that the group's light-hearted joker isn't laughing anymore, and he may have drifted away from the group as a result.

While we only get a glimpse of the gang all together later in the trailer, I wonder if a rift may have formed, causing Dustin to turn his back on the group, who aren't as upset about Eddie's loss as he is. Luckily, it seems that a few kind words from Steve (Joe Keery) might be enough to mend things, and it couldn't come a moment too soon, as Dustin looks to be sporting a black eye and a busted lip when the two hug it out. Could his defending of Eddie have gotten him in trouble with some Hawkins High School bullies? That might explain why we see him in tears in what will probably be one of the billion times we see the cast get emotional. And you know what? We probably will, too.

Last season gave us very little time together with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her surrogate father and former Hawkins Chief of Police, Jim Hopper (David Harbour). That's what you get when one of them is trapped in an underground bunker while the other is thought to be dead but is really in Russia, slicing up Demogorgons with Conan's sword. It's a good thing, then, that the new trailer confirms we're going to get a lot of father-daughter time in the final season of "Stranger Things." The only concern will be how much time that subplot takes up — and, more importantly, whether it ends with one of the show's biggest gut punches.

A hefty chunk of the new trailer shows Hopper and Eleven sneaking into a fenced-off facility, presumably managed by Dr. Kay (played by new addition to the show and "Terminator" franchise legend Linda Hamilton). Besides El going full Jean Grey and floating over fences, one shot in the trailer also shows Vecna's number one rival seemingly taking her powers to the limit while Hopper has her back. Could this be hinting at the two heading into what could be a do-or-die mission – one that might see only one of them survive? We hate to say it, but we predict the casualty list for the show's last stretch will be shocking, and nothing could leave the audience's jaws dropping more than seeing Hopper go down in a "Logan"-level farewell. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Back in the day, we were introduced to these world-saving youngsters during a game of Dungeons and Dragons in Mike Wheeler's basement. Now, if our theories are correct, they're going to be running their real-life campaign from their very own secret hideout. At the 30-second mark in the trailer, we see Robin (Maya Hawke), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and Steve pushing back a fake wall to reveal a hidden corridor in an unknown location. Pair that with a scene at the 38-second mark that has Mike rallying the troops together around a table with walls covered in sketches and maps, and it seems that while our heroes might be down for the count, they're not out of the fight yet.

It's nothing new for these characters to be working in secret to thwart the efforts of the monster formerly known as Henry Creel, but it's impressive and a testament to how far they've come in the final season that they seemingly now have their own Batcave. Setting their impressive new digs aside, it's also worth noting who's around the table at the time of Mike's big speech. While Dustin might be shown going it alone at the start of the trailer, it's good to see that he's with the gang here. One person who is still noticeably absent, however, is Max (Sadie Sink), who might still be out of action for the first volume of episodes. The second batch of the season drops on Christmas Day, and for Max, what better Christmas present could there be than waking up from a coma?

After Nancy fought on a level akin to the likes of Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor in last season's explosive closing episodes, it's fitting that one of the actors behind these staples of science fiction is actually going to be making an appearance in the final season of "Stranger Things." Linda Hamilton will indeed be playing the new show's big bad, Dr. Kay, who we predict will think she has a handle on things from the Upside Down until she absolutely doesn't. This will most likely lead to what looks like a flurry of demogorgons storming the military base and beyond in the trailer, and Nancy being locked and loaded, ready to take some of them out. What's worth noting, however, is that Mike's big sis and the big boss of the new top-secret operation appear to be in close proximity to one another, which could lead to a heated confrontation between the two.

For a show that has pulled in legends of '80s pop culture, including Winona Ryder, Sean Astin, and Robert Englund, Linda Hamilton is a great addition and could tee up a brilliant meta moment for the show in its final push. For the past two seasons, Nancy has proven herself as a locked and loaded character who isn't scared to go it alone when necessary. What better way to test her mettle than to have her go up against the woman who portrayed the mother of the human resistance, Sarah Connor? Let battle commence.

The biggest takeaway from this undeniably epic trailer is in its final moments. As hinted at in the closing of last season, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) still had a sense that Vecna was out there, and it looks like his suspicions get confirmed in the worst way possible. Surrounded by destruction and a lot of dead bodies, Will gets raised off his feet by El's old adversary and told that he's going to help Vecna (whether he likes it or not) "one last time."

While it's only a glimpse into what feels like a pivotal encounter in the show's final chapter, this moment certainly feels like it belongs to a cliffhanger scene, potentially in the first volume of episodes arriving next month. If that is the case, just how corrupted could Will be when we return for the second volume on Christmas Day? Could we see him fully taken over and puppeteered by Vecna, secretly allowing the villain to infiltrate El's team, which is doing its very best to stop him? If so, it might put Will at risk of being one of the few original characters who might not make it out alive. Let's face it: We know some people aren't going to survive this final battle, and even though Will has been through a lot, he's definitely still a candidate to be a casualty. We'll have to see how things pan out when "Stranger Things" season 5 Vol. 1 arrives on Netflix on November 26, 2025.