The first part of Stranger Things Season 5 has arrived, but the story isn’t finished yet. The initial episodes ended with a huge, action-packed battle – the largest the show has ever seen – as Vecna attacked the US military’s MAC-Z, nicknamed the “Big Mac” by Robin. A popular fan theory also came true: Will discovered he has powers and used them to defeat a group of Demogorgons, saving the kids of Hawkins. Plus, Eleven was finally reunited with her sister, Kali.
The new episodes of Stranger Things will be available on December 25th, and the very last episode will air on December 31st. Everyone is carefully examining every little detail and sharing their predictions about what will happen. To celebrate the show and especially the character of Eleven, we’ve gathered 11 of the most interesting fan theories so far.
11. We’re Finally About to See a Thessalhydra
The Thessalhydra is a famous monster from the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, and fans have noticed references to it in Stranger Things since the show began in 2016. Like all the monsters in the show, which are inspired by D&D, the kids give them names to make them seem less scary – it’s interesting how the name “Vecna” has become well-known, even though the character has a different real name. Until now, the Thessalhydra itself hasn’t appeared, but a popular theory suggests that all the hints we’ve seen so far are building up to a frightening introduction in Season 5.
10. The Jocks Are Being Manipulated by Vecna
The high school athletes in Hawkins are really causing problems. Last season, Jason Carver’s behavior was understandable because he was deeply upset about his girlfriend’s death. But this season, the jocks seem to just want to attack Dustin, and the violence in the first episode felt overly harsh and unbelievable. Could there be something else going on besides typical schoolyard bullying?
It’s obvious that the Upside Down and the town of Hawkins are connected in some way. We saw this in Season 2 when the Mind Flayer seemed to observe the school dance. Now, the evil of the Upside Down might be affecting everyone in Hawkins, even the popular kids. They’ve all been exposed to particles from that dimension, and those particles could be linked to the Mind Flayer. This means Vecna could be the one causing the recent violence.
9. The Wall Marks the Limits of the Upside Down
Season 5 of Stranger Things showed that the Upside Down is surrounded by a strange wall, and it seems to be centered around Hawkins Lab. However, this wall might not be new. No one has ever really explored the Upside Down before, so it could have always been there. If that’s true, the wall might define the boundaries of this alternate reality, which was created when Eleven sent Vecna to another dimension. Beyond the wall could just be the normal state of that dimension, which the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, have called Dimension X.
8. Vecna Has Deeper Connections to Joyce Than You Think
The latest episodes of Stranger Things show Max stuck inside Vecna’s mental world. Interestingly, she briefly finds herself in a Hawkins High School memory that seems to reference the Stranger Things stage play. However, it’s unclear why Vecna would focus on such an ordinary school hallway. What’s even more peculiar is that this memory centers around a school play from November 6, 1959 – a date that’s significant because Will Byers was kidnapped on November 6, 1983.
Fans are speculating that Vecna’s connection to the school hallway isn’t random. They believe he remembered it because Joyce Byers was there, and that he had a crush on her when they were both students. If true, this could explain why he targeted Will – because of his ongoing interest in the Byers family. This also makes the brief eye contact between Joyce and Vecna in the first part of Season 5 seem much more important.
We’re About To See the Cult of Vecna
Okay, so Vecna really burst onto the scene in the first episode of Stranger Things Season 4, introduced through Eddie’s Dungeons & Dragons game. It got me thinking – a lot of fans believe that entire D&D campaign wasn’t just for fun, but actually foreshadowed Vecna’s plans. The campaign was called “The Cult of Vecna,” and it seems like he’s building up followers to do his dirty work. Honestly, it explains a lot – especially why he’s snatched those twelve kids. He’s straight-up calling them potential ‘vessels,’ which is seriously creepy when you consider what he’s planning.
6. Vecna Is Kidnapping Kids With Psychic Potential
So, why did Vecna choose these 12 kids? One idea is that they might be developing psychic abilities because of their connection to the Upside Down, similar to what happened with Will. Vecna has always wanted to control people with powers – remember when he tried to control Eleven and turn her into the Mind Flayer? – and this seems to be part of that plan. It’s possible these powers are already starting to emerge because of exposure to the Upside Down’s energy.
5. Holly Wheeler Is an X-Men Parallel, & She’s About To Get Powers
I’m really intrigued by Will’s sister, Holly, and how important she seems to be becoming in Season 5. It’s not just that she feels like a parallel to Will himself. There was this moment where Will playfully calls her ‘Holly the Heroic’ and describes her Dungeons & Dragons character as someone who can create portals between dimensions. That’s a classic ability for Clerics in D&D, but it hit me – it’s also a power used by the X-Men character Magik! It makes me wonder if there’s a connection there, and what it could mean for the story.
As a huge X-Men fan, I’m seeing some seriously strong connections between Holly and the character Magik. In the comics, Magik – Illyana Rasputin – was basically a little kid, the sister of an X-Men member, who got snatched by a demon called Belasco. He wanted to use a piece of her soul to fuel his power and eventually invade Earth from this hellish dimension he controlled. Considering all that, I’m getting a really strong feeling that Holly’s going to start developing powers as this season unfolds. It just feels inevitable!
4. Vecna Spared Will Because He Still Has Plans for Him
Vecna seems to have made a significant error in the final season of Stranger Things by letting Will live. However, he might still have a purpose for him. The show has always hinted at connections to the X-Men, and the pattern of kidnapping children strongly resembles a storyline from the 1989 “Inferno” event, where twelve children were taken to create portals to another dimension. This likely isn’t a random occurrence, and Will could be the thirteenth child needed to complete this parallel.
3. Will’s Powers Mean We Have a Critical Score in D&D
GUYS WAIT. WILL CAN HARNESS ONES POWERS.. 8+11+1 =20… A CRITICAL HIT TO WIN.
— ɐɹɐs✪ (ST5 SPOILERS) (@sarasuperspy) November 28, 2025
In Dungeons & Dragons, rolling a 20 is a critical hit, often leading to victory. Currently, the group has a combined power level of 19 (Eleven and Eight, plus Jane and Kali). However, Will seems to have abilities similar to Vecna, which would add another point to their total – bringing it to 20, a perfect score that could allow them to defeat Vecna.
2. The Mind Flayer Is the Real Villain All Along
While trapped in Vecna’s mind, Max found a way to hide by retreating into a painful memory for him – a performance of the Broadway play, The First Shadow. This play revealed that Vecna first encountered the Mind Flayer during that time. Fans were confused by the play’s version of events, as it differed significantly from what was shown in Season 4. The show previously suggested a young Henry Creel met the Mind Flayer much later, before he became Vecna, and many believed this storyline was abandoned. However, recent discoveries suggest Vecna simply wasn’t telling the truth in Season 4.
It’s possible Vecna isn’t the main villain after all. He might have briefly controlled the Mind Flayer, but was seriously injured in Season 4, leaving him vulnerable. This weakness could have allowed the Mind Flayer to take over. Following the earlier idea based on the Dungeons & Dragons source material, Vecna himself could be the ultimate threat, the ‘One’ we’re meant to worry about.
1. Vecna Is Creating a Wormhole To Travel Through Time
Season 5 of Stranger Things heavily features references to time travel, and the character Mr. Clarke, who often explains the show’s scientific concepts, actually details how time travel could work. He’s seen teaching Erica about wormholes – also called Einstein-Rosen Bridges – and draws an hourglass shape on the board, noting it likely collapsed due to gravity. This hourglass design is important because Will later draws the same shape, hinting at a mysterious device Vecna plans to use to trap the children he’s kidnapped.
The second-to-last episode of Stranger Things Season 5 is titled “The Bridge,” and this has led to a popular theory: either Vecna or the Mind Flayer is trying to travel back in time, though we don’t yet know why. We’ll find out for sure when the final episodes are released on Christmas Day.
Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 is streaming now on Netflix.
The first part of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things is now available on Netflix. The second part will be released on December 25th, and the very last episode will stream on December 31st.
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2025-12-01 00:43