The Biggest Stranger Things Theory Just Became a Lot More Likely After the Show’s New Spinoff

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After the first part of its fifth season, the hit show Stranger Things is nearing its conclusion. As one of the most popular streaming series of the past ten years, creators the Duffer brothers face a lot of pressure to deliver a satisfying ending. Fans are closely analyzing every detail, trying to predict how the story will wrap up. Currently, the most popular theory involves time travel, with many believing the show will somehow reset events. Season 5 includes numerous hints about time travel, and a key scene features Mr. Clarke explaining the scientific possibility of it.

A new novel connected to the show Stranger Things has been released. Written by Caitlin Scheiderhan, a writer for Season 5, it’s called “A Nancy Wheeler Mystery” and takes place between Seasons 4 and 5. The book explains how things changed in Hawkins – specifically, how the town ended up under quarantine with the MAC-Z building as a central point. Interestingly, Nancy’s thoughts and observations in the novel seem to hint at the popular time travel theory, potentially giving fans clues about what’s to come.

Nancy Wheeler Keeps Thinking About “What If” Scenarios

At its heart, Stranger Things is a story about dealing with grief and loss, and the characters repeatedly face these difficult emotions. It’s fitting, then, that death often leads to openings to the Upside Down. So, it makes sense that the episode “One Way or Another” explores themes of grief, particularly during a scene at Nancy’s graduation. The principal reads a list of those who have been lost, pointedly leaving out Eddie Munson, who is still considered responsible for the Season 4 murders. What really stands out, however, is Nancy’s reaction when Barb’s name is called.

Nancy had anticipated Higgins would bring up something similar, but that didn’t prevent a chill from running through her when she heard –

‘Barbara Holland.’

A wave broke over Nancy, and she felt submerged, not in water, but in a flood of memories. Thinking about Barb – about her life before losing her best friend – always pulled her under, overwhelming her with grief.

Somewhere, in another reality, things might have turned out differently. Nancy could be sitting in this uncomfortable folding chair at graduation, surrounded by students, and spotting Barb’s smile across the field. They could be sharing a knowing eye roll at whatever long-winded speech Mr. Higgins was giving.

That world wasn’t this one.”

Many fans believe the fifth season of Stranger Things will end with a timeline reset, essentially starting everything over without all the sadness and loss we’ve seen. It’s interesting that one of the season’s writers hinted at this possibility in a related book, making the theory feel more plausible. However, it’s still possible this is a deliberate attempt to mislead us. We’ll have to wait and see how the story unfolds in the final episodes.

How Could Time Travel Happen in Stranger Things Season 5?

A key moment in Stranger Things Season 5 hints at a possible time travel storyline. Mr. Clarke explains wormholes as a theoretical way to travel through time. Throughout the series, Mr. Clarke has been used to explain the show’s science fiction concepts, so this moment likely sets something up. He specifically mentions wormholes are also called “Einstein-Rosen Bridges,” and the episode is titled “The Bridge,” further suggesting this connection.

There’s a growing theory that Vecna (or the Mind Flayer) is kidnapping children to build a portal, possibly an Einstein-Rosen Bridge. Will briefly connected with the hive mind and discovered it was concealing a strange, organic structure where the children were being held in tower-like formations for an unclear reason. Fans have pointed out that this structure’s design closely matches the hourglass shape Mr. Clarke drew on the blackboard. This latest episode, “One Way or Another,” seems to strengthen this existing theory with more supporting details.

Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 is streaming now on Netflix.

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2025-12-03 16:40