Be warned: This article reveals major plot details from the final episode of Stranger Things season 5, “The Rightside Up.” If you haven’t watched it yet, you might want to avoid reading further.
As a huge Stranger Things fan, I’m really excited about the upcoming spinoff! It looks like it’s finally going to tackle one of the biggest questions left hanging after the finale: Vecna’s backstory. Remember how it turned out the Mind Flayer was always the real mastermind of the Upside Down and the Abyss? Well, Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower, was just one of the creatures the Mind Flayer controlled – basically a puppet. The spinoff should give us some answers about how all that happened.
As a huge Stranger Things fan, I was totally captivated by a flashback during The First Shadow play – it felt like a dream sequence! It showed young Henry Creel discovering this weird, glowing rock inside a briefcase. That’s the moment he starts developing his powers and, crucially, connects with the Mind Flayer. It’s really the origin of all the awful stuff that happens in the series. We only got a quick look at the rock in the finale, but the Duffer Brothers have said they’ll be explaining it all more fully, which I’m really excited about!
After the final episode of Stranger Things premiered, the Duffer Brothers told Variety that the mysterious red, glowing rock will be important in the show’s upcoming spinoff. Matt Duffer explained that the spinoff will explore the rock and reveal its meaning, saying, “You’re going to understand it.”
Even so, the Stranger Things co-creator was quick to rein in “people’s expectations” about the spinoff:
This season features a brand new set of myths and lore. It won’t delve deeply into the Mind Flayer’s backstory, but it offers a fresh perspective and will tie up some remaining unanswered questions.
The planned spin-off series, first revealed in 2022 after the release of Stranger Things season 4, will feature a completely separate story. It won’t be connected to the events in Hawkins or the Upside Down, and none of the existing Stranger Things characters will appear. According to the Duffer brothers, who spoke with Variety, they’re thrilled to start fresh with a new cast, setting, and storyline – essentially building a whole new universe from scratch.
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Don’t anticipate the world of Stranger Things becoming as massive as Star Wars. According to Matt Duffer, who spoke with Variety before the premiere of season 5, any spin-offs will stay true to the original show’s feel and storytelling. They’ll focus on kids, adventures, and sci-fi/fantasy, rather than building an overly complex story. The goal is to maintain the show’s core identity, not endlessly expand the mythology.
I recently spoke with Ross Duffer, and he explained to Variety that this new spin-off, and any others they might create, won’t necessarily exist in the same continuity as the original series – it’ll be set in a slightly separate world, almost like a different corner of the Stranger Things universe.
While there will be some connections between stories, we’re essentially creating a collection of standalone pieces. We aren’t ‘Star Wars,’ so we can’t rely on instantly recognizable locations to move the narrative.
Ross Duffer said they’ll start working on the new spin-off series again after a short break following the finale’s release. He explained they’ve been developing it periodically. While the Duffer brothers will remain heavily involved creatively and are credited as creators, they won’t be the day-to-day showrunners.
The adventures of Eleven, Will, Vecna, and the rest of the Stranger Things group have come to an end, though the secrets of the glowing rock remain unsolved. Fans won’t have to wait long for more from this world, however, as a new animated series, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, is coming soon. It takes place during the winter between the second and third seasons and will feature familiar characters.
All episodes of Stranger Things season 5 are available now, only on Netflix.
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2026-01-02 15:49