The Final season of Stranger Things is afoot and November 26th cannot come any sooner! (6.30 am IST) But let's be honest, most of us probably need to brush up on our Stranger Things mythology.
With Stranger Things Season 5 dropping its first four episodes on November 26th 2025, we need to refresh our memories and remember every character arc and re-organize our burning questions about the Upside Down. As the trailer suggests, the stakes have never been higher!
All of us need a battle plan which includes a strategic re-watch that won't consume our entire life. Forget binge-watching as we outline the 5 episodes that will remind you why this show became the cultural phenomenon that it is and prepare you for the final goodbye.
So grab your waffles (Eggos) and let's dive into the essential viewing list for your last revision -
1. Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers (Season 1, Episode 1) - The relevance and importance of this episode is marked by the exclusive clip that was released on Youtube. Why was Will chosen and his connection to the Upside Down seems to be the big plotline of season 5 and we need to understand the remember the nuances of the 1st episode to "close the circle".
2. Chapter Seven: The Bathtub (Season 1, Episode 7) - This is where the show transforms from a simple mystery series to full scale sci-fi, dark and scary. We are introduced to the sensory deprivation tank scene which expands on Eleven's ability to travel mentally. We slowly begin to understand the full scale of Eleven's powers.
3. Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer (Season 2, Episode 8) - This season is one of my favourite and Noah Schnapp's acting is the cherry on top. Will Byers is at the center and he has been fundamentally changed by his time in the Upside Down. Every strategy the Mind Flayer has learned and used is something that it has learned from Will. The show's message of friendship, love, found family is beautifully showcased in this episode.
4. Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab (Season 4, Episode 7) - We finally start piecing all the crucial information together as we are introduced to "One" aka Henry Creek aka Vecna. We finally understand why Eleven created the portal to the Upside Down.
5. Chapter Nine: The Piggyback (Season 4, Episode 9) - This is the episode where the team loses and the bad guys triumphed. As the episode reaches a crescendo in the end, we are left with a Hawkins which is torn apart. Vecna finally gets what he wants and four gates open! The use of fear, mob mentality, sacrifices and deaths tie this episode beautifully and leaves us wanting more.
Where are we now?
From Season 4, we clearly get the picture that Vecna cannot leave the Upside Down. We have seen the Demagorgons and Demodogs in Hawkins but it is established that Vecna is confined to the Upside Down. And Season 5 seems to be the last and final phase of his plan to finally be able to be on the normal plane and not be stuck in the Upside Down forever. As our favourite characters embark on their last journey to tie all the loose ends, I cannot wait for Season 5 to start streaming!
As for you, you could binge all the episodes but life is short and streaming time is limited and not every episode is essential to understand the endgame. Watch these 5 episodes as you get ready for the finale of one of our favourite TV series.
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