‘Stranger Things‘ Season 5 jumps in fast, and right from the start, it hints that Hawkins is about to face some of its strangest moments yet. A couple of early scenes tease that old mysteries are finally coming together, and the kids aren’t the only ones caught in the middle of something big. The season keeps dropping twist after twist, and by the time Volume 1 wraps, fans are left with plenty to take in.
So, in this article, we have summed up the top 10 ‘Stranger Things‘ revelations that happened in the first volume of Season 5.
1. Vecna Met Will Long Before Anyone Realized
The season’s opening flashback fills in a huge gap from Will’s disappearance in Season 1. We finally see how he ended up in the Upside Down’s version of the Hawkins library after the Demogorgon dragged him from Castle Byers. The library is revealed as Vecna’s lair, and it turns out Will actually came face-to-face with Henry Creel back in 1983. Vecna watched him, said they could “begin,” and used his vine-like tendrils to push those particles into Will; the very connection that later seasons picked up on.
Related: How ‘Stranger Things 5’ Vol. 1 Marks The Beginning Of The End For Hawkins Family
2. Will Can Use Vecna’s Powers
By the end of Volume 1, Will discovers something even bigger. After realizing he can slip into the hive mind and see what Vecna and the Demogorgons know, he learns he can actually tap into Vecna’s abilities. When Mike, Lucas, and Robin are cornered by Demogorgons, Will uses telekinesis to stop and kill all three. The moment leaves him with a nosebleed, showing that using the power comes at a cost and confirming that his link to Vecna is stronger than anyone thought.
3. Max And Holly Are Trapped In Henry Creel’s Mindscape
In Season 5, Max is still in a coma, but the show reveals that her consciousness is trapped inside Henry Creel’s mindscape. When Holly becomes one of Vecna’s latest victims, she ends up there, too. Henry tries to keep her inside the Creel house, but Max guides her out to a rock wall past the woods. Max explains that she technically died and came back, only to be stuck in Henry’s memories. She’s been hiding in a cave where he can’t reach her, and now she believes she and Holly need to work together to escape.
4. Ted And Karen Have A Close Call With A Demogorgon
The season avoids major character deaths, but Ted and Karen Wheeler come dangerously close. When the Demogorgon attacks their home to reach Holly, Karen fights back, but both she and Ted end up seriously injured. Nancy and Mike rush home, but Holly is already missing, and their parents are sent to the hospital. Karen wakes after surgery and tells them “Mr. Whatsit” was actually Henry Creel. Ted, however, remains in a coma.
5. Hopper Opens Up About Sara
Season 5 brings back several emotional flashbacks, including one of Hopper remembering Sara’s battle with illness. He tells Eleven that doctors once thought Sara would survive because she fought so hard, but she still passed away. Hopper refuses to let anything similar happen to Eleven, which explains why he stays so protective of her this season.
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6. Kali Is Being Held By The Military In Upside Down
Hopper and Eleven break into what they think is a vault holding Vecna, only to find Kali instead. She’s restrained, her head is shaved, and it’s clear the military is keeping her for a reason they aren’t sharing. Eleven believed something dangerous to her was locked behind that door, and she wasn’t wrong, just not in the way she expected.
7. Dr. Kay Pushes The Military To Track Down Eleven
Eleven’s return to Hawkins hasn’t gone unnoticed. Colonel Sullivan almost caught her last season, and the search hasn’t slowed down. Dr. Kay keeps pushing the team to find El, telling them she “needs the girl.” While the main base operates in town, Kay works from a special lab in the Upside Down filled with vine specimens. Because things are so tense, Hopper only lets Eleven travel through underground tunnels so she stays hidden.
8. Vecna Is Targeting Kids For His Final Plan
Through his connection with the hive mind, Will sees that Vecna already has four children and plans to take more. The military notices the pattern and starts rounding up kids aged nine to ten. Vecna calls these kids “weak in body and mind” and says he wants to reshape them into “perfect vessels” for his world takeover. He also admits that Will was the first example of what he could do.
9. Dustin Still Struggles After Losing Eddie
Dustin’s grief shows up in new ways this season. He wears his Hellfire Club shirt and wants to restart the club in Eddie’s honor. But bullies target him because they still blame Eddie for Hawkins’ destruction. Dustin becomes more aggressive than usual, provoking the bullies until they beat him up in the cemetery. He lies to Steve and the others about it, saying he crashed his bike. Steve doesn’t believe him, but Dustin keeps the truth to himself.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Nearly Rewrote Eddie Munson After A Major Casting Challenge
10. Jonathan Is Planning To Propose To Nancy
The love triangle is far from over. Jonathan and Nancy are still together, but Steve, who is the most unexpected hero, keeps trying to show he’s the better match for her. It’s revealed that Jonathan already bought a ring and plans to propose. Steve points out that both Jonathan and Nancy seem unhappy, and Jonathan struggles to deny it. With more episodes on the way, the show hints that their relationship might be heading toward a difficult turning point.
