9 images (and facts) from the final season of Stranger Things

Before delving into this final chapter, a quick reminder: season 4 ended with growing chaos in Hawkins. Vecna, gravely wounded but still alive, had managed to open four rifts in the town, merging the real world with the Upside Down. Max, the victim of a monster attack, had been declared clinically dead before being brought back by Eleven, but remained in a deep coma.

In the last few minutes, Eleven, Mike and the others discovered their devastated town, riven by a strange black mist and ominous signs of the impending invasion of the Upside Down.

Season 5 takes place in the fall of 1987. Hawkins still bears the scars of the rifts, and the heroes are united by a common goal: to find and eliminate Vecna once and for all. But he’s disappeared, and no one knows where he’s hiding or what he’s up to.

Meanwhile, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and re-launched the hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, a familiar sense of unease grips the group. The final battle is imminent, darker and more dangerous than anything they’ve faced before.

The season will also lift the veil on the Upside Down’s final secrets. Some revelations have already been uncovered over the seasons, but the most important have been saved for the conclusion. Ross Duffer, one of the series’ creators, has confirmed: the final answers will strongly influence this season’s story.

The iconic cast is on hand, with Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and many more.

Linda Hamilton, best known for her role in The Terminator saga, will play Dr. Kay, promising to add extra intensity to this ultimate adventure.

While many questions remain unanswered, especially about the portal opened by Vecna, one thing is certain: the countdown is on for Stranger Things.