Netflix’s hit show "Stranger Things" is set to air the first half of its final season on Nov. 26, but before the chaos, laughter and tears of saying goodbye, fans are working their minds to conjure theories and make predictions for the series' final chapter.
The show has been airing for almost a decade, allowing fans to form a special bond with the series and its characters over the years.
Andrew Rodriguez Acosta, a junior studying dietetics, said he’s been watching "Stranger Things" since it premiered when he was in middle school.
"Honestly, I feel like I grew up with the characters," Rodriguez Acosta said. "All the kids from Mike all the way to El, it’s been pretty cool."
This devotion is what has viewers plotting and guessing what's to come as they gear up to watch their favorites' final battle with The Upside Down, hoping the ones they love survive.
For now, Rodriguez Acosta thinks it’s anyone's game and doesn’t know what to expect.
"Once we get the full connection of what the main conflict is going to be, or the main antagonist, then maybe I'll probably get a better sense," Rodriguez Acosta said.
However, other fans, like Joanna Diaz, a junior studying criminology and criminal justice, think the show may play it safe by not killing off multiple main characters, but rather play with fans' emotions.
Diaz used Jim Hopper as an example. During the season three finale in 2019, fans were led to believe the character had died. It wasn’t till years later, in season four, that he was confirmed to be alive in a Russian prison.
"With Hopper, if they wanted to kill him off, they could have already," Diaz said. "I feel like they already kind of missed their chance with that one."
The suspense is building, and fans only have to wait a little while longer for new episodes. The only caveat — they can’t binge-watch.
Season five will be released in three parts. The first volume will air on Nov. 26, the second on Christmas Day, and the final episode will air on New Year's Eve.
Some fans support this release schedule and think it's a great strategy to keep audiences engaged.
"It's a really smart move, because it keeps the hype going on top of the anticipation," Rodriguez Acosta said.
Others think it's annoying and would rather watch it in its entirety.
"I hate cliffhangers and I don’t like to wait and think about what's going to happen," Shinjini Poddar, a sophomore studying criminology and criminal justice, said. "I’m someone who wants to watch stuff in one row."
The release of multiple parts isn’t anything new to fans. The show began releasing episodes in multiple volumes from its fourth season. However, season five will usher in a new experience in the form of a movie theatre screening.
Between Dec. 31 and Jan 1, Netflix will distribute the final episode to more than 350 theaters in the U.S and Canada.
It's an enticing offer for fans, the chance to experience this final event in such a cinematic way.
"In theaters, the sound quality is way better and you’re watching it on a big screen," Gianna Ramos, a freshman studying health sciences, said. "You’re definitely more engaged than at home."
A lot is riding on the final season of "Stranger Things," a conclusion to an almost decade-long saga that some fans have been watching their whole lives.
People are protective of their favorite characters, wanting to see them with a happy ending after years of fighting evil from demogorgons and The Upside Down.
Diaz said all she wants is a safe ending for her favorite character, Joyce Byers. She joked that if not, Netflix should expect a strongly worded email from her.
"I'm going to get my money back, I need to get my time back," Diaz said. "Emotional damages were made,"
Edited by Kasturi Tale, Henry Smardo and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at jagon128@asu.edu.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Jazlyn Gonzales is junior studying Journalism and Mass Communication. This is her third semester with the State Press. She has also interned at KJZZ.
