Stranger Things: Essential Episodes to Watch Before Season 5

Stranger Things Episodes To Watch Before Season 5 Revealed By Creators

The cast of Stranger Things season 5 riding bikes in front of a smokey red background.

By Rianna de Bono-Smith Published 5 minutes ago Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 6 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers have decided to break down which episodes are vital to watch before the final season of Netflix’s series is released.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Matt and Ross Duffer spoke about which episodes are key to watch before the final season, especially if you don’t have a spare 35 hours before November 26, when Volume 1 is out. The Duffer Brothers chose four episodes that are vital to provide context and that they recommend. The episodes include:

Season two, episode four, "Will the Wise"
Season two, episode six, "The Spy"
Season four, episode seven, "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab"
Season four, episode nine, "The Piggyback"

Matt stated that "Season two is when we really started to build out the mythology and started to dive into everything, and how this was going to be an ongoing [series]." As well as adding that season 4 is highly relevant.

Ross added that "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab" starts "unveiling some of the Upside Down mythology and starts giving some answers, and, of course, all the stuff with Henry and Eleven continues to resonate throughout season five. Those are some good ones to revisit."

Stranger Things was released on Netflix in 2016 and became a global phenomenon. Its young stars, Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, and Sadie Sink, play the kids in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, as they try to uncover the mysterious goings-on and reveal a dangerous enemy trying to take control.

Eleven and Henry Creel staring each other down in Stranger Things

Netflix

"The Massacre at Hawkins Lab" episode is a truly vital moment in the series as it shows how Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower) came to be. It was one of the most important for the plot as it shows Brown’s character Eleven ultimately "create" the Upside Down to entrap Henry/001 and, unfortunately, create Vecna.

Season 5 is promising fans that it will reveal what the Upside Down really is, as well as go into detail on Schnapp’s character, Will Byers, and why he was taken by Vecna in season 1, as well as his true purpose. It will also include the most violent death of the series and has promised to wrap up any loose ends by the end of the finale.

Stranger Things’ final season will begin on November 26 with Volume 1, followed by Volume 2 released on December 25, and the finale, which will be released on Netflix and select theaters on December 31.

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Stranger Things

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Drama Mystery Horror Science Fiction Release Date 2016 - 2025-00-00 Network Netflix Showrunner Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Directors Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz Writers Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock Will Mike Dustin and Lucas seen from the point of view of a screen in Stranger Things season 2

7 Images

Eleven looking into an opening of the Upside Down with pink light in Stranger Things season 1

Jim Hopper (David Harbour) grabbing Jonathan's (Charlie Heaton) shoulders in Stranger Things season 1©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Eleven with cables all over her head in Stranger Things season 4

Vecna looking towards Will in the trailer for Stranger Things season 5 (2025) Max and Eleven standing in front of a bus in Stranger Things.

Max and Eleven in Stranger ThingsNetflix

Stranger Things season 2, episode 2 "Trick or Treat, Freak".MovieStillsDB

The Upside Down in Stranger Things season 5Courtesy of Netflix Close

Cast

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Millie Bobby Brown Jane 'Eleven' Hopper
Finn Wolfhard Mike Wheeler

Genres Drama, Mystery, Horror, Science Fiction Creator(s) Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Powered by

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Stranger Things

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