Stranger Things 5’s New Character Tease Fixes A Huge Hawkins Problem

WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Stranger Things season 4!

The Duffer brothers’ confirmation about the status of Stranger Things season 5’s new characters fixes a huge problem for Hawkins’ final battle. One of the biggest critiques outside of Stranger Things season 4's long episode runtimes was that the storylines were spread too thin with all of the new characters. Not only were they taking screen time away from the show's long-established characters in the California storyline, but so many new additions also distracted from the story’s “beginning of the end” needing to wind back down to where it all began.

While many of Stranger Things season 4’s new characters like Eddie, Jason, and Chrissy died, there are still a few who will be returning for season 5’s final battle. By the end of Stranger Things season 4, the only new characters teased to continue their significance in season 5 are Argyle, Dmitri “Enzo” Antonov, and, of course, Vecna/Henry Creel/One. However, as teased by Stranger Things season 4’s final shot, the major character storylines in season 5 will return to those of season 1: Eleven against the Upside Down, Mike with Will, Nancy with Jonathan, and Joyce with Hopper.

The Duffer brothers have revealed that Stranger Things season 5 will have a time jump, but that the characters will still pick up in the middle of the chaos that was presented to them in season 4’s final moments. With all of the character groups back together in Hawkins, Stranger Things season 5 truly is introducing a “full circle” ending to the fight against the Upside Down. Enhancing this concise ending to Stranger Things is the confirmation that season 5 will not feature any new characters, thus giving ample time to satisfyingly conclude the arcs of the original Hawkins crew.

Stranger Things 5 Won’t Have Any New Characters

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven with Stranger Things season 4's final shot

During an interview for Netflix Geeked, Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer confirmed that season 5 will not introduce any new characters. While Stranger Things season 4 did bring the incredible new figure Eddie Munson—even though he died in the finale—no new characters is exactly what season 5 needs in order to end the story. Stranger Things season 5 already has to contend with the arcs of the original characters as well as season 4’s new roles that survived Stranger Things' season 4 finale like Enzo, Yuri, Argyle, Vickie, Victor Creel, and Vecna, so any more additions would spread the final season incredibly thin.

Stranger Things’ New Characters Distract From The Originals’ Arcs

Stranger Things season 4 certainly expanded the scope of the series with its new locations and characters, but concluded on a necessary note as all of the prominent original figures regrouped in Hawkins. As such, it’s a relief that Stranger Things season 5 won’t introduce any new characters to interfere with the final season’s closure of the story. With the massive series winding to a close, Stranger Things season 5 needs to focus on the stories of the characters who started it all rather than giving them new dynamics.

There are already so many of Stranger Things’ main characters who have barely or never interacted onscreen in the first four seasons. Hopper and Steve have never had a notable interaction together, Nancy and Mike’s sibling relationship is almost nonexistent, and Jonathan has hardly spoken a word to any of the younger characters other than Mike and Will. Stranger Things season 5 must prioritize concluding the arcs of the characters that began in the season 1 premiere, especially for those that have been pushed to the background in favor of new dynamics.

Stranger Things has largely failed Will and Mike after season 2 by giving them one-note arcs, with Jonathan also barely having anything to do in season 4 aside from getting stoned with his new friend Argyle. Although these characters desperately needed more focus to continue their arcs, Stranger Things season 4 gave significant screen time to the insufferable Hawkins bully Jason, who would end up being sliced in half by the Upside Down’s gates opening. Considering Jason’s death was largely cheered by audiences, Stranger Things season 4 should have prioritized those in California instead.

Stranger Things 5’s Smaller Hawkins Focus Is The Best Ending Plan

Blended image of Stranger Things poster and the cast of Stranger Things in season 4

Considering the overarching conflict in Stranger Things began with the smaller Hawkins crew, this is the best way for the show to end. After every major conflict, it always ends with the original crew coming back together for the final fight, so Stranger Things 5 should fully utilize this trend by having the original group working together throughout the entire season. The Duffer brothers also confirmed that most of Stranger Things season 5 will take place in Hawkins (or the Upside Down), which augments the notion that this is the end of where it all started.

The core characters will all be in Hawkins for Stranger Things’ final battle with the Upside Down, which means returning to all the old dynamics and realizing the powerful potential of each storyline from season 4 merging to fight together as one. Just as how Game of Thrones’ epic scale concluded in season 8 with all of the various storylines coming together as one, Stranger Things’ separations have always been building up to bring everyone back together in season 5 for the climactic conclusion. Unlike previous seasons that included several antagonists for the different storylines, the best ending for Stranger Things will see all of the original Hawkins characters facing one villain together.

No New Characters Means Major Deaths In Stranger Things 5

Stranger things season 5 Eleven death vecna

The reveal that Stranger Things season 5 has no new characters also solves a problem with the series failing to kill off any of its original main figures. While Stranger Things notably kills off beloved new characters within the same season they’re introduced, the Netflix show won’t be able to continue this trend in season 5. It’s unlikely that Stranger Things season 5 will kill off a significant amount of characters, but with no new figures, it can be expected that at least a few of the beloved Hawkins personas will die in the series finale.

Since a few major character deaths are expected for Stranger Things season 5’s climactic fight against Vecna, viewers will have to prepare to say goodbye to some of the most beloved figures. One character who is predicted to die in Stranger Things season 5 is Eleven, who may have to sacrifice herself in order to kill Vecna and destroy the Upside Down. Stranger Things season 5 could also see the death of Steve Harrington, who was widely predicted to die in the season 4 finale. Considering Stranger Things season 5 will see the Hawkins crew’s most dangerous battle yet, there are sure to be huge twists in regards to which major characters die to save the world.

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