The wait for the end of “Stranger Things” is almost over. The first part of the fifth and final season arrives on November 26, 2025, with more episodes debuting on Christmas Day and the series finale on New Year’s Eve. After a three-year break, a refresher is essential for the final battle against Vecna. You do not need to rewatch all 34 episodes. To get perfectly prepared, you only need to focus on these three key stories that hold the secrets to how it all might end.
The Episode That Started It All: “The Vanishing of Will Byers”
Where to Find It: Season 1, Episode 1
Everything begins with the disappearance of one boy. The very first episode of the series is non-negotiable viewing. It introduces us to Hawkins, Indiana, and the group of friends whose lives are shattered when Will Byers mysteriously vanishes. This episode sets the tone, the mystery, and establishes the core characters.
Revisiting this chapter is crucial because the final season is bringing the story full circle. The show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, have confirmed that Will is a central character in Season 5, exploring his unresolved connection to the Upside Down and Vecna. Watching how it all began provides essential context for why Will’s journey is so important to the ending. As one analysis notes, “To understand how this sci-fi behemoth became the cultural phenomenon that it has, you need look no further than the opening episode.”
The Episode That Explains the Villain: “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab”
Where to Find It: Season 4, Episode 7
To defeat your enemy, you must know your enemy. This episode is arguably the most important one to rewatch before Season 5. “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” is a massive info-dump that completely changes our understanding of the entire series. It reveals the full backstory of Henry Creel, also known as One and Vecna.
Through flashbacks, we learn how he was the orderly at Hawkins Lab who befriended and manipulated a young Eleven. The episode shows how he murdered the other children with powers and how Eleven, in their first battle, banished him into the dimension that would become the Upside Down, where he slowly transformed into the monster he is today. This episode answers the long-standing question of who Vecna is and establishes that his war with Eleven is personal. Understanding his origins and motivations is key to anticipating the final showdown.
Also Read:
The Episode That Sets the Final Stage: “The Piggyback”
Where to Find It: Season 4, Episode 9
This is where we left off, and the situation has never been more dire. The Season 4 finale, “The Piggyback,” sets everything up for the final season. The episode features the group’s concerted effort to defeat Vecna, which ends in a devastating failure. Despite their best efforts, Vecna succeeds in opening four giant gates that tear through Hawkins, merging the town with the Upside Down.
The episode ends with the town in ruins, a military quarantine being established, and our heroes reunited but facing their greatest threat yet. Key plot points that will directly continue into Season 5 include Max Mayfield being in a coma after her mind was broken by Vecna, Will Byers feeling a familiar dread and sensing that Vecna is still alive, and Eleven realizing she is not yet strong enough to win alone. The finale also confirms that the Upside Down is frozen in time on the day Will disappeared in 1983, a major mystery that Season 5 promises to solve.
Also Read: Stranger Things Villain Jamie Campbell Bower Read Final Script Alone Due to COVID
