Highlights
- Showrunner Ross Duffer is teasing fans with mysterious clues about Stranger Things season 5 on Instagram.
- The crossed-out name in the list of characters has sparked speculation about who it could be and if they are still alive.
- The Duffer brothers may be intentionally keeping details about new characters, like Linda Hamilton's, a secret to build anticipation for the final season.
Stranger Things showrunner Ross Duffer is hiding something suspicious from fans ahead of the show's season 5 premiere. The highly anticipated season has been confirmed as the final chapter of the popular Netflix series, and fans are scouring the internet for tidbits of new information.
Not much is presently known about the conclusion of Stranger Things, but co-creator Matt Duffer claimed Stranger Things' final season will be "like season one on steroids." The Duffer brothers claim they've drawn inspiration from the initial season and even hinted at the central character arc belonging to Noah Schnapp's Will Byers.
Although information regarding the season is limited, the Duffer brothers are having fun dropping breadcrumbs for their eager audience. A mysterious story shared on Ross Duffer's Instagram contained a list of Stranger Things season 5 characters, including Eleven, Jim Hopper, Nancy Wheeler, Joyce, Jonathan, and Will Byers. However, the most puzzling detail is a crossed-out name between Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley. Duffer added the cryptic message, "See you after the holidays."
The blacked-out name has prompted two main questions: who is it, and are they alive? Characters like Sean Astin's Bob have already been ruled out for a return. One popular theory posits that the missing name is Sadie Sink's Max Mayfield, who was left technically alive at the end of season four, although brain-dead and in a coma. Fans think Max's character may recover and return, and hiding her name might conceal the spoiler. Believers in this theory have also claimed they can spot the letter "d" at the end of the string of letters, and some have even said the placement in the list mirrors Max's placement in other cast/character lists.
Another popular theory discussed in the thread is that the show's creators have concealed the name of Linda Hamilton's character. The Terminator actor was announced as a new cast member in the upcoming Stranger Things season, but the details of her character, like other season five details, have yet to be revealed. Perhaps the Duffer brothers are keeping the information about her character under wraps for good reason. The long-awaited season, delayed due to strike setbacks, has been the object of many other Stranger Things fan theories since season four aired, and it seems the Duffer brothers enjoy throwing fuel on the fire.
Whether the obscured name is hiding essential information about Stranger Things season 5 or the creators are simply waiting to make an official announcement, it's apparent that fans are on the edge of their seats, enthusiastically waiting for the truth to be revealed. Hopefully, "See you after the holidays" hints at more information to be announced at the start of the new year. Regardless, the passionate online discourse and confident claims from actors like David Harbour bode well for the success of the Duffer brothers' Stranger Things finale.
Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are streaming on Netflix.
Stranger Things
Stranger Things is a horror and supernatural franchise that was originally a popular show on Netflix. The viral success of the television program caused it to have its very own mobile game, Stranger Things 3: The Game, where you play one of 12 characters in an SNES-like version of Hawkins.
Source: Ross Duffer (via @Barabus33/Reddit)
