Highlights

  • Fans speculate on Holly Wheeler's disappearance in Stranger Things season 5, potentially tying into Will's past in the Upside Down.
  • Holly's disappearance could provide a unique storyline, avoiding repetition from season 1, and strengthen the sibling bond between Mike and Nancy.
  • Previous major disappearances in the series include Will Byers and Barb Holland, setting the stage for the show's central conflicts.

Whether the story is told after the apocalypse or fans have other ideas about the series finale, Stranger Things season 5 has inspired a lot of reflection in fans of the Netflix series. One of the most important loose ends to tie up in these upcoming episodes is the meaning behind Will Byers's (Noah Schnapp) disappearance in Stranger Things season 1. It would be a shame to not learn a little more by the very last episode.

When discussing what could happen in Stranger Things season 5, fans think a character will go missing, but it will be someone who viewers might not expect. This particular character hasn't been a huge or significant part of the show yet, but their potential disappearance could work well. Could this character disappear in Stranger Things season 5 and how would it affect the final season's story?

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Will This Character Disappear In Stranger Things Season 5?

Will, Mike and Jonathan in Stranger Things

There is a fan theory that Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy Wheeler's (Natalia Dyer) younger sister Holly Wheeler will disappear in Stranger Things season 5. Many fans have discussed this in various Reddit threads and said that this seems likely. Redditor @FateFlayer thinks that Holly's disappearance could be a way for Will Byers to spend time in the Upside Down and try to bring her back home. If Stranger Things season 5 is told in two parts, then there could be a great cliffhanger involving Holly at the end of part one. The fan wrote:

"I think this will prompt Will to return to the Upside Down but this time willingly. It would make Will a hero and maybe give him a chance to save another kid. Maybe it will give him some closure for his own kidnapping."

Fans wonder which Stranger Things characters could die and Redditor @sillycuzwhynot1998 thinks Will could die saving Holly. This would be sad, but it would also make sense from a plot perspective since it would bring the story full circle. Many viewers wonder if Will is going to make it since he has been drawn to the Upside Down since the pilot episode and he seems to have a special connection with it that will hopefully be explored more in Stranger Things season 5.

Redditor @Isphylda said it would make sense if Holly found the Upside Down casually, which would of course set up the big mystery for Stranger Things season 5. Since there are many fan theories regarding the Upside Down, this could help answer some questions that fans still wonder about. The fan wrote:

"The upside down has completely changed Hawkins' landscape. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Holly just wandered in there (kinda like when she curiously followed the lights at Joyce's)."

Redditor @stranger_thingsss9 hopes that if Holly disappears, then Stranger Things season 5 will have a unique storyline that stands out and that it doesn't feel like a repeat of Will's disappearance in season 1. This is a fair point since it's the final season and fans have high expectations. The fan wrote:

"Her storyline will certainly be one of the most important for Stranger Things 5, but I hope it is not the main mission and that it is not too repetitive with season 1. I would like something truly new and different, but the Duffers have already confirmed the many similarities between Stranger Things 5 ​​and Stranger Things 1."

It does seem possible for Holly Wheeler to go missing in Stranger Things season 5 since she has a unique place on the show. She's an important part of the Wheeler family but not part of The Party, so this storyline would ensure that Eleven and her friends are still front and center. Holly's disappearance could unite Mike and Nancy and give them a chance to bond and interact more. If Holly was taken by Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), that woudl add an extra layer of terror to the season. It would be interesting to explore this sibling dynamic more since they haven't had too many great scenes together.

Which Other Stranger Things Characters Disappeared?

Barb talking to Nancy at school in Stranger Things

The biggest disappearances in Stranger Things are Will Byers and Barb Holland (Shannon Purser). When Will disappears in the pilot episode, the people in his life are rightfully terrified, and this is when his friends learn that there is evil in Hawkins that they didn't realize. Without Will going missing, there would be no Stranger Things, so this is the catalyst that matters the most.

Barb dies in Stranger Things season 1 when she is at a party with Nancy Wheeler and Barb gets sucked into the Upside Down by the Demogorgon. But before her friends and family know that she's been killed, they think that she's missing, and they have no idea what could have happened. It's definitely scary that one minute she's sitting by the pool in the backyard and the next, she's nowhere to be seen.

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