You’re probably getting ready for the new season of Stranger Things, but if you don’t have time for a full rewatch, the creators, the Duffer brothers, suggest four key episodes to get you up to speed.
The final season of Stranger Things is almost here! Volume 1 of Season 5 will premiere on November 26, 2025. Netflix is releasing the new episodes at a new time – 5pm Pacific Time / 8pm Eastern Time – so fans across the country can watch together.
The story’s fifth and last chapter jumps ahead to the fall of 1987. Hawkins is under quarantine while everyone searches for Eleven, which creates new problems for the group as they try to find and defeat Vecna.
You’ll need to be caught up on the entire story of Stranger Things before everything comes together. Luckily, the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, are here to help you get ready for the big finale.
Four Stranger Things episodes to revisit before Season 5
The Duffer brothers recently told The Hollywood Reporter which episodes they suggest viewers rewatch before the first part of Season 5 is released. Here’s their list:
- Season 2 Episode 4 – ’Will the Wise’
- Season 2 Episode 6 – ‘The Spy
- Season 4 Episode 7 – ‘The Massacre at Hawkins Lab’
- Season 4 Episode 9 – ’The Piggyback’
You might be asking why Season 1 isn’t included. While it’s important for introducing the characters, the show’s more complex story really takes off in Season 2.
Matt explained that the second season was when they began to fully develop the show’s backstory and explore its potential as a long-running series.
Looking back, that’s when we really started building out the story and the world, and I think that’s why it still resonates with people today. Season 4 is huge too – especially the ‘Massacre at Hawkins Lab’ episode, that one was a game-changer.
Ross explained that the episode begins to reveal more about the history and rules of the Upside Down, and starts providing some explanations to long-standing questions. He also noted that the storylines involving Henry and Eleven continue to be important leading into Season 5, making those episodes worthwhile to rewatch.
Feel free to rewatch the entire series if you like – many people are, as Stranger Things is currently a top 10 hit on Netflix, even before the final season is released! But if you’re short on time, this is a great way to remember the most important parts.
Why these Stranger Things episodes are important
Okay, so these episodes matter a lot. Season 2’s ‘Will the Wise’ really gets into what happened with Will when he was possessed and how that ties into the Mind Flayer. Honestly, understanding that stuff is key to figuring out what Vecna’s really planning. It’s all connected!
In ‘The Spy,’ the show expands on previous ideas by showing how the Upside Down uses Will as an unwitting operative, and it clarifies how the entity operates, navigates, and exerts control.
Season 4’s ‘The Massacre at Hawkins Lab’ episode reveals how Henry Creel became Vecna, and explains the source of Eleven’s abilities, ultimately leading to the climactic showdown.
The intense mental battle between Eleven and Vecna in ‘The Piggyback’ episode sets up the major conflict that will be concluded in Season 5.
Matt acknowledged it’s good to remember these things, but he doesn’t want people to dwell too much on Season 5.
He enjoys seeing fans come up with theories about what will happen next, and he likes reading them. While most of the guesses are incorrect, sometimes someone actually gets it right, which is always fun.
I don’t mind people having expectations, and we definitely want to meet them. But I really hope viewers approach the season with an open mind and simply enjoy it for what it is.
I’d grab some chocolate pudding, Eggos, popcorn – anything to make things more enjoyable.
If you enjoyed the world of Hawkins, you might also like our predictions for which characters are most at risk in the final season of Stranger Things, theories about Barb’s possible return, and a ranking of the best episodes so far.
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2025-11-25 13:49