The nature of Stranger Things means fan theories have run wild since day one, though with season 4 split in two, fans had more time than ever before to start coming up with their own ideas. Thanks to the lengthy gap between that and the upcoming fifth and final season, crazy theories can be found all over social media.
One of the most popular suggests we'll learn that the events of the entire series have simply been one big, long game of Dungeons and Dragons. It would be a wild note to end things on, though it makes at least some sense given the parallels between that game and Stranger Things' story.
Talking to Metro, creators Matt and Ross Duffer were more than happy to shoot the theory down.
"That is correct," Matt joked. "That is the ending...No." Ross added, "That would be the equivalent of, “That’s all a dream”. No, I assure you that is not how we’re going to end the show. We’ve known where we’ve been going for a while. And we feel comfortable with it; hopefully, it satisfies everyone. We’ll see."
This was to be expected, but it's definitely a relief. That would be an underwhelming way to end this story, though we're sure Dungeons and Dragons' influence will continue to be felt during the final stand against Vecna.
Stranger Things premiered on Netflix in 2016 and is set during the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. It follows a group of kids who encounter supernatural occurrences, including the disappearance of their friend Will Byers. The series blends elements of supernatural horror, government conspiracy, and 1980s pop culture references, paying homage to the works of Stephen King and Steven Spielberg.
The show has gained widespread acclaim for its nostalgic atmosphere, compelling characters, and suspenseful storytelling, becoming a cultural phenomenon with a dedicated fan base and one of Netflix's biggest draws.
It's previously been revealed that the first season 5 episode will be titled "The Crawl," with Prey director Dan Trachtenberg at the helm. Shawn Levy will also step back behind the camera, but production was forced to come to a halt back in May due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike.
Both of those have since ended, though we still don't know when Stranger Things will return for its fifth and final season (2024, however, is looking increasingly unlikely). What we do know is that Linda Hamilton has been added to the cast, so there's plenty to be excited about when the show does eventually return.
Keep checking back here for the latest Stranger Things updates.