We break down the final scenes of Stranger Things season 5 volume 1, and what they mean for the future of Hawkins in volume 2

Here's what you need to remember from the end of Stranger Things Season 4, who lived, who died and where all the characters ended up.

The most famous Stranger Things death? Quite possibly, because it was one of the most unexpected. Barb (Shannon Purser) was a friend of Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer), who – it seemed – was being set up for a character arc of her own when she attended a party thrown by Nancy’s then-boyfriend Steve (Joe Keery), only to be left out in the cold.

It’s been three and a half years since the most recent season of “Stranger Things” kicked off in May 2022. The first episode of the hit series’ fifth and final installment — delayed by dual Hollywood strikes and the mounting production value of a show that’s ballooned from surprise breakout to blockbuster franchise — opens in the fall of 1987.

Stranger Things Season 2 ends on December 15, 1984, at the high school’s snow ball. By this point, Eleven has been formally adopted by Hopper thanks to Sam Owens, and she and Mike become a couple at last. The moment of celebration is tinged with threat, though, as the Mind Flayer continues to monitor them from the Upside Down.

It’s been over three years since “Stranger Things” Season 4 hit Netflix, leaving plenty of fans in need of refresher ahead of Season 5.