'Stranger Things 5' trailer is as explosive as it is terrifying as we welcome final season

From the grave of Eddie Munson and Max’s hospital bed, to the United States military and an army of demogorgons (going full Jurassic Park), this Stranger Things 5 trailer has a whole lot of interdimensional meat on its bones. It also has many familiar faces along with one very notable newcomer to the franchise: ’80s stalwart Linda Hamilton. She plays Dr. Kay and also appears in the season’s official images.

What exactly is going to happen this season, though? The Stranger Things 5 trailer only paints a picture of general fear and distress, one that terrifies us for our favorite characters. But the official synopsis provides a thorough breakdown of what awaits. Get ready for portals and pain. From Netflix:

The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.

Anyone else getting the sinking feeling from this Stranger Things 5 trailer that Jonathan is going to die? We do not want to see that. We don’t want to see any of these characters die. Hawkins has already known enough loss, and after years with these people, we just want nice things for them. You can check out even more new Stranger Things 5 images below.

Will all of them get a happy ending? Will any of them? The trailer for the final season of Stranger Things doesn’t inspire much confidence. But we’ll find out over the course of Stranger Things 5‘s three-volume, holiday-centric release schedule. Volume 1 debuts on November 26, 2025, with four episodes. Volume 2 follows with three episodes on Christmas, December 25. And the series finale airs on New Year’s Eve, December 31. Each volume of Stranger Things 5 will release on Netflix at the same time of day, 5 pm PT. That’s still a ways away, so we’ll strap in and wait for more teases and trailers from Stranger Things 5 in the meantime.

Hopefully, the power of friendship is enough to overcome the darkness of the Upside Down. Our bet is it will be. But only because those friends have Eleven on their side.