We are just hours away from the Stranger Things 5 finale, which also means we are just hours away from the show's final ever episode. Netflix has ensured that its biggest ever hit will bow out in appropriately larger-than-life style, with a two-hour finale on New Year's Eve that the world will undoubtedly be consuming as they ring in 2026.
There are a lot of uncertainties about the fates of characters, with fans understandably worried about their favorite characters (we see you Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson fans!). But there are also some certainties, as it's pretty clear that the vast majority of the fan-favorite characters will walk away from their showdown with Vecna in the Upside Down/the Abyss. There is one, in particular, who is destined to survive.
Hopper will survive the Stranger Things finale
As much as Stranger Things season 5 wants us to believe that Hopper's life is in jeopardy, it isn't. Yes, he's venturing into the Upside Down along with his family and friends to stop their gravest challenge from Vecna yet, and yes he will come face-to-face with the creature formerly known as Henry Creel / One. But he isn't dying - and here's why.
Hopper's life has been in danger throughout the vast majority of the show's run. He very nearly died in the first season when he crossed paths with Dr. Brenner and the other questionable individuals at the Hawkins Lab. He nearly got strangled by the Upside Down's vines and was almost eaten by multiple Demodogs in season 2. He actually "died" at the end of season 3 when the key to the new Gate exploded beside him (but he actually ended up surviving and being taken prisoner in Russia). Having survived his prison ordeal in season 4 and a run-in with the Demogorgon, he decided he was going to sacrifice himself in season 5 in order to take out Vecna in the conclusion of Volume 1.
For a moment, it really seemed like it might be it for Hopper, but he ultimately decided against it when he discovered that it wasn't Vecna that the military was holding. And Eleven wasn't very happy about his decision to make this sacrifice, leading to tension between the father-daughter duo.
Simply put: The show has toyed with Hopper's sacrifice far too many times for it to carry any kind of emotional weight, so it would be redundant to actually kill him off in the final episode. It would actually be much more meaningful if the man who constantly chose to put himself at risk ended up living.
Vecna is destined for death
It's hard to imagine any other outcome from the Stranger Things 5 finale than Vecna dying. He's the apparent big bad of the show and, in spite of any fan theories regarding Henry Creel's potential for good, he has to end in order for the Upside Down nightmare to end. The only question will be: How?
Fans are hoping that it might be revealed that the Mind Flayer was the real villain all along, influencing and encouraging Henry to do his bidding. If that were the case, the best case scenario for him would be sacrificing himself to take the dimension down with him in an attempt to fight back against the sickness that it has caused.
Or Eleven, Will, and Kali might be the trio to take him down once and for all. We're all waiting to see Eleven get her revenge on him, and for Will to finally pay him back for the years of torture. Now might be that time.
Dr. Kay will fall before it's all over
Even though the character has been somewhat underdeveloped, Linda Hamilton has been exhilarating to watch as Dr. Kay. The military's new leader, if you will, she has even been given Sullivan orders this season, which makes her all the more intimidating. The same could be said about the fact that Kali now has a personal connection to her as we know that she was constantly draining her blood over an extended period of time.
It's hard to take the military seriously as a threat when our heroes are understandably more concerned about the looming end-of-the-world danger from Vecna and the Upside Down. But that won't stop them being a thorn in their side, so don't be surprised if they too find their way into the Upside Down and meet some grizzly ends.
For Dr. Kay, though, she could very well meet her end at the hands of Kali, who has a score to settle with her.
Kali won't leave the Upside Down alive
One of the biggest moments of the season came when Eleven discovered that her "Lost Sister" Kali, a.k.a. Eight, had been taken by the military. The two reunited and have since escaped the Upside Down but their return to the dark dimension could come with some major consequences.
Kali has plans to end the dangers of the Abyss and stick around as it falls, along with Eleven. Knowing that the military wants to use El's blood to make more like them and Henry, she thinks the best way out of it all is to simply go down with the ship. At the moment, Eleven is on-board, but something tells us that it won't end that way - especially as they have already told us that it might.
Fans are convinced that Kali might turn evil before the end of the finale while others are hoping that she will exit the Upside Down with the other survivors. We'll have to wait and see, but don't be too surprised if she doesn't take too well to a change of heart from Eleven.