The Stranger Things 5 theory so out there it could actually be true

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 marked the beginning of the end of a show that has been nearly 10 years in the making. As a result, the stakes were higher than ever, and the first four episodes didn't pull any punches. Vecna is finally back after his haunting introduction in Season 4, and he intends to execute the final step in his master plan to get revenge on mankind as a whole. The only problem? We don't know what exactly his goal is, other than that it involves kidnapping 12 children.

At first glance, it seems Henry Creel is simply planning to "break, reshape, and take control" of these kids to have an army of warriors by his side. If the military can't stand their ground against a single version of Vecna, then imagine trying to do so against 12 of them. However, the number of victims seems oddly specific. Besides, this plan seems a bit too simplistic for someone as meticulous and obsessive as Henry (who could be under the influence of a smarter being known as the Mind Flayer, if Stranger Things: First Shadow is anything to go by).

So, what could really unfold in the finale of Stranger Things? Well, Volume 1 might've given us a clear answer disguised as a drawing and one vague line of dialogue between Mike and Holly Wheeler. But before we dive into it, it's important to explain what the Upside Down could really be.

What the Upside Down really is, and why a wall surrounds it

During Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 3, everyone's favorite professor, Scott Clarke, made a brief comeback, and he gave a lecture on a very interesting topic: Einstein-Rosen bridges (or wormholes, for short). Fans were quick to point out that the diagram Scott drew on his chalkboard seems oddly similar to the drawing Will made, which was used to explain that Vecna will kidnap 12 children and connect them to some mysterious spires. This parallelism, as we're about to find out, might not be coincidental.

As explained by Professor Clarke, a wormhole is a "shortcut" that connects two different points across space-time. This theoretical concept was named "Einstein-Rosen bridge" because it serves to "bridge" the distance between two places that, otherwise, would be insanely far away from one another. Well, wouldn't you know it, but a wormhole might already exist in the quiet town of Hawkins, and it leads directly to a realm filled with terrifying creatures like Demogorgons and Demobats.

Stranger Things production designer Chris Trujillo revealed that the Upside Down is an "amalgamation of the alternate dimension where (...) Number One gets pushed", and the town of Hawkins. With that in mind, it can be theorized that the Upside Down itself is a wormhole that bridges our world and the barren wasteland filled with floating rocks known as Dimension X—the same place where Eleven banished Henry back in Season 4.

If the Upside Down really is a fissure in space-time, it would explain why it is stuck in November 3, 1983. After all, this is the very same date Eleven first made contact with a Demogorgon and opened the wormhole that connects Hawkins with Dimension X. Furthermore, this theory would also answer why there's a wall surrounding the whole place. As shown in the hand-drawn diagram above, a wormhole has a tubular shape that exactly matches the circular wall surrounding the Upside Down. Hawkins National Laboratory is at the center of it all because it was the place where Eleven first opened this gateway.

From our heroes' perspective, there's no need to "defeat" or kill the Mind Flayer or Vecna. It could suffice to close the existing wormhole to end the nightmare that Dimension X has brought. From the villain's perspective, they need to do the opposite and strengthen this connection. There's only one problem: This bridge only exists in Hawkins and nowhere else across the world. That's why the Russians weren't able to open a portal to the Upside Down from within their home country during Season 3, and they were forced to continue their research in the small town of Indiana.

If the Mind Flayer wants to launch an all-out attack on humanity as a whole, it can't deploy its forces from within a single, small point. Otherwise, it would create a bottleneck that could prove to be the villain's downfall. That's why Vecna might've been tasked with creating a stronger wormhole that fits the entirety of Earth and Dimension X, basically merging the two in the process. Well, that's where the 12 kids come in.

Vecna wants to kidnap 12 kids to create a time paradox that forms a bridge between Dimension X and Earth

It's time for a bit of theoretical physics. Let's go back to the drawing that Professor Clarke made on his chalkboard. Right next to it, you can see the words "Closed Timelike Curve" written inside a circle. Well, a Closed Timelike Curve is a theoretical concept that basically describes a timeloop; a succession of events that end in the exact same point where they started. We know that time and space are intrinsically connected, so if you were to bend time into a perfect loop, you'd also bend space just enough to create a wormhole (at least, that's what the theory dictates).

The answer is very clear: Vecna simply needs to create a timeloop to "widen" the existing wormhole between Earth and Dimension X, or create an even bigger one. And how can he accomplish this? Well, in the words of the Duffer Brothers themselves, by "bringing things full circle."

Lucas said it himself: It isn't a coincidence that Vecna started kidnapping kids just 3 days away from the anniversary of the date when the villain first captured Will. Vecna wants to end things on the same date that the nightmare first started, thus bringing things full circle. Every kid could represent a different hour in a grandfather clock, explaining why 12 of them are needed to "close the loop". Now, let's take a look at the following image:

This is pure speculation on our side, but the first picture could showcase Will connected to one of the same spires where the rest of the kidnapped kids were taken to. If so, it would make sense for Will to represent the twelfth tick of a clock; the one that marks the beginning of a loop while simultaneously representing its end. After all, the whole tale began with the vanishing of Will Byers, and it might end the same way.

Vecna could look to end things on the anniversary of the night when his plan first began. He'd have 12 victims, each representing a different hour in a grandfather clock, and the twelfth tick would be marked by Will Byers, who was the monster's first victim and will likely prove to be his last. As simple as that, Vecna might have all the tools needed to form his own twisted version of a time loop, thus creating a wider wormhole or "bridge" between Earth and Dimension X. But even then, there remains one last question: Why kidnap "weak-minded" kids in the first place?

Kids are more prone to being scared, and strong emotions have a big role to play in Stranger Things

Last, but certainly not least, we need to address the role that emotions play in all of this. During Stranger Things Season 4, it is revealed that Vecna uses the intense trauma and fear from his victims to open portals from Hawkins directly to the Upside Down. It's also important to remember that Eleven pulled from some of her happiest memories to vanish Henry Creel to Dimension X in the first place.

It appears that intense emotions are somehow able to pierce through the space-time continuum and create a deeper connection between Earth and Dimension X (This specific aspect seems to be tied to the Mind Flayer, but that's a theory for another time). This would also explain why certain songs—which evoke a deep emotional reaction—can break Vecna's curse. Strong emotions are at the forefront of this tale.

Will experienced such an extreme fear back in Stranger Things Season 1 that he phased back and forth between Hawkins and the Upside Down in Season 2. As Vecna would say, Will broke "so easily" because he was "weak in mind". The kid's trauma taught Vecna that extreme emotions are capable of bringing Earth and Dimension X closer. Vecna doesn't want to corrupt his victims to make them evil. He wants to break the kidnapped children and make them feel a fear so intense that it brings Earth and Dimension X closer, replicating what he was able to achieve with Will in the first place (once again, bringing things full circle).

That's why the monster is targeting kids to complete the timeloop—because they are more prone to being afraid of the unknown. This would also explain why it was of vital importance that a seemingly normal person, such as Mr. Whatsit, lured the children into the spires first; because he's trying to make them feel safe until November 6, when he'll exploit their biggest traumas to close a loop of events that will finally merge Dimension X and Earth into one by widening their connecting wormhole.

The supporting evidence that backs the theory up

Interestingly enough, there might be some pieces of evidence to back up this crazy timeloop and wormhole theory. Remember when Mike Wheeler tried to emotionally support Holly by giving her a DnD figure? Well, this figure is called "Holly the Heroic", and one of her powers is to "cast a dimension door, which can teleport you". In the same way, Vecna could be planning to create a dimensional door, known as a wormhole, between Earth and Dimension X by using 12 kids, including Holly. This little piece of dialogue could have foreshadowed what's to come. Besides, Holly likes to read A Wrinkle in Time, which is all about traveling through space-time.

Secondly, when Max Mayfield dug into Henry's memories, she found a flyer that revealed Joyce directed a play called Oklahoma! back on November 6th, 1959, in which Henry Creel (a.k.a. Vecna) participated. Well, November 6, 1983, is also the date when Will was kidnapped, and the portal to the Upside Down was first opened.

Incidentally, Stranger Things Season 2 Episode 3 has a blink-and-you-miss-it moment at the 8:03 mark where a sign reads "Vote here Nov. 6th". During that same season, audiences see Eleven close the gate she first opened to the Upside Down just on the eve of November 6, 1984. It's clear that all of these events are taking place in some sort of repeating "loop", à la Dark. That's why Vecna could take advantage of the circular nature of time to finally close the loop and create a stronger wormhole between Earth and Dimension X in the process.

Last, but certainly not least, it's important to remember that for some mysterious reason, Eleven can't find where Holly and Vecna are using her telepathic powers. Well, if the wormhole theory proves to be true, then Vecna could've retreated to Dimension X with his victims, which is a completely separate realm outside of Eleven's reach. Even if El were to try to contact them from within the Upside Down, it would prove to be useless. Besides, this would also explain why monsters don't always show up in the Upside Down, as their real home really is Dimension X. Otherwise, the creatures would have already destroyed the new military base that's lying in the Upside Down. Similarly, the Mind Flayer hasn't been seen again since Season 2 because he's back in his true home world.

Only time will tell what the Upside Down really is, why Vecna needs 12 kids to enact his plan, and why emotions play a big part in all of this. However, one thing's certain: All of these elements are connected, and it won't be long before we find out the truth.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 will be released on December 25, 2025 on Netflix.