Today is November 6th, often recognized as Stranger Things Day. This date holds significance as it marks the exact moment in 1983 when Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) vanishes into the Upside Down. It’s also the night when Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) escapes from the grim Hawkins National Laboratory, crawling through a drainpipe back into the real world. So, November 6th isn’t just any day—it’s a pivotal point in the series.
To celebrate Netflix‘s upcoming season 5, we’re revisiting the immensely popular series, starting with the first season. Stranger Things debuted on Netflix over nine years ago, back in July 2016.
For those who have seen Season 1, it’s likely that certain moments linger in your mind. Who could forget Eleven dashing out of the supermarket clutching a stolen box of Eggos? Or Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) surrounded by Christmas lights, desperately trying to communicate? And then there’s Steve (Joe Keery), who started off as a villain, and the collective heartbreak we felt for Barb (Shannon Purser). But maybe, just maybe, there are some details we’ve overlooked about that first season.
Here are five intriguing observations I came across during my rewatch, touching on themes, easter eggs, and, yes, some peculiar coincidences from Stranger Things Season 1…
Is the beginning the end?
All right, I can see diehard Stranger Things fans rolling their eyes now. But, honestly, I completely overlooked how much foreshadowing was packed into that Dungeons & Dragons game in the cold open. I mean, I just remembered kids hanging out in a basement—could it be hinting at Will’s abduction and maybe even his fate?
After watching Season 4, I can’t shake the feeling that, rather than Eleven, Will Byers is going to be key in defeating Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). The trailer for the new season only reinforces that, suggesting Will plays a crucial role as the story wraps up, even though Eleven is, well, the strongest fighter on the good side. Recall that Vecna briefly takes control of Will and promises to ‘help’ him one last time.
In that cold open, Will’s D&D character, “Will the Wise,” faces a tough choice—should he cast a protection spell or unleash a fireball on the Demogorgon? He decides on the fireball but rolls a measly 7 when he actually needed at least a 13. Interesting that the symbolism of Will the Wise keeps recurring through the series. He tends to take a passive role in battles. Will he actually wield that fireball in season 5? Many peculiar events have unfolded on this show…
What is X-Men 134 About? Dark Phoenix joins the Hellfire Club
Shortly after their D&D adventure, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) dares Will to a bike race home, with the winner snagging a comic of their choice. Will makes a beeline for a specific issue of X-Men. But why that particular issue?
X-Men 134 explores a notable confrontation between the X-Men and the Hellfire Club, culminating in Phoenix, aka Jean Grey, switching allegiances and joining the dark side as Dark Phoenix.
Could this be hinting at a potential betrayal by Will? After all, he was once possessed by the Mind Flayer. Will Vecna tempt him toward the dark side in Season 5?
And let’s not overlook the upside-down perspective. Our heroes have essentially adopted the essence of the Hellfire Club. Eleven’s abilities closely mirror Jean Grey’s, who grew up under Dr. Brenner’s dark guidance—much like Professor X’s school for mutants. Could this connection imply something about Eleven’s potential role in Stranger Things’s Hellfire Club?
Bed… Hopper?
Reflecting on Hopper (David Harbour) from Season 1 brings back a wave of nostalgia. Everyone seemed to have a lot to say about his troubled background, battling alcoholism and emotional turmoil. But what I hadn’t really grasped was that Hopper used to be a total womanizer!
There’s a casual suggestion that he and Joyce might have had a thing back in the day, paired with scenes where he’s in bed with a woman named Sandra, whom he dismisses rather cruelly. He even had a threatening encounter with Marissa, the town librarian. During my rewatch, I found myself pondering who these women were, marveling at how Hopper’s past relationships were all but forgotten. I even questioned if some recent tabloid stories about Harbour might have resurfaced memories of those moments, but ultimately, Hopper dodged the bullet!
That It’s everywhere
It was clear that Stephen King had a strong impact on the Duffer brothers, and I discovered they originally pitched a hard adaptation of the WB’s version before Cary Fukunaga and Andy Muschietti came onboard. But it wasn’t until I watched both series back-to-back that I fully appreciated their connections.
Whether it’s the scene where Ace in “Girls” practices shooting or the kids facing monstrous threats, the echoes of the past are everywhere in Season 1.
Oh, I totally forgot these guys were on this show.
Honestly, I have to admit it was embarrassing how many times I forgot that actors like Chris Sullivan from This Is Us, John Reynolds from Search Party, and Amy Seimetz appeared in Season 1.
While I recalled Seimetz as Eleven’s witty aunt, I completely lost track of that connection over time. The fact that the police officer looking for Will Byers—and part of the search party—was the same guy from Search Party just slipped my mind. But honestly, my biggest oversight was forgetting about Chris Sullivan’s character, Benny Hammond.
Not only has Chris Sullivan moved on to star in hugely popular series, but many disregard his character’s sacrifices in Stranger Things. While fans expressed heartbreak for Barb, it seems like there was little recognition for the diner owner who helped Eleven by feeding her, only to meet a tragic end. Justice for Benny! And Chris Sullivan!
