Who is Dr Kay in Stranger Things season 5? Linda Hamilton character explained

Stranger Things has certainly had its fair share of iconic '80s guest stars across its four seasons. From The Goonies’ Sean Astin as fan-favourite character Bob Newby to A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Robert Englund and The Princess Bride’s Cary Elwes, the beloved Netflix show is set to continue the tradition with its latest instalment.

Joining the cast for the fifth and final season is potentially its biggest guest star yet – as the series looks set to go out with a bang – with creators the Duffer Brothers managing to snag none other than sci-fi icon and Terminator star Linda Hamilton..

As we head back to Hawkins and the horrors of the Upside Down for the very last time, what can we expect from the shady-looking Dr Kay in Netflix’s beloved '80s inspired sci-fi adventure?

Here's everything we know so far about Linda Hamilton’s mysterious Stranger Things character!

Who is Dr Kay in Stranger Things season 5?

Described as a new government agent leading the investigation into the Upside Down in Hawkins, Dr Kay appears to be stepping into a similar role to Dr Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine), following his death in the penultimate episode of season 4.

With the town under military quarantine and the hunt for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) intensifying, Dr Kay has been described as another key antagonist for Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and the party to contend with, as she investigates the increasingly chaotic events while the Upside Down bleeds into the real world.

“She’s hyper-intelligent and intimidating,” Matt Duffer told Empire. “She’s a scientist but if she needs to, she can get into a fight and shoot a gun.”

And judging by the season 5 trailer, she’ll certainly be joining the fight. Despite being billed as a major obstacle for the group, she appears to bolster their ranks in the battle with the show's big bad – Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

As teased in the footage, there’s an intense action sequence for fans to look forward to, as an explosive battle rages between government officials and waves of attacking Demogorgons.

Amidst the fray, Hamilton can be seen standing alongside other soldiers firing their weapons at the deadly humanoid creatures who have escaped from the parallel universe.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the Duffers also revealed that the new character brings an “unhinged quality” and is described as “so scary” because she has no emotional connection to Eleven.

“There was that paternal quality that Brenner had. Dr Kay has none of those feelings. She really views her just as a weapon that needs to be acquired.”

Looks like it’ll be Judgment Day for Eleven!

Who is Linda Hamilton?

Actor Linda Hamilton is the latest in a long line of iconic '80s stars to join the behemoth Netflix show. She’ll be instantly recognisable to fans for her work across both TV and film – most notably for her role as Sarah Connor in James Cameron’s Terminator franchise.

First appearing in the role back in 1984’s The Terminator, Hamilton went on to star in two further major instalments – most memorably in the beloved sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), which saw her undergo an impressive transformation from the first film, and later in the sixth film, Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), as she returned 35 years on from the original alongside co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Hamilton also voiced the character in threequel Terminator Salvation (2009) and appeared in the Universal theme park attraction T2-3D: Battle Across Time.

Fans of NBC’s spy comedy Chuck will also recognise Hamilton as Mary Bartowski, the estranged mother of Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Ellie (Sarah Lancaster) – who was revealed to be a CIA agent. Very fitting!

But not content with saving the world in the Terminator franchise, Hamilton looks to be doing the same in the Stranger Things universe, as the seemingly apocalyptic events signal one final stand against Vecna.

So how did the Duffers Brothers get such an icon on board? Turns out she was a huge fan of the hit Netflix show all along!

“I don’t know how to be a fangirl and an actress at the same time,” she said during a video announcement at the Netflix Tudum event back in 2023. “I’m gonna work on that. I’ll see you in Hawkins.”

As we buckle up and grab the tissues for what’s bound to be an emotional rollercoaster of a fifth and final season later this month, let’s hope this isn’t “hasta la vista, baby” for Hawkins!

Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 will be released on Thursday 27th November in the UK. Seasons 1-4 are available on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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