Stranger Things season 5 will finally answer key question that's plagued fans for years

Buckle in, because Stranger Things season 5 is nearly here – and it's about to answer all of the mysteries that have haunted us for almost a decade.

The beloved Netflix sci-fi is coming to an end this winter, and the Duffer Brothers recently gave us a taste of what we can expect.

Most excitingly, the pair have confirmed that a key question will finally be answered: what is the Upside Down?

In a recent interview with Variety, Ross Duffer explained that they knew that was a major question they had to answer going into the season 5 writing room, adding: “Every season would be like, ‘Should we talk about it?’ And we’d go, ‘No, let’s wait.’ And then finally, we’re like, ‘Well, we have to now!’”

Beyond that, however, "everything was on the table" for the final season, with writer Paul Dichter saying: “We had the names of every character on a whiteboard, and it was like anything is possible for any of these characters. They could live or die. They could end up together…”

Ultimately, after being burnt by finales of shows they've loved, it seems the pair are just eager to not disappoint the fans. And to wrap up every storyline, with Matt Duffer confirming: "We do every last remaining thing we wanted to do with the Demogorgons and Mind Flayer and Vecna and the Upside Down and Hawkins and these characters. This is a complete story. It’s done.”

The question of what the Upside Down actually is has been with fans since the very first episode, which saw Noah Schnapp's Will Byers abducted into the dark dimension.

Of course, fans have their own theories, ranging from the Upside Down being an actual realm separate to our world, to it being a manifestation of grief and trauma – or even a kind of purgatory. Whatever it ends up being, it's your last chance to get your theories in!

The Duffer Brothers also confirmed the runtimes of the episodes after much speculation, with the finale clocking in at about two hours long.

The new season is split into three releases, with the first batch of episodes landing in November and the second and third coming in December.

So, as the wait for season 5 enters the home stretch, here's to a very merry Christmas in the Upside Down!

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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