When the Duffer Brothers initially shopped around the idea that would become Stranger Things, they created a pitch deck to look like a battered copy of a mock Stephen King novel named Montauk. As well as featuring stills from classic works that inspired them, like Stand By Me and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, it detailed story structure, character outlines, and their intended resolution.
The Montauk bible, which has since been released online for die-hard fans to study, is the roadmap to Matt and Ross Duffer’s original vision for the series, and its DNA could hold the key to how Stranger Things will end. It reveals the themes and deeper meanings they were eager to explore, as well as which ideas have yet to materialize. With just one season left, this is the final chance to bring those early ambitions to life, and we can follow the bread crumbs of the Duffers’ original vision all the way to the series finale.
The ‘Stranger Things’ Finale Could Mirror the Ending of Season 1
Stranger Things was originally envisioned as an eight-episode story told in three distinct acts that ultimately became Season 1 — the third act sees the Party venturing into the Upside Down to save Will. It’s reasonable to assume that the Duffers closed out that first season with the ending they had intended for the story in its entirety, hinting that “some … will never escape” in their pitch. We know the Duffers won’t shy away from big deaths in Season 5, so how much is the story going to come full circle?
Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is set to be the central figure again this season, just as he was in the first. Season 1 ends with Joyce (Winona Ryder) coming to the rescue at the same time as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) uses her powers to obliterate the Demogorgon and banish herself to the Upside Down. If the fifth season truly mirrors the first, saving Will could demand the ultimate sacrifice from Eleven. The Duffers hinted at this in their original pitch with a Steven Spielberg comparison, saying, “Eleven is our E.T.” And just as E.T. went home, never to return, it’s possible that Eleven may not be able to remain in the human world, echoing her exit in Season 1, Episode 8, “The Upside Down.” The Season 5 finale’s mirrored title, “The Rightside Up,” only strengthens that possibility.
Stranger Things has been a flagship series for Netflix since July 2016, so there’s pressure for the show’s creators to deliver a winning finale. Thankfully, the Duffers clearly state in their original Montauk pitch that “there will be no loose ends after the finale” and “all our lead characters will have complete arcs.” By the time the credits roll, we should know everything about the Upside Down, who survives, and who doesn’t.
Mike and Nancy Wheeler Will Have Key Roles in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5
The potential death (or permanent departure) of Eleven is going to hit hard for our Dungeon Master, Mike (Finn Wolfhard), but it’s going to be a big season for the Wheelers overall, with many unanswered questions still looming. Will Nancy (Natalia Dyer) end up with Steve (Joe Keery) or Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)? Why are Karen (Cara Buono) and Holly (Nell Fisher) underwater in the Season 5 teaser trailer? And has Ted (Joe Chrest) noticed that anything is going on at all?
The Duffers’ original story gave Mike a very noticeable birthmark on his cheek, which would have been the reason he was bullied relentlessly. Omitting this physical characteristic highlights that no characters have been physiologically changed by their fight yet. Sure, there have been emotional scars, a coma, and some memorable deaths, but none of the main “party members” have a physical reminder that would stay with them later in life — think Xander (Nicholas Brendon) losing an eye at the hands of Caleb (Nathan Fillion) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 7. The Duffers originally chose to start the series with Mike having a physical mark, so they could decide to end his journey that way instead.
In the Montauk deck, the Duffer brothers also write that Nancy’s breakup after her “first fling” with Steve “leads to heartbreak and humiliation.” This then forces her to spend more time with Jonathan Byers and “experience love for the first time,” which we’re taking to mean more than a night on Murray’s (Brett Gelman) sofa bed. A coming-of-age trope is that first love runs deep, so if the Duffers don’t consider Nancy experiencing that with “safe bet” Steve, it looks like she could ultimately stay with Jonathan. Another relationship aspect referenced multiple times in the original pitch is divorce, initially linked to Lucas’ (Caleb McLaughlin) parents. The Sinclairs’ storyline has not been a significant focus in the series, making it unlikely to be introduced this late in the game. However, Stranger Things has consistently hinted at tension in Karen Wheeler’s (Cara Buono) marriage to Ted. Much like Nancy redefined herself in the series, Karen could seize the freedom and be in for a ride even wilder than a night with Billy (Dacre Montgomery).
‘Stranger Things 5’ Is Set To Reveal the Dark Side of Its Heroes
Stranger Things Season 5 could introduce another of the Duffers’ original ideas of having “a side character become key.” In the original Montauk pitch, Science teacher Mr. Clarke (Randy Havens) was intended to play a much more significant role. The deck notes that he would “become increasingly essential” throughout the story and ultimately help the party destroy the gate in Act Three. So far in the series, Mr. Clarke’s contributions have been minor — he does teach the boys about dimensions at Will’s fake wake and takes Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) out-of-hours calls, but he isn’t involved in the fight. Season 5 could offer Mr. Clarke a long-overdue chance to restore his originally envisioned importance, especially when you consider his role as supervisor of the A.V. Club and the new radio station location debuted in the teaser.
Another early concept sheds light on this idea. Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives (Aimee Mullins), was first conceived as a conspiracy-obsessed man with thick glasses — clearly a style reallocated to Murray Bauman. Terry was meant to be dismissed by Hopper (David Harbour) and others, but later emerged as an unexpected hero. Murray has already carved out a niche as the truth-teller of the group, but Season 5 could put him at the center of the action. This would be a welcome surprise, and, at this point, anyone could be essential in the final battle to save Hawkins.
Similar side characters have made a big impact throughout the seasons, and it usually doesn’t end well. Think Barb (Shannon Purser), Sean Astin’s Bob, and more recently, Eddie (Joseph Quinn), who said it was finally going to be his year, introduced Vecna to heavy metal, and then turned into a bat buffet. We have already seen the aftermath of Eddie’s demise in the teaser, where Dustin is kneeling by his defaced grave. This grief could allow the Duffers to weave in another one of their original and unused threads: “How do you cope with the abundance of evil in this world and, in the end, is it worth it?” Losing Eddie may push Dustin into darker coping mechanisms, where, on the surface, he remains “King Geek,” but, underneath, his grief leads him to choices that echo Eddie’s own struggles. The idea of trying to cope with internal demons alongside the otherworldly ones from the Upside Down was originally meant for Hopper, who would abuse barbiturates after “a tragic car accident” killed his daughter. With Dustin sporting a fresh shiner in the majority of the teaser, it gives reason to believe that the lovable Dusty Bun makes some choices that Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) would not approve of.
Lucas is also poised to wrestle with newfound darkness in the fifth season of Stranger Things. Originally named Lucas Conley, McLaughlin’s character was the short, loudmouthed comic relief, and the Duffers planned for him to “darken and deepen over the course of the series.” The teaser shows him at Max’s (Sadie Sink) bedside as she remains in a coma after her near-fatal encounter with Vecna. This incident has already started to transform Lucas into a more mature member of the party, and he looks set to expand into both protector and fighter as we go into the finale.
Is ‘Stranger Things 5’ the End of Hawkins?
The original Montauk pitch also includes world-building details that could still shape how the story ends. The Upside Down is said to seep into Hawkins itself, resulting in paranormal disturbances such as “loss of gravity.” This could account for the epic scenes in the latest Stranger Things teaser where Demogorgons and Eleven alike jump to great heights. Perhaps the most exciting element from the original Stranger Things deck is that the party “hopefully close [the] tear once and for all.” This would allow for the Duffer Brothers’ proposed continuation of the franchise into the ’90s with the old characters returning to Hawkins. A new series with “many of the same characters, themes, and horrors” could be explored, but with “a new ensemble of actors and a fresh time period.” Hawkins currently looks too far gone to save, and Season 5 seems set to deliver closure, but we already know that Demogorgons exist outside of Indiana (namely in Russia). There is still room for the Duffers (despite their recent deal with Paramount) to leave their own gate open, both for narrative reasons and as a way for Netflix to capitalize on the ’90s nostalgia every 15-year-old is currently making TikTok edits about.
The original Montauk pitch, crafted by the Duffer Brothers prior to the 2016 debut of Stranger Things, shows how much their original idea has grown. Many of its core elements remain intact in the series, and they’re a big part of why the show has become so beloved — taking it from an idea that traditional television networks repeatedly turned down to a signature series for Netflix with Broadway shows, endless merch, and spin-offs in the works. What truly makes Stranger Things a success is the clear vision and DNA laid out in that original deck, running consistently through every episode. We’ve been assured of an ending that’s meticulously planned, layered, and packed with both supernatural and human drama as our Hawkins heroes step into one final battle — one that is destined to leave lingering scars long after the credits roll.
The first part of Stranger Things Season 5 debuts on Netflix on November 25, with Part 2 releasing on Christmas Day and the finale on New Year’s Day.
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