The citizens of Hawkins may cower before Demogorgons, but the fans of Stranger Things have become the ultimate detectives, rivaling even Sherlock Holmes in their analytical prowess. Before Season 5 Volume 1, they predicted with fervent certainty that Will Byers would awaken latent superpowers and that Kali Prasad would return to assist the gang in their battle against Vecna. Online forums brimmed with intricate flowcharts, timeline analyses, and psychic power breakdowns, proving that no Upside Down detail escaped their scrutiny.

Yet, despite this meticulous research, their predictions occasionally missed the mark in delightful and unexpected ways.

Fans were convinced that Mike Wheeler and Eleven would break up after the trailer showed them sitting on a rooftop at sunset, looking melancholic. Eleven’s line, “Mike, this is not like one of your campaigns,” was interpreted as a farewell. In the episode, however, the scene was an emotional conversation about whether their lives could ever truly be normal, emphasizing intimacy rather than romantic dissolution.

Early footage from Volume 1 trailers of Stranger Things suggested that Derek was destined to be the season’s chief tormentor, particularly toward Holly Wheeler, prompting viewers to prepare metaphorical pitchforks. Yet Derek surprised everyone by transforming from presumed hooligan to endearing ally. His sudden charm offensive was so effective that audiences shifted instantly from muttering about his misbehavior to applauding his unexpected wholesomeness, christening him “Delightful Derek” without hesitation.

Some fans constructed elaborate diagrams arguing that the cast might loop back through time to prevent the Upside Down’s origin, or that Henry Creel’s descent into monstrosity involved a temporal entanglement that somehow meant that he was actually Dr. Martin Brenner. Season 5 Volume 1, however, reiterated the Upside Down’s status as a snapshot frozen at Will Byers’s disappearance. 

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Ted Wheeler has always embodied suburban apathy, so fans imagined a heroic awakening in which he would spring from his armchair like an action figure and pummel a Demogorgon to protect Holly Wheeler. Reality, of course, was less triumphant. Ted did contribute a brief distraction, but a single swipe sent him flying, proving that enthusiasm alone cannot compensate for a lifetime spent avoiding household crises. Ted Wheeler’s supporters remain steadfast, insisting his finest hour has simply been delayed. Should he ever unleash that mythical potential, he may very well stroll into the Will Byers vs. Eleven debate and put a stop to it.

Given Will Byers’s past entanglements with the Mind Flayer, many believed he would once again be manipulated into becoming Vecna’s unwitting informant. Instead, the final moments of the volume upended every gloomy prediction. Will manifested psychic abilities that stunned both allies and skeptics, establishing that he was neither a pawn nor a fragile bystander, but a formidable participant ready to confront the darkness head-on.

What fan theories do you think would never make it to this list? Let us know in the comments!