MOVIE NEWS – The penultimate episode of Stranger Things Season 5 does far more than set the stage for the Netflix show’s long-anticipated finale. In building toward the story’s climax, the Duffer Brothers also weave in a key reference to the franchise’s official prequel, strengthening the narrative bond between the two.

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things Season 5, Vol. 2, as well as Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

The penultimate episode of Season 5, titled The Bridge, masterfully lays the groundwork for the series’ conclusion. While shaping the story’s final conflict, the Duffer Brothers also manage to reference a crucial prequel chapter. Premiering in London in December 2023, Stranger Things: The First Shadow explored events that unfolded before the show’s very first episode. Rather than focusing on Eleven and her friends saving the world, it turned its attention to an earlier period and to younger versions of characters such as Hopper.

More than a brief theatrical detour, The First Shadow was always presented as an official part of the Stranger Things timeline. Although seeing the play is not required for the television series to make sense, it expands the franchise’s mythology and clarifies several of its lingering mysteries. One specific piece of canon introduced on stage has now been paid off in Season 5, drawing the two projects even closer together.

It is revealed that the Upside Down is not a dimension of its own, but a wormhole leading to another realm known as the Abyss. As shown in The Bridge, the Upside Down was created when Eleven, as a young child, sent Henry Creel into the Abyss. The immense power of that act caused a rupture to form around Hawkins, creating the town’s twisted counterpart with Hawkins Lab at its center. In short, the Upside Down came into existence at that moment, and it did not exist before Henry was exiled, long before he became known as Vecna.

The First Shadow’s prologue, however, is set in 1943, when a naval vessel called the USS Eldridge is transported to the Abyss during experiments designed to render the ship invisible to enemy forces. The vessel eventually returns after its crew is attacked by creatures the audience later recognizes as Demogorgons, though they have not yet been named in the play. It is later revealed that Dr. Brenner’s father was among those on board and did not come back in good condition.

The play centers on Henry’s ability to access the Abyss without any external assistance, as well as the desire of others to replicate that power. Henry’s unique blood is revealed to be the source of this ability, prompting Dr. Brenner to infuse children with it in an attempt to further his understanding of how to reach the Abyss. When Eleven ultimately uses the powers derived from Henry’s blood to banish him, the creation of the Upside Down establishes a stable and tangible connection between Hawkins and the Abyss, fulfilling the ultimate goal of Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

How to Watch Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Unlike Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, whose script was released in book form, Stranger Things has not done the same with The First Shadow. As a result, the only way to experience the prequel play is to see it in person. While plot summaries are available online, the scope and impact of the production cannot be fully captured by simply reading about it.

There are currently two active productions of the play. One is running at London’s Phoenix Theatre in the UK, and the other is staged at New York’s Marquis Theatre in the US. Although it is possible that the script could eventually be released as a book, there are no immediate plans for this. Likewise, there has been no indication that the play will be adapted for the screen, either as a live-action version or a professional recording of the stage production.

Fortunately, as noted earlier, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is not strictly necessary for the Netflix series to make complete sense, beyond offering additional context to the story.

Source: MovieWeb