Held Back: [s5e1]

: Dr. Kay (played by Linda Hamilton) is introduced as a military official tasked with locating Eleven and overseeing operations in the Upside Down. Key Plot Points

: Robin Buckley uses her 500th radio broadcast to comfort the town's residents and keep them informed about the ongoing lockdown. [S5E1] Held Back

: The opening scene establishes a deep connection between Will's original kidnapping in Season 1 and Vecna's long-term plan, suggesting that Will was always a pivotal part of Vecna's design for the world. Stranger Things season 5 episode 1 recap and review : The opening scene establishes a deep connection

: Will, Mike, and Lucas—now high school seniors—attempt to maintain a low profile during the military occupation. Meanwhile, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and Robin operate from a local radio station, sending coded messages and coordinating "crawls"—dangerous scouting missions into the Upside Down by stowing away on military caravans. : The epicenter of the rifts at the

: The epicenter of the rifts at the old town library has been sealed off and designated as the "MAC-Z" (or "Big Mac"), where the military has established a base camp inside the Upside Down to investigate the dimension.

: Eleven is officially considered "missing" but is actually in hiding, training with Hopper and Joyce to regain and strengthen her powers for the eventual battle against Vecna.