Stranger things characters returning in season 5

He returns as the shadow that refuses to die. Every breath he takes twists the Upside Down a little deeper into Hawkins.

Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna

She steps back into the fight carrying power and pain in equal measure. This time, her strength feels less like a gift and more like a reckoning.

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven

Will’s connection to the darkness tightens its grip. He knows the threat better than anyone, because it never really left him.

Noah Schnapp as Will Byers

Mike stands by Eleven again, but the stakes have pushed him into unfamiliar territory. His courage is starting to look a lot more grown up.

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler

Dustin returns with heart, humor, and that sharp mind that never stops analyzing. Even in the worst moments, he’s the spark the group leans on.

Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson

Lucas shows up steadier and harder than before. Losing Max changed him, and that weight sits quietly in every choice he makes.

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair

Max’s journey back from the edge is unfinished. Her presence carries both fragility and fire, like someone fighting her way out of a dream she didn’t choose.

Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield

Steve is still the reluctant hero who keeps showing up. The baseball-bat bravado is there, but so is a fierce protectiveness that keeps deepening.

Joe Keery as Steve Harrington

Nancy steps in with her investigative instincts sharper than ever. She moves like someone who has no patience left for half-truths.

Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler