Stranger Things Season 5 Episode Titles Allegedly Leaked Online - But What Do They Mean?
The long wait for "Stranger Things" Season 5 continues, but in the meantime, we've gotten a tease for what could be the final season's episode titles — at least, some of them. Noted Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider recently revealed some details on his industry newsletter The InSneider, sharing names for the first six of the season's eight episodes. Even if these titles are all accurate, they could change between now and the season premiere. Still, they provide some interesting tidbits for fans to chew on while they wait.
"Stranger Things" has been plagued by long production times that have been magnified by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood guild strikes. The result is a show that supposedly covers just a couple of years in-universe despite its young cast aging dramatically from season to season. Netflix and the Duffer brothers, the show's creators, have a tall task ahead of them in pulling almost a decade of work into a compelling finale. Because of the long gaps between seasons, speculation has become a key part of the "Stranger Things" fandom.
According to Sneider, the first six "Stranger Things" Season 5 episodes are titled, in order, "The Crawl," "The Vanishing of [Spoiler] Wheeler," "The Turbow Trap," "Sorcerer," "Shock Jock," and "Escape From Camazotz." They all fit the established archetype for "Stranger Things" episodes, blending retro movie naming conventions, fantasy tropes, and vague narrative clues. According to Sneider, the Duffers will direct the first two episodes, Episode 4, and the grand finale, which currently has no episode title attached. Episode 7 currently has no title or director attached.
Are there clues hidden in the Stranger Things 5 episode titles?
While nothing is certain, these supposed titles do offer some ideas as to what we can expect in the final "Stranger Things" season. The name of Episode 1, "The Crawl," has been officially confirmed by Netflix, and it likely has something to do with the grotesque Upside Down infection spreading through Hawkins at the end of "Stranger Things" Season 4. The phrase might refer to the spread itself, which seems to be expanding through the heart of the town like a disease. Alternatively, it could refer to a "dungeon crawl" from Dungeons & Dragons. That wouldn't be out of character for the show, and it might foreshadow a major quest in the very first episode of Season 5.
Episode 2's title suggests that either Nancy (Natalia Dyer) or Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) will go missing, though it could also involve one of their parents or their youngest sibling, Holly (Anniston and Tinsley Price). Sneider says that "The Turbow Trap" might be a typo and that it might actually be "Turnbow," though neither offers much information. "Sorcerer" and "Shock Jock" are classic "Stranger Things" titles, referring respectively to some kind of Upside Down-connected being (most likely) and the brash radio DJ style that was popular in the 1980s.
"Escape From Camazotz" is the most interesting of the bunch. Camazotz is a bat-like underworld spirit in Mayan myth, but this title is more likely referencing the planet Camazotz from Madeleine L'Engle's beloved 1962 novel "A Wrinkle in Time." In April 2023, the "Stranger Things" writers' X (formerly Twitter) account posted a picture of the book. In that story, Camazotz is a dark planet ruled by a hivemind that controls the other inhabitants. It's also the site of a rescue mission.
Everything is building toward a big Stranger Things finale
We can glean some curious info from the alleged titles revealed by Jeff Sneider, but we still don't know anything about the last two episodes of "Stranger Things" Season 5. If previous runtimes are any indication, they could be movies in themselves.
Sneider also claims that Frank Darabont will direct Episodes 3 and 5, "The Turbow Trap" and "Shock Jock." Darabont is a venerated figure in Hollywood, known for films like "The Green Mile," "The Blob," and most importantly, "The Shawshank Redemption." For "Stranger Things," though, Darabont's TV work may be more relevant, including his central role in the critically acclaimed Season 1 of "The Walking Dead." Darabont hasn't been very active over the last decade, so if he does end up directing two episodes of "Stranger Things" Season 5, it would be a pretty big deal.
When will all these "Stranger Things" questions be answered with the actual season premiere? That's still up in the air. Sneider claims there's a possibility that the first half of Season 5 could be released late this year, but 2025 looks more likely.