The ending of Stranger Things season 4 silently confirmed a welcome change for Eleven and the Byers family in Season 5’s Hawkins story.
The stranger things The Season 4 finale secretly resolved an issue with the Byers family moving on from Hawkins. The Season 3 ending saw Joyce, Will, Jonathan, and Eleven pack up their home in Hawkins as they moved on from the trauma and supernatural quirks of their home. It was soon revealed that the Byers family had moved from California to provide security for Eleven, but the only positive change in their new home seemed to be Jonathan’s friendship with the new stranger things Argyle character.
Although the Byers’ new home in California was a big change in the early episodes of stranger things season 4, the location was completely left behind once Eleven was taken to Nina Project Lab in Nevada. The “Californian gang” spent most of their time stranger things season 4 on the road, with the characters finally reaching Hawkins in the final moments of the season finale. Of course, the Hawkins the Byers family returns to aren’t the Hawkins they left, as the town was devastated by the Vecna takeover in reverse.
Although not confirmed in the episode, the stranger things The season 4 finale implies that the Byers family has officially returned to Hawkins for season 5. Alongside the entire family reunited there in Hopper’s cabin, the stranger things the creators announced that almost all of Season 5 would take place in Hawkins, with the character groups largely repeating those of the first season. Rather than make the mistake of continuing to separate them from the larger supernatural story by keeping the Byers family in California, the stranger things The Season 4 ending did the right thing by quietly revealing that Joyce, Will, Jonathan, and Eleven will be returning to Hawkins throughout the final season.
Why the Byers family had to return to Hawkins
California’s history in stranger things Season 4 introduced some interesting personal conflicts and obstacles for the Byers family, but their history throughout the series proves they belong with Hawkins. In particular, moving to California strained the romantic relationships between Jonathan and Nancy and Eleven and Mike, while further alienating Will and Mike. To resolve these issues, it was clear that the Byers family would have to return to Hawkins full-time. Since they had already sold their home in Hawkins, it is unclear where they will be living for stranger things season 5, but it seems the most obvious choice is for Joyce, Will, and Jonathan to move into Hopper and Eleven’s cabin.
The Byers return to Hawkins in stranger things Season 4 is also a pivotal fix to their story given that Eleven and Will are the main focal points of Season 5. With the final battle against Vecna, Will and the Byers had to return to Hawkins to complete the “full circle” finishing. stranger things began with Will’s abduction from Hawkins, and it’s teased to end with Will’s connection to the Upside Down version of Hawkins. As all the personal and supernatural stories come to an end, the Byers family returns to Hawkins to stranger things season 5 resolves many issues with their physical separation from other characters and conflicts.
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