Stranger Things is currently in the midst of its penultimate season with the final two supersized episodes set to debut on July 1st.
The Upside Down has been a massive part of the show from the beginning, when Will (Noah Schnapp) is trapped there, setting off a series of events that lead to the release of the monstrous Demagorgon and a variety of creatures like it throughout the following seasons. Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) is a girl with telekinetic powers that is said to be the one who opened up the portal to the Upside Down while being experimented on in a secret lab in Hawkins. She eventually escapes and closes the portal, but it has continued to be opened up time and time again, leading to the release of Stranger Things season 4 villain Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).
As Stranger Things season 4 prepares to come to a close, many questions remain about the Upside Down, including its origins and place in the world. While various aspects of its existence have been teased, it's yet to be revealed what it actually is. In an interview with Variety, the Duffer Brothers revealed that answers will be forthcoming about the Upside Down, saying, “A lot of those answers for The Upside Down is really what the basis of season 5 is about.” Stranger Things season 5 will additionally explore why the Upside Down is frozen in the year 1983, with the Duffers saying that it is a “huge part of season 5.”
It's unclear at the moment just where Stranger Things season 4 will leave the show (and the Upside Down), but it appears that the show will finally answer the question of what the Upside Down actually is in its final season. The Duffer Brothers revealed that they were still cracking the story for Stranger Things season 5 and that it may or may not feature longer episodes like the current season. Stranger Things season 4 has the longest episodes in the series to date, with the final episode of the season clocking in at two hours and 19 minutes.
The Upside Down is such a massive part of Stranger Things' mythology that it would feel disingenuous to not pay it off with the final season. Thus far it's operated mostly as a mysterious anomaly with little explanation outside a few teases here and there, so unraveling that mystery should rightfully be the focus. Providing closure is a stronger narrative choice than leaving it ambiguous, which would surely put fans off. With Stranger Things being such a tremendous success and having such a massive cultural impact, the pressure is on to deliver a satisfying finale that will honor the legacy of the series, rather than closing it out on another cliffhanger with no answers. Fortunately, it appears the Duffer Brothers are focused on doing just that with Stranger Things season 5.
Source: Variety