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Credit: NetflixStranger Things may have cast a new actress as Eleven in Season 5.
It’s hard to think of a cliffhanger as nail-biting as the Stranger Things Season 4 finale, “The Piggyback.” Not only was Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) left in a coma by Vecna/One/Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower), but Hawkins was split in half by a supernatural earthquake, which allowed for the Upside Down to start bleeding into our world, foreboding white ash and all.
The final shot shows our favorite Stranger Things characters watching in horror from a hilltop as their hometown becomes consumed by the hellish shadow dimension. Now, they face the fight of their lives, and this time, the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance. But how will things play out for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the rest of the gang?
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Prequel Arrives, Sees Return of Several Characters From Main Series
It’s reasonable to assume that the final season will have its fair share of fatalities. So far, the series has fallen into the habit of only dispatching new characters (despite how gut-wrenching their deaths were, Barbara Holland, Bob Newby, and Eddie Munson all died in the same season that introduced them). But in Season 5, all bets are off: no one is safe.
There’s one character, however, who may just survive. Telekinetic teenager Eleven/Jane Hopper is Hawkins’ last hope against the literal-likeminded “dark wizard” Vecna (who recently returned in a brand-new Stranger Things prequel). While every character in the show is a hero in their own right (Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler, Jim Hopper, to name a few), ultimately, the super-powered Eleven is the only one who can face Vecna.
Perhaps it’s just difficult for us to imagine a beloved and seemingly unstoppable character like Eleven being killed off. But what’s even harder is the idea of someone else playing her besides Millie Bobby Brown, who has become synonymous with the character. However, rumor has it that Terminator icon Linda Hamilton, who has been cast in Season 5, will be playing a much older version of Eleven, which lends to the idea that she will survive long beyond the battle for Hawkins.
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This rumor has been doing the rounds since Hamilton was announced to be part of the cast last year. Along with the likes of Den of Geek and Joe, some fans on X have also put forward the possibility. One user, @alexduthiex, shares their theory that time travel will be introduced in Season 5, and that Linda Hamilton will be “the future Eleven”:
Theory: Time travel to be introduced in the final season of ‘STRANGER THINGS’ and Linda Hamilton will be the future Eleven. Full breakdown of how this could work inside: coveredgeekly.com/time-travel-mi
Theory: Time travel to be introduced in the final season of 'STRANGER THINGS' and Linda Hamilton will be the future Eleven.
Full breakdown of how this could work inside: https://t.co/yqu7kLNctG pic.twitter.com/pKK0rnzG32
— Alex Duthie (Duff-eee) (@alexduthiex) June 26, 2023
@Dev_Discourse also wonders whether Hamilton will play a new version of Eleven:
Stranger Things Season 5: Will Linda Hamilton play new Eleven after time travel?
Stranger Things Season 5: Will Linda Hamilton play new Eleven after time travel? https://t.co/8vly2AnZZR
— Devdiscourse (@Dev_Discourse) June 23, 2023
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Discusses Character Death Ahead of Season 5 Release
As we all know, Hamilton, 67, is no stranger to time travel, having played Sarah Connor, the mother of future resistance leader John Connor (Edward Furlong), in the two iconic sci-fi classics The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).
But while her Stranger Things character remains undisclosed, it’s possible she’s playing a future version of Eleven, whether it’s in some sort of premonition, a flash-forward epilogue like that of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part II (2011), or even time travel.
Given the emphasis on “time” throughout Season 4, time travel may play a huge part in the upcoming season, as it may be the only way for Eleven to reverse what Vecna has done to Max, and maybe even Hawkins, too. We’re also yet to see the true extent of Eleven’s incredibly versatile telekinetic powers, which may very well include being able to travel into the past and the future.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Reveals First Look at Season 5’s Chapter 1
Regardless of who Hamilton is playing in Stranger Things Season 5, whether it’s the “new Eleven” or an original character, the actress isn’t keen to revisit her work. While promoting Syfy’s Resident Alien, she recently told Us Weekly that she’ll avoid watching Season 5, saying, “I’ve watched every season with relish. I just love it. So it’s kind of, like, imposter syndrome where I don’t [feel that I] fit in there. That’s a whole world set in the ’80s.”
“When you really buy into something, you don’t see yourself in it,” she added. “So I think in a way, it kind of ruined the show for me. I never watch [a project], once I’m in something. It would just completely take me out of the reality of it to see myself in there. So I won’t be watching [Season 5].”
Netflix is reportedly eyeing a 2025 release for Stranger Things Season 5.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Becomes Supergirl for DCU Reboot
Stranger Things seasons 1 — 4 are streaming on Netflix.
Season 4 stars Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven/Jane Hopper), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Joseph Quinn (Eddie Munson), Paul Reiser (Dr. Sam Owens), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Matthew Modine (Papa/Martin Brenner), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), and Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/One/Henry Creel).
Do you think Linda Hamilton is playing an older version of Eleven in Stranger Things Season 5? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!