We’re still a long way from Stranger Things 5 premiering on Netflix, but the ‘Strangers’ are hanging on to every measly breadcrumb that the writer’s room will offer to them. On Nov. 6, the official Stranger Things Twitter account posted an image of the Stranger Things 5, Episode #501 screenplay, thus revealing the title of the first episode, “Chapter One: The Crawl.” Naturally, the Strangers rushed to social media — namely Reddit — to theorize about what the ominous and ambiguous title might indicate.
When we last left the Hawkins gang, all the separate squadrons — known as the California gang, the Hawkins gang and the Russia gang — reunited at the Byers/Hopper household. Following the heartwarming displays of affection, Will Byers feels that familiar and foreboding tingle that has the hair on the nape of his neck standing to attention. When the gang — now together again — ventures out into the open field nearby to explore the source of alarm, they see that Hawkins has been ripped apart by four separate gates culminating at the heart of the idyllic town that lead to the Upside Down. They come to understand that because Max technically ‘died’ at the hands of Vecna, she was the fourth and final sacrifice (following Chrissy, Fred and Patrick) needed for Vecna to invade Hawkins.
So, “The Crawl.” What does it mean? Well, there are a number of theories floating around Reddit that encapsulate science-fiction ideology; there are several connotations branching from the world and/or verb ‘crawl’ or ‘to crawl.’ Whether or not the theory correlates with the events of Stranger Things isn’t too important, but it helps that eagle-eyed viewers have scoured the recent season to pick apart the minor details suggesting a significant connection.
As always, Reddit never disappoints. While it isn’t immediately obvious what ‘The Crawl’ is referring to, there are some implications to pick apart. Right now, Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) is in somewhat of a purgatory between Hawkins and the Upside Down as she fights for her life following an attack from Vecna. Some comments mentioned that Max could be ‘crawling’ out of the Upside Down? Or, perhaps in an effort to save Max and/or defeat Vecna, someone else is crawling into it. On the other hand, the physical sensation that Will Byers experience (i.e. the tingling at the back of his neck) could also be called a ‘crawling’ feeling that signals Vecna’s and/or the Mind Flayer’s presence.
Following on from that initial comment, other Strangers jumped in to share their own opinions.
Obviously, there’s always one jokester among the bunch.
However, one fairly confident comment declared that someone over on Twitter had cracked the code. In the tweet, the individual theorizes that Nancy Wheeler’s visions (which she experiences before and during Vecna’s pursuit of her) include glimpses of monsters that appear to be ‘crawling’ out of the Upside Down and into Hawkins. In fact, they’re crawling out of those four large gates that appeared after the sacrificial ritual was completed. There isn’t many holes in this theory, so it appears that @011scenes might have hit the nail on the head with this one.
Further testing the theory, another comment claimed that ‘The Crawl’ could be a connection to a DND dungeon crawl. Simply put, a dungeon crawl is a specific scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinth environment (known as a “dungeon”), and battle various monsters, avoid traps and solve puzzles. That type of situation seems fitting for a journey through the Upside Down, especially as that environment is crawling (pun intended) with monsters, traps and labyrinthian structures.
Whomever might be right, these theories are wild regardless. Any one of them could be accurate, but only time will tell before we get the real answers. Stranger Things 5 has yet to receive a confirmed release date, but fans can expect it to land in late 2023 at the earliest.