In 2016, the streaming service Netflix landed a real hit series: ‘Stranger Things’ is about a group of young teenagers who are searching for their missing friend and encounter not only the mysterious girl Eleven, but also supernatural events surrounding their town. Popular not only with fantasy, mystery and science fiction lovers, the series concept, which is now entering its final season, impresses above all thanks to great film references, creepy monsters and the plot setting, which is set in the 1980s. While the now impressively large fan base can't get enough of the adventures of the series gang, the EMP Online Shop offers great Stranger Things fan merchandise to sweeten the time without new episodes. So what are you waiting for? Follow us into the Upside Down!

Stranger Things kicks off its final season: What we know and which dates you should mark in your calendar

Every series comes to an end at some point. And even successes like Stranger Things are no exception. The streaming service Netflix has already given us a little preview of the grand finale. In a sneak peek, viewers saw that the plot is set in 1983 again. More specifically, a few days before Will's disappearance (in season 1). And to make it look as realistic as possible, actor Noah Schnapp was digitally rejuvenated. This little preview shows once again how dark and exciting the new (and final) season will be: We see Will being attacked by a Demogorgon and then captured by Vecna. It remains to be seen how the battle between good and evil will turn out this time. But let's stay optimistic!

Haven't seen the first seasons of Stranger Things or already forgotten them? Then you've missed out!

In the following sections, we'll briefly summarise what you need to know to be fully prepared for season 5.

Season 1: Will disappears

The story of Stranger Things begins in 1983 in the small town of Hawkins in the US state of Indiana. Here, young Will disappears without a trace on his way home. His friends, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, set out to search for him and encounter a mysterious, mute girl with ‘011’ tattooed on her arm. The friends give the girl the name ‘Eleven’. It soon becomes apparent that the child, who managed to escape from Hawkins National Laboratory, has telekinetic powers. With the help of her friends, Eleven hides in Mike's basement. She uses her abilities to find Will. At the same time, Will's mother notices that supernatural events are suddenly taking place in the house. While investigating the case, Sheriff Hopper comes across clues that point to the ‘Upside Down’, a dark parallel world. Elf, who definitely played a part in Will's rescue, disappears after defeating the Demogorgon. However, everything points to the Upside Down still existing. In keeping with season 1, you can of course order exclusive ‘Stranger Things’ merchandise from EMP, whether it's figures, kitchen accessories or home accessories – with these unusual fan items, you can bring your series heroes right into your home.

Season 2: New characters and Eleven's search for herself

Will is back in Hawkins. However, he cannot shake off his experiences. He keeps having visions and cannot stop thinking about the Upside Down. Eleven is also thinking about her past. She wants to find out more about herself. At the same time, viewers are introduced to new characters, such as Max and her brother Billy. Eleven finally discovers that she is the result of illegal human experiments conducted at Hawkins Laboratory. And as if that weren't enough, a portal to the shadow world opens, releasing hordes of Demogorgons. Once again, the friends must work together. With Eleven's help, they manage to close the portal again. And now (and with the experience gained from season 1), fans know that there is really only one question left: How long will the peace last? EMP also has a whole range of Stranger Things fan merchandise for season 2 that you can buy to immerse yourself in the world of Upside Down – including posters, books and accessories.

Season 3: The tentacle monster breaks free

In the third season of Stranger Things, Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and Max are once again confronted with a host of challenges. Here, the tentacle monster that Will has already encountered in his visions re-enters the stage. The goal of the monster, also known as the ‘Mind Flayer’, is to destroy everything that stands in its way. It goes without saying that this causes a great deal of chaos in season 3. One new and particularly captivating detail is that the monster can communicate with the friends using telepathy. It quickly becomes clear that the Mind Flayer, which lives up to its name, wants to destroy the real world with its army of monsters from the shadow world. However, in order to succeed, it needs a human host. It has found one in Billy, Max's older brother. Due to his already aggressive nature, he is an easy victim. Police Chief Hopper and Will's mother Joyce take on a more prominent role in the season because they repeatedly stand by the children. One thing is certain: Stranger Things proves with season 3 that series plots do not have to flatten out over time. Especially in terms of suspense and action, the ‘third round’ definitely does not have to hide behind its predecessors.

Season 4: Many changes of location and a new enemy

In season 4, Will and Eleven leave Hawkins and move to California. However, their friends remain in their old home town. And this is where things get exciting and dangerous (once again). The town is shaken by a brutal series of murders. Vecna, a new adversary, is able to attack people from a distance. When a cheerleader is killed, suspicion (wrongly) falls on Eddie, the group's dungeon master. Over time, however, more and more about Vecna's past becomes known. And the story surrounding Eleven doesn't get boring either. She loses her powers and is once again confronted with her past. At the same time, Joyce and Murray travel to Russia, where they want to free Hopper from the prison where Demogorgons are being held captive, while Max in Hawkins increasingly becomes the focus of Vecna's attention. In the end, he survives, seriously injured. Max falls into a coma. And in the final minutes of this season, it should have been clear to many that everything is crying out for a sequel. After all, the boundaries between the real world and the Upside Down are becoming increasingly blurred. A final battle between good and evil is needed to bring clarity. And that's exactly what season 5 seems to offer.

You can find a detailed recap of all seasons in our MAG until the finale starts.

Did you know? An overview of exciting fan and fun facts!

If you enjoy exciting facts about your favourite series, you should definitely read on. Stranger Things also has a lot to offer here! Whether you want to show off your knowledge at the next convention or simply want to bring yourself up to date, you'll find the right ‘food’ here!

• Those responsible invested a lot of time in finding the right actors. A total of 906 boys and 307 girls were cast.
• Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the role of Eleven, appeared on set today wearing a glittery outfit. And to this day, no one knows why.
• And another fact about Millie Bobby Brown: none other than Stephen King recommended her after seeing her in the BBC series ‘Intruders’.
• The plot of Stranger Things is based on various conspiracy theories, which repeatedly claim that the US government is conducting experiments on children.
• The role of Eleven is said to have been inspired by E.T. Gestures and emotions are more important than words for both characters.
• The main actors are said to keep in touch with each other off set. There is reportedly a WhatsApp group called ‘Stranger Texts’.

Stranger Things: A look at the cast of season 5

Passionate fans can breathe a sigh of relief: almost all of the familiar and beloved characters are back for the fifth season of Stranger Things. But there are also some (very exciting) new additions. One of the biggest surprises is likely to be Linda Hamilton. She slips into the role of Dr. Kay and is known to many children of the 1980s and 1990s primarily as Sarah Connor from Terminator. And in her role as Dr. Kay, she shows that action and determination simply come naturally to her.

The main cast also includes Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers) and Sadie Sink (Max Maxfield). Winona Ryder and David Harbour are also back as Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper.

Stranger Things merch in the EMP Online Shop

The Stranger Things Shop focuses entirely on the most popular characters from the series Stranger Things. Among other things, we have merchandise from Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Vecna and even the iconic Demogorgon. How about Stranger Things T-shirts, for example? Many retro shirts are available exclusively from us. Or how about Eddie's original Hellfire Club shirt? Put it on and fight the Demobats.

• Stranger Things jumper
• Stranger Things posters

Here you will find everything your heart desires:

• ● Stranger Things Hoodies
• ● Harry Potter Jewellery
• ● Lord Of The Rings Rings
• ● Star Wars T Shirt
• ● Funko Pop Star Wars