Stranger Things fans 'work out' beloved 80s star's role as they predict major showdown

Stranger Things enthusiasts have been treated to their first comprehensive glimpse of the much-anticipated fifth and final season, which also introduces a thrilling addition to the cast.

Linda Hamilton, famed for her role as Sarah Connor in the Terminator series, is set to join the acclaimed Netflix show as an enigmatic figure named Dr. Kay.

Despite scant details about her character, fans are already piecing together her potential arc in the climactic conclusion.

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The official synopsis for the last season states: "Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna.

"But he has vanished - his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding", reports the Express.

"As the anniversary of Will's disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread.

"The final battle is looming - and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they've faced before. To end this nightmare, they'll need everyone - the full party - standing together, one last time."

The latest trailer teases further high-octane excitement with Eleven (played by Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and the rest of the crew gearing up to confront Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) for the ultimate showdown.

The first glimpse of Dr Kay in the narrative has sparked intrigue as she's seen brandishing a gun and donning military garb, offering fans hints to deduce her character's involvement in the concluding chapters.

Eager viewers have taken to Reddit to share their theories, with one user suggesting: "She is the grumpy military officer of this season I guess."

Another fan speculated: "Looks like she's playing against type and is gonna be a bad guy."

Some believe Dr Kay's part might be more pivotal than initial images imply, with a comment stating: "When they announced her casting, I was totally expecting her to be revealed as Eleven's secretly still-alive mom...

"With the past mom being some kind of red herring, in a nod to her previously playing John Connor's mom, but I like that she gets to play against type here and be an enforcer/bad guy."

One person posited: "She looks like a senior military figure. Maybe she's the one who ends up stopping Colonel Sullivan (Sherman Augustus)?"

Though another viewer grimly predicted: "She looks like the demogorgon food of the season."

Is Hamilton set to be the hero or the villain in her latest venture into sci-fi?

Only time will tell as the eagerly awaited final episodes of the hit Netflix series draw near.

Stranger Things season 5 part 1 is released on Netflix on November 26; part 2 on Christmas Day; the finale on New Year's Eve.