Stranger Things: Season 5’s "full circle" story demands a beloved original character’s return after missing season 4

Stranger Things is preparing for its fifth and last season, and in an interview, Duffer brothers Matt and Ross described it, saying it’s a “full circle” in reference to the story starting back in Hawkins. The kids are set to get back together, and there is another mysterious disappearance which the show intends to harken back to the first season regarding tone, structure, character relations, and how the first season feels.

Many other characters are set to return, but one important character from Season 1, Mr. Clarke, the AV Club adviser at the Party, most certainly is not making an appearance. Randy Havens portrayed Mr. Clarke, who was pivotal in explaining to not just the children but also to the audience the important concepts of science, like the Upside Down, and speaking to Will.

Although his screen time decreased in Seasons 2 and 3, and was completely absent in Season 4, the logic in Season 5 on going back to the basics almost necessitates his return. Mr Clarke embodies the scientific wonder and rational adult supervision that was present in the earlier seasons of the show.

If the narrative is permanently coming back to its starting point, then it makes sense for the Party to once again turn to the man who, without knowing, aided them in dealing with their very first encounter with the supernatural. Mr Clarke may have an important part in the last efforts against Vecna and the Upside Down, whether through the school or Hawkins’ rumored radio station, which is said to be pivotal.

The forgotten importance of Mr. Clarke in Stranger Things season 1

Mr. Clarke was much more than comic relief or a convenient way to deliver exposition; he helped shape the students’ worldview. His lessons, ranging from explaining alternate dimensions to introducing AV technology, often catalyzed breakthroughs in the group’s investigation.

Unlike many adult characters in the show, Mr. Clarke gave the kids respect and, instead of disregarding their hypotheses, equipped them with resources. That regard is part of the cornerstone of their success early on.

The tension and wonder of Season 1 were inextricably linked to the science fiction for younger characters like Mike, Dustin, and Lucas—and the ways in which they tried to make sense of the strange things going on around them, and how Mr. Clarke’s class helped them. The “full circle” theme in Season 5 would be missing one of its quiet yet vital elements without him.

Why season 5 is the right time to bring him back

In some sense, the Stranger Things season 4 map spanning locations plot left little room for quieter Hawkins characters like Mr. Clarke. The teenagers had grown, transitioned into high school, and contended with threats from California, Russia, and Nevada. But now that the story is set in Hawkins again—albeit with its devastating Vecna-inflicted damage—there is scope and reason to return to those smaller, cozier relationships and people like Mr. Clarke.

Clarke’s character doesn’t have to do much to have a big impact. Quite on the contrary, even a single scene like him providing key tech advice would hold the same value as reinforcement regarding the changes he has undergone over the years and the significance of their roots.

In a tale centered on the themes of friendship, nostalgia, and confronting the daunting, Mr. Clarke’s return would be perfectly orchestrated.

Conclusion

Trending

While nostalgia has always been an element of triumph for Stranger Things, the show seems best at weaving purposeful moments together with emotion.

Mr. Clarke is not simply a great example of an Easter egg; he is a representation of the show’s, often overlooked, core ideals: wonder, learning, and the mostly absent grownups who had to some extent and in some extraordinary ways, help children. If Stranger Things Season 5 is to genuinely attempt to close the circle, he definitely needs to be included.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback