Stranger Things Season 5: Every New Character Explained

The following post contains minor spoilers for "Stranger Things" Season 5, Volume 1.

After four seasons and nearly a decade of "Stranger Things," it seems we still haven't met everyone in Hawkins, Indiana.

The Netflix sci-fi mystery returned — at long last — for the first part of its fifth and final season on Wednesday night, with four episodes releasing at once. (Three more will follow on Christmas Day, and the series finale arrives on New Year's Eve.) As new secrets about Vecna and the Upside Down were introduced, so, too, were a few new characters who quickly established themselves as essential to the series' conclusion.

Whether or not you've already binged Season 5A in full, we've compiled the short list below as a handy guide to the new "Stranger Things" faces. (Note: You'll encounter light spoilers ahead.) From brand-new characters like Linda Hamilton's Dr. Kay, to a new iteration of the previously existing Holly Wheeler, here are four "Stranger Things" newbies with whom you'll get acquainted in the show's fresh episodes.

Played By: Jake Connelly

More often than not, you'll hear local kid Derek Turnbow referred to as "Dips**t Derek" throughout Season 5, thanks to his relentless bullying and his wealthy family's less-than-glowing reputation in Hawkins. And, yeah, Derek doesn't start off as the kind of boy you'd want to pal around with on the playground; he's kind of a jerk!

But as Will, Mike, and the rest of the gang try to stop Vecna's latest evil activity, Derek becomes a crucial part of that plan — and his personality gets a fun switch-up, too, once he's more heavily involved in the proceedings. Keep an eye out for the scene where Derek leads other Hawkins kids in a guided meditation; Connelly, a newcomer to the small screen, becomes an instant cast standout.

Played By: Linda Hamilton

Sci-fi queen Hamilton (aka Sarah Connor herself) doesn't have as much screen time in Season 5A as you might expect, but her role of Dr. Kay is a pivotal one that we suspect will figure into the season's second half in a major way. A military scientist who suffers no fools, Dr. Kay works out of a military base that we learn is in the Upside Down, and she wants badly to get her hands on Eleven. She's also quite adept at controlling Demogorgon-esque creatures that the military is keeping encased in its Upside Down headquarters... so, yeah, you don't want to cross her.

"To build it is great. I'm as happy as I've ever been, just so happy to be part of it," Hamilton, a longtime "Stranger Things" fan, told Variety of her experience working on the show. "There is a definite part of me that was a little intimidated to come in to a show that already has a certain rhythm and a momentum and all kinds of a history that I didn't share. And to walk in and just feel like you're the big pretender really coming in."

Played By: Alex Breaux

At first, Lt. Akers might seem like your average military flunky, destined to fire off a few verbal zingers before exiting the storyline entirely. He does start off that way, patrolling the Upside Down for Eleven and enthusiastically referring to her as a "freak." But after an entanglement with Hopper in the Upside Down, Akers plays a key role in helping him and Eleven understand what exactly the military is doing down there — and what they might be hiding behind a massive door at their Upside Down base.

Breaux has previously appeared in TV series like "See," "Waco: The Aftermath," "Joe Pickett," and "American Primeval." And here's a fun fact: He also stars in the Broadway production "Stranger Things: The First Shadow," this time playing Dr. Brenner.

Played By: Nell Fisher

There's a small asterisk on this one, as Holly Wheeler isn't an entirely new character; her much younger self appeared in the previous four seasons, portrayed by twins Tinsley and Anniston Price. But Holly — the younger sister of Nancy and Mike, now played by relative newcomer Fisher — has a much more prominent role in Season 5, as she unwittingly becomes ensnared in Vecna's plans for Hawkins domination.

Which of the new "Stranger Things" characters caught your attention the most?