Surprise returning Stranger Things cast member talks about future in season 5

This week, the first volume of Stranger Things season 5 ended on a cliffhanger that left fans salivating for more than just leftovers this Christmas. Besides the big reveal that Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) has powers, we also got the return of Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) from season 2.

The surprise appearance of The Lost Sister, aka Eight, was a great twist to throw in and one that we’ll undoubtedly follow up on when volume 2 airs on December 25. According to the Duffer Brothers, Kali is essential to Stranger Things' final push. "None of it would play out the way it would if she wasn't involved again,” Matt Duffer told Entertainment Weekly.

Admittedly, some fans are still taking some persuading on seeing the character return. For the star behind El's long-lost friend, though, she isn't calling it a comeback. "Because we discover Kali under such different circumstances in this season, the cliffhanger reveal at the end of episode 4 didn’t actually feel like I was stepping back into character, but instead it felt like a first reveal of the brothers’ vision for her in this season and an insight into who I personally believe Kali has always been underneath her various personas.”

What will be interesting to see is how Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) will handle things now that Eleven has a pair of super-powered pals to back her up in the last battle against the Upside Down. We’ll see how the second round goes when Stranger Things returns with volume 2 on Christmas Day, followed by the final episode on New Year’s Eve. For the show’s time schedule, check out our guide here.