- Stranger Things season 5 episode titles teased
- Escape From Camazotz is listed among them
- Is Camazotz a new villain?
The episode titles from Stranger Things season 5 have been released and fans of the show are wondering if a new villain has been teased.
The show’s creators The Duffer Brothers have made references to a lot of 80s pop culture throughout its four seasons. They’ve paid homage to or included the likes of E.T., Ghostbusters, Alien, The Goonies, The Clash, Kate Bush, and even Eggo Waffles. Perhaps most notable is the fantasy role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons, which is central to the kids’ story.
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The young heroes like to label the various creatures they encounter on their adventures in The Upside Down after D&D monsters. The Demogorgon, Mind Flyer and Lord Vecna are all inspired by the board game.
It looks as though Stranger Things might continue this trend in season 5, as episode 6 is called Escape from Camazotz, and Camazotz has all the makings of an evil villain.
What is Camazotz?
Traditionally speaking, Camazotz is a bat god from ancient Mayan mythology, often associated with death and night. The name roughly translates from the K’iche language as ‘death bat’ and he is usually represented as a bat or at least a god-like creature with bat features.
In Madeleine L’Engle’s classic novel A Wrinkle In Time, Camazotz is depicted as a dark, oppressive planet where an evil force called IT resides. The people on Camazotz are controlled by IT, which has the power to manipulate their thoughts and actions.
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Camazotz also features in Dungeons & Dragons as the god of bats from the Olman underworld and is known by the name Zotzilaha. And it’s with that link to D&D where the plot begins to thicken.
Will Camazotz appear in Stranger Things season 5?
Everything seems to be pointing towards Camazotz appearing in Stranger Things as a giant, demonic bat creature.
D&D is the obvious one, but co-creator Ross Duffer included a photo of A Wrinkle In Time in an Instagram post not too long ago. The post was a recap of weeks 3 and 4 of production, but it all felt a little cryptic. Why would the Duffers include a photo referencing the novel?
Let’s not also forget the events of season 4, where Eddie Munson sacrificed himself to The Demobats. The hostile bat-like versions of the Demogorgon appeared in the Upside Down under Vecna’s control.
Camazotz could be the inspiration for the Upside Down, as it isn’t always depicted in creature form. However, given the show’s history of monsters being influenced by the kids’ love of Dungeons & Dragons, it’s more likely that a new villain will emerge.
Season 5’s episode titles are:
Episode 1: The Crawl
Episode 2: The Vanishing of …
Episode 3: The Turnbow Trap
Episode 4: Sorcerer
Episode 5: Shock Jock
Episode 6: Escape From Camazotz
Episode 7: The Bridge
Episode 8: The Rightside Up
