Does Stranger Things 5 connect to A Wrinkle in Time? Episode 6 title explained

We now know the titles of the final eight episodes of Stranger Things, and one of them suggests a connection to literary classic A Wrinkle in Time.

It’s Stranger Things Day – as in the day that Will Byers disappeared in 1983 – so Netflix has released a video featuring titles for the final eight episodes of the sci-fi series.

You can find the full list of Stranger Things Season 5 titles here, which include mention of escape, disappearance, sorcery, and what’s rumored to be a reference to a radio station.

But the most interesting title is Episode 6, which is called ‘Escape From Camazotz,’ as it harks back to either a mythical creature or a fantasy novel.

What is Camazotz in the Wrinkle in Time book?

Camazotz is a planet that features in Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 children’s novel A Wrinkle in Time, as well as the 2018 movie adaptation.

The heroes of the novel travel there to discover that Camazotz is a miserable place where group think flourishes thanks to the proliferation of The Black Thing.

Those who live on the planet behave in a similarly mechanical way, due to their minds being controlled by a disembodied brain called IT, which has telepathic powers. Not unlike how monsters from the Upside Down try to control humans on the other side in Stranger Things

The Netflix series makes frequent references to books, shows, games, and movies, and even though A Wrinkle in Time isn’t a 1980s novel, the parallels are too close for this to be coincidence. So expect L’Engle’s beloved book to play a major role in Episode 6 of Stranger Things Season 5.

The mythical creature explained

Stranger Things features creatures, and the Camazotz is also an ancient creature from Mayan myth, which may also play into the plot of Season 5.

With long ears and large wings, the Camazotz is a bat-like monster that does the bidding of the lords of the underworld.

Camazotz literally means “death bat” in the K’iche’ language, and the legend is thought to be based on real-life vampire bats, or a larger version of the flying mammals that might have gone extinct.

In ancient Guatemalan texts, the Camazotz are encountered by Mayan twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque while they tackle the trials of the underworld. And large bat-like creatures appear in stories and legends throughout South American history.

So don’t be surprised to see a giant bat creature appearing in Episode 6 of Stranger Things’ fifth and final chapter. Or maybe just Dustin dressing up as Batman for Halloween.

Head here for Stranger Things 5 filming details, or here for details of the director who came out of retirement for Season 5.