The fifth and final season of Stranger Things takes a significant leap into the future, leaving fans wondering about the ages of the main characters.

Netflix's blockbuster series has made its triumphant return for an epic finale, with the first four episodes premiering today (Thursday, 27th November).

The storyline picks up approximately 18 months after Eleven (portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends' dramatic showdown with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) last season, fast-forwarding to 3rd November, 1987.

Despite many of the actors now being in their 20s and 30s, most of the central characters remain teenagers.

For instance, Brown's telekinetic character Eleven is 17 at the start of the fifth season, despite the actress herself being 21, reports the Mirror.

Similarly, Mike Wheeler, played by Finn Wolfhard, who will be celebrating his 23rd birthday this December, is also portrayed as a teenager.

Will Byers, Lucas Sinclair, and Dustin Henderson are all depicted as 17 year olds, even though the actors playing them are significantly older.

Noah Schnapp, who plays Will, is 21, while Gaten Matarazzo, who portrays Dustin, and Caleb McLaughlin, who brings Lucas to life, are both 24.

Max Mayfield, introduced in the second season, is also shown as a 17 year old, although actress Sadie Sink is 23.

Joining the main Stranger Things crew is an older group of teenagers who have assisted in their battle against the Upside Down over the years.

This includes Will's brother Jonathan Byers, who is 19 at the start of season five. However, in reality, actor Charlie Heaton is actually 31.

Maya Hawke and Natalia Dyer, who portray Robin Buckley and Nancy Wheeler respectively, are also both 19 in the final episodes, though the actresses are 27 and 30 in real life.

Finally, the oldest member of the gang, Steve Harrington, is 20 at the start of the new season.

Actor Joe Keery, who plays Steve, is 33 in real life, making him the oldest member of the younger cast.

Stranger Things season 5, part 1 is available to stream on Netflix. Part 2 will be released on 25th December followed by the finale on 31st December.