Stranger Things Revealed Who Dustin’s Father Is 2 Years Before Season 5
Netflix’s Stranger Things has kept a few key details about the main characters a mystery since season 1, though the Broadway show The First Shadow has helped filled in some of those gaps in knowledge. Debuting after Stranger Things season 4’s ending on the West End in 2023 and Broadway in 2025, it’s been confirmed by Netflix that Stranger Things: The First Shadow’s plot is canon to the series.
The Broadway show takes place in Hawkins in 1959, focusing on young Henry Creel/Vecna while he’s in high school with familiar characters like Joyce, Hopper, Eddie’s father, and Mike and Nancy’s parents. Though the show largely focuses on Henry’s backstory, the context of his family’s murders, and history with Dr. Brenner leading up to meeting Eleven, the returning Stranger Things characters who later become parents to the Party members provide some long-awaited franchise answers.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow Finally Revealed Who Dustin’s Father Is
Dustin looking at Eddie’s grave in Stranger Things season 5 trailer
One major lingering Stranger Things mystery solved by The First Shadow is the identity of Dustin Henderson’s father. The Netflix series has featured appearances by Dustin’s mother, Claudia, in a few episodes, but has never mentioned his father. However, that changes in The First Shadow, as we meet Dustin’s parents as teens when they’re in the early stages of dating.
The First Shadow confirms that Dustin’s father is Walter Henderson, a student at Hawkins High who joins Joyce’s school play alongside his significant other Claudia Yount (eventually Henderson). The production reveals that the Henderson family ran a liquor store in Hawkins when Dustin’s parents were teenagers, though it’s unclear what happened to the establishment by the start of Stranger Things’ series timeline.
Stranger Things Season 5 Vol.
Netflix Release Date
Volume 1
Thanksgiving 2025
Volume 2
Christmas 2025
Volume 3
New Year’s Eve 2025
Since the main portion of The First Shadow’s story ends in 1959, it’s unclear when Claudia and Walter got married or when they left town. However, one Stranger Things companion book, The Dustin Experiment, reveals that Dustin’s dad cheated on his mom and his parents separated just a few years before season 1 began, which led to Dustin and Claudia moving back to Hawkins.
Stranger Things Season 5 Still Needs To Confirm What Happened To Walter
Lucas, Dustin, Mike, and Eleven standing together and looking worried in Stranger ThingsNetflix
Though we now know who Dustin’s father is, we still don’t know where he is or what happened to him. It’s revealed he didn’t move back to Hawkins, but there’s no indication of where he’s living during Stranger Things season 5’s timeline or whether he has any relationship with Dustin.
The Dustin-focused book implies that Walter’s relationship with Dustin mirrors Lonnie’s relationship with Will and Jonathan, with a more “out of sight, out of mind” approach to parenting. Since this is the final season, however, it’s the right time for Dustin to finally address his relationship with his father.
Not only is Dustin’s life in jeopardy in Hawkins, but Eddie’s death means another male role model is out of Dustin’s life, which may lead him to reflect more on his family dynamic. Since Joyce, Hopper, the Sinclairs, the Wheelers, and Eddie’s father all went to high school with Dustin’s dad, any one of those figures could reflect on Walter with Dustin in Stranger Things season 5.
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