After four visually impressive and widely acclaimed seasons, Stranger Things began its long-awaited final chapter with the release of Volume 1 of Season 5 on November 26. With more than three years having passed since Season 4, fans (especially myself) were eager to see what the first portion of this season had to offer. This review explores the major plot points of Volume 1 and what they might signal for the series’ concluding episodes. (Spoilers ahead).
The first episode, The Crawl, reintroduces the long-missed characters. It also features two new leads, Holly Wheeler and Derek Turnbow, as well as other military personnel now stationed in the ravaged town of Hawkins. Episode 2, The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler, features Holly’s abduction by a demogorgon, a ferocious creature from the Upside-Down that has been terrorizing Hawkins since season 1, and the violent assault on her parents.
Episodes two and three, The Turnbow Trap, reveal Vecna’s new plan: targeting Hawkins’ children to continue his attempt to take over the world. The fourth and final episode of this volume, The Sorcerer, shifts focus to lead character Will Byers as the group attempts to protect the remaining children in Hawkins from further attacks. The volume ends with a climactic demogorgon attack on the military base and a major twist. Will can harness his powers, which he uses to kill three demogorgons in defense of his friends.
Volume 1 also confirms several lingering plot threads. Max is still alive but remains trapped in a coma, her mind still ensnared by Vecna. The season also reveals that there is a military base both in the Upside Down and the real world. Finally, by the end of the volume, Vecna has successfully kidnapped the remaining children he needed.
One of my favorite scenes in the first few episodes of this season is the kidnapping of Holly Wheeler. The sequence unfolds with a demogorgon chasing Holly through her home as her parents–Karen and Ted–attempt to protect her. Her dad is swatted through a wall, and her mother is badly injured after brutally attacking the demogorgon with a broken wine bottle. Prior to the season’s release, I had been anticipating which characters might be killed or injured, and this scene lived up to my expectations. It does seem, though, that Karen and Ted Wheeler shouldn’t have survived the demogorgon’s attack. I could see how they might have survived, but overall, it would’ve been more realistic if they had died due to the gravity of their injuries. Furthermore, the fact that Karen survived, was rushed into surgery, and then was conscious enough to write neat words on paper was a little too much for me, but I did truly enjoy this scene.
Another scene that I need to recognize is the pie scene when Erica forces the Turnbow family into eating laced pie, causing them to pass out. This scene is action-packed with the parents passing out quickly, Derek laughing hysterically, and the rising tensions and drama between Erica and Derek’s sister, Tina. Erica has always been one of my favorite characters, as her confidence makes her such a funny and valued asset in this show. The scene had my attention the whole time, and the end where Erica injects Tina, causing her to pass out as Erica says “…I told you to eat your damn pie,” was the cherry on top of an amazing scene.
Another character, who needs his own paragraph, is the iconic Derek Turnbow. This character is portrayed as cruel, lazy, and hilariously honest, providing some light and humor amidst the darkness of this season. I personally really like this character and think he is really humorous, especially when yelling his iconic phrase. His fiery energy adds more contrast to the serious characters in the show. Overall, his acting and one-liner hits are truly appealing to me, and I hope that he plays a central role in the next few episodes.
For the content of this season, I really like how the show refocused its camera to be more centered on children, because it connects to one of the main themes of the show: childhood. I like how the directors gave Holly more of a central role, as she has been with the show ever since season 1, almost being taken in Joyce’s home by a demogorgon–perhaps some foreshadowing for this season. Overall, the theme of kids in Stranger Things has been revitalized this season and has become a central part of Vecna’s schemes.
Speaking of the demogorgons, these beasts were absolutely reckless this season. The way they were moving, quickly opening up gates to and from the Upside Down, demolishing the military base, and their agile movements were all crazy this season! It just shows how much the Upside Down and its creatures have been growing and improving, especially in comparison with the first season. The growth of the Upside Down and its creatures can also be seen in the upgrade of Vecna’s physical appearance and powers.
The volume ends with an awesome plot twist that reveals that Will Byers is able to harness energy and power from the Upside Down because of his connection to the hive mind. I felt that throughout the 3rd and 4th seasons, Will hadn’t played a crucial role in the plot, but I love that, like the original 2 seasons, he becomes essential. I had always viewed the Upside Down as a negative thing, but now that Will is using its power to fight back against adversaries, it’s such a cool twist that I wasn’t expecting. I can’t wait to see how else he uses them in the next episodes to be released.
Volume 1 of the fifth season was filled to the brim with amazing content that I could discuss for hours. I did, though, in this article, just talk about the main points that I felt were worth discussing. With the show having aired over 10 years ago, it is sad that the series is almost over. That being said, I am still so excited for the next episodes, because I have so many unanswered questions. How did they find Kali? Is the wall in the Upside Down containing something or simply there? What does this mean for Will now that he has powers? What might Vecna be so scared of that he can’t go into the cave? What’s going to happen with Will and Mike? Is Vecna the real villain, or is there someone stronger? Will the characters of Stranger Things be enough to stop Vecna?
