Editor’s Note: This story contains major spoilers for the first volume of “Stranger Things” Season 5.
The first volume of the final season of “Stranger Things” delivered several standout moments, culminating in a dramatic cliffhanger at the end of its fourth episode.
One of the season’s most violent sequences unfolds as Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher), the newly aged-up younger sister of Mike and Nancy, is abducted by a Demogorgon after her parents are brutally attacked. The scene is heightened by the slow-motion horror of her mother, Karen (Cara Buono), being clawed by the creature as a blood-spattered Holly watches. This attack forces Karen to confront the terrifying reality that monsters are real, a classic trope echoing the 1980s films that inspire the series. While Karen and her husband Ted (Joe Chrest) survive and are hospitalized, Holly remains missing, trapped in a foreboding dreamscape.
Holly’s disappearance reveals that her imaginary friend, “Mr. Whatsit,” is none other than the series’ archvillain, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). The name is a direct reference to Madeleine L’Engle’s classic science-fiction novel, “A Wrinkle in Time,” a book Holly is seen reading. This literary connection deepens as the show hints at the significance of Camazotz, a malevolent planet from L’Engle’s work.
This volume also highlighted key character developments. Erica Sinclair (Priah Ferguson) solidifies her role as a fan favorite by taking charge, notably using a benzo-laced pie to incapacitate a family and set a trap for the Demogorgon. A surprising new asset emerges in Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly), a former bully who undergoes a remarkable transformation to become a helpful ally to the Hawkins team, even leading an effective guided meditation.
In keeping with the show’s tradition of iconic musical moments, Tiffany’s 1987 hit “I Think We’re Alone Now” is featured prominently. A sequence shows Holly joyfully dancing to the song while baking cakes and trying on dresses, creating a scene of nostalgic innocence. True to the series’ style, this cheerful moment is quickly undercut by a menacing tone as Holly is mysteriously instructed to go into the woods.
The first volume concludes with a stunning twist in its final episode, “Sorcerer.” After four seasons as a perpetual victim, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) finally goes on the offensive, unleashing powers against the Demogorgons in a manner reminiscent of Vecna himself. The cliffhanger leaves audiences with critical questions: Does his bleeding nose signify a connection to Eleven, or do his eyes suggest he is transforming into a new version of Vecna? This thrilling evolution of Will’s character sets up immense possibilities for the second volume, which is set to premiere on Christmas.
