The time has finally come for a new Stranger Things season, and man, have these first four episodes been jam-packed full of action, emotion, and a few plot twists. With season five being the final season of the show that’s been out for nearly 10 years, everyone has had high expectations. Based on these first few episodes, the Duffer Brothers’ seem to be attempting to tie up loose ends, give certain characters good endings, save Hawkins (finally), and probably tear our hearts out by killing a few favs.
SPOILER WARNING AHEAD: Make sure you watch Season 5 Vol. 1 before you continue reading!
Max is back (sort of)
Max Mayfield died at the end of season 4, only to be brought back by Eleven after we spent our time crying over her. Since then, Lucas has spent time at her side while she’s still stuck in a coma. These new episodes revealed that Max has been stuck in a world of Henry’s (Vecna) memories and can’t seem to escape. Luckily, after Holly Wheeler is taken by Hawkins’ main villain, Max is able to find her and take her under her wing. I can only imagine what Max’s plan is to escape Henry’s new world, but at least we know what Max has been up to.
Number 8
Back in season 2, the Duffer’s introduced a character we thought we would never see again. Eleven ran away from Hopper and discovered that one of the other children from Hawkins Lab had escaped. Number 8, or Kali, appeared and seemed to mentor Eleven for a single episode before the latter decided to return to Hawkins to help close the gate and free Will from the clutches of the Mind Flayer.
In this season, Hopper and Eleven, also known as Jane, break into the military base in the Upside Down after they assume that Vecna is being held inside a chamber Jane can’t see inside. After a tense confrontation with Dr. Kay, a new military villain to hate, Hopper brings his daughter to the chamber only for her to discover the military had never found Vecna at all, they’d captured Kali for experimentation.
Personally, I’m glad to see this storyline brought to a close. It’ll be cool to see what Kali can do to help the Hawkins gang stop Vecna.
Will is basically harry potter?
After two seasons of being somewhat sidelined for other characters, Will is finally important again and fully in the mix. Will admits that he could still feel Vecna and the demogorgons even after Eleven shut the gate at the end of season 2, and can even see Vecna’s plans for the children of Hawkins. For all my Harry Potter fans out there, this is eerily similar to Harry being able to see glimpses of Voldemort’s mind, and vice versa. Where Harry sees himself attacking Mr. Weasley as the evil snake, Nagini, Will sees himself abducting the children as a demogorgon.
Even how Vecna held Will up by his Sith-like force powers and explained how Will was the first child to show him the possibilities was shockingly similar to Voldemort holding a battered Harry Potter up by the neck. Vecna is basically just a burned up, fleshy, less pale version of Voldemort if you think about it. They can both appear as their younger selves!
If Stranger Things keeps going the way it is, then Will Byers might have to die in order for Vecna to be defeated.
The dialogue is…interesting
One major critique I have so far is the questionable 80s dialogue the Duffers have written in for the characters. I mean, Robin saying “Great Scott” isn’t the biggest eyebrow raising moment in the world, but it’s up there. At times, the dialogue that seems like it’s meant to show the humorous bond between young characters in an apocalyptic crisis is more cringeworthy than endearing. All I have to say is that I could have written more natural dialogue for these kids if they’d only gotten me in the room.
Dustin’s going through a teen phase
A major blow to the show right now is the lack of a relationship between Steve and Dustin right now, even though I’m sure that they’ll make up in the next episodes. Right now, though, Dustin’s beefing with his friends and spending his time sulking over Eddie’s death and getting beat up for it. A lot of viewers are upset about this new dynamic, because it takes away from the wholesome vibe the two characters ‘create. Honestly, I think it makes sense for Dustin to go through something like this. Even if Eddie didn’t last long in the show, he was clearly someone that Dustin specifically looked up to. Plus, we can expect to see Dustin and Steve reunite and make up towards the end of the show.
There’s a lot to love about Vol. 1, as well as some eyebrow-raising moments. But however you feel about these new episodes, Stranger Things being back on our screens is such an awesome, nostalgic feeling for better times. I can’t wait to see what comes next!