As most of you have heard, a new season is upon us. Stranger Things Season 5 came out the day before Thanksgiving. Quick spoiler warning: if you haven’t watched the new season, I highly recommend clicking off this story.
Let’s start with a recap of what happened in season 4. The season started in California, where the Byers family moved after the Battle of Starcourt and the Russians’ ploy. Eleven moves in with the Byers while Hopper remains trapped in Russia. The rest of the group is still in Hawkins. Dustin and Mike join a DnD club hosted by Eddie Munson. Lucas joins Hawkins High’s basketball team, rocketing his popularity. Vecna is recognised as the new major villain who preys on teenagers. His victims, Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick, all suffered the same fate, and Max also starts to feel the same symptoms. El starts to lose her powers and becomes more human. While trying to save the world, they fight off the Russians who try to invade America. Season 4 ends with Nancy shooting Vecna’s physical form ablaze. This is why the characters think they killed him. Max almost dies, but El uses her powers to bring her back. Because of this, Vecna finally opens the fourth and final gate.
Now back to the present, 1987, Hawkins is under lockdown after a mysterious earthquake, causing a ‘white dandruff’ throughout the town. The Byers stay with the Wheeler family because they cannot leave Hawkins. They undergo constant medical checks and military surveillance. The group’s main objective is to find Vecna’s whereabouts. A major discovery was that Kali, better known as number 008, is still alive. We also see an attack on Holly and Mrs Wheeler. Holly is captured by Mr Whatsit, better known as Henry. Holly is taken into Vecna’s mindscape. There we see Max, who’s been in a coma since last season’s finale. This part of the season ends with Will obtaining telekinetic powers and using them to defeat the Demogorgons.
Critics generally rate this volume lower than previous seasons, but still find it positive, with an 84-86% score on Rotten Tomatoes. I call it suspenseful, thrilling, and immersive, but I find that it only briefly holds attention. The early episodes draw you in, and the climax, where Hopper and El go to the lab and uncover mysteries, stands out. However, the main reason to keep watching is the season’s cliffhanger, which strongly motivates seeing how it all ends. I am looking forward to the next volume mainly because of the suspense and anticipation for the characters’ outcomes. Christmas Day will bring many surprises, including who lives and who dies. Personally, I hope no main characters die, but that’s up to the Duffer Brothers.
