The End of an Era: Stranger Things 5 Explained
Extensive Article ★ Kenzie Gay + Kylie Fajman ★ @kenzwrites @kyliefajman
It may sound crazy but after a decade of Stranger Things, arguably one of Netflix’s most popular original programs, the show has finally met its closing season. Created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things has become an iconic sci-fi story of friendship, resilience, nostalgia, and growth for both the viewers and the cast members themselves. With the fifth season out, we wanted to fully dissect this ultimate end of an era from the plot to the fan-crafted theories. So buckle up - it’s gonna be a long though plentiful ride.
THE CRAWL
Our first episode into the new season unfolds to good ol’ Hawkins, Indiana: 18 months after the mysterious “earthquake” that split the town into four, which released the Upside Down particles. ‘Rockin Robin’ aka Robin Buckley narrates for us everything happening now in town. The Byers, Jonathan, Will, and Joyce are currently staying at the Wheelers residence, seemingly as their home got destroyed, trying to all navigate their now shared space. The youngest of the Wheeler children is now getting some major screentime this season, and we are introduced to a 9 year old Holly Wheeler, rounding up the troops for breakfast after staring off outside at a questionable male shaped shadow, whom we later learn is ‘Mr. Whatsit’.
Fan favorite duo, Robin, and everyone's favorite babysitter, Steve Harrington now work at WSQK “The Squawk” Radio station, hosting her own show with Steve as her official sound effect man. While Robin warns the town about staying away from MAC-Z (official military base in the town square) all of the sudden the power and radio signal cut out. Luckily, Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers are at the Squawk as well to help try and find the manual to adjust the tower's signal. Dustin Henderson has the most experience dealing with these issues though he has been checked out since his good friend Eddie Munson tragically passed away in the Upside Down due to the bats and he has been busy grieving and hasn’t spent much time with the group. Both Steve and Jonathan develop a competition to try and win over Nancy’s attention. Despite their efforts, Nancy and Robin are with Murray, who is smuggling in supplies to the party for their ‘Crawl’, by the time they scale the tower.
The Crawls take place in the Upside Down. Now that it is unreachable from the gates that are opened, the only gate is the one the military is using. Eleven is training in a secret junkyard location, learning to strengthen her powers to defeat Vecna, while Hopper and Joyce time her skills. The party learns there will be a burn (a term meaning when the military lights the gate to open up so they can drive in) later that evening and that they need to develop a plan to get Hopper in and search different zones of the town to find Vecna.
Everyone in the group is assigned different roles for a successful crawl. While Dustin is grieving and visiting Eddie’s grave, bullies from school are hiding out ready to fight. With the lack of Dustin at the crawl, Steve and Jonathan must work together yet again but this time in the van to find Hopper's signal, leading to yet again, another argument about Nancy.
While the crawl is in pursuit, Will abruptly looks to be in a trance, later we learn he is able to see through the eyes of the demogorgons and what their plan is, telling the rest of the group a demogorgon is on its way to the Wheelers house with its sight set on Holly.
Our first episode comes to an end showing Karen and Ted Wheeler doing their own things for the night and a gate opening right through Holly’s ceiling with a demogorgon clawing its way through. Ending with a cliffhanger of the viewers wondering what the outcome of Holly and this demogorgon will be.
THE VANISHING OF HOLLY WHEELER
The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler picks up right where The Crawl leaves off: with a demogorgon crashing through Holly’s bedroom ceiling. Though Holly may be related to Mike and Nancy, two of the biggest heroes within the series, she is still ultimately only 9 years old and generally inexperienced as opposed to her older siblings. This is showcased in the adolescent way she flees, seeking solace within her mother, Karen, even though Karen is just as cluelessly frightened - but not for long.
Viewers watch as Holly and Karen hide and eventually fight for their lives against the demogorgon all from the crumbling safety of the Wheeler house. A highlight of this intense opening scene is when Karen and Holly come face to face with the creature in the kitchen after a failed escape. Ted has long been defeated and rendered unconscious by this point, leaving Karen with only one line of defense: her own maternal instincts. Arguably one of the most badass moments within the entire show, we watch Karen break the wine bottle she was drinking from in episode 1 before she attempts to stab the demogorgon in order to save Holly. Left on the edges of their seats, viewers’ own anticipation is tested since the scene cuts right before the full fight unfolds.
Later, it is revealed that Karen unfortunately did not defeat the demogorgon and she, alongside Ted, have been hospitalized. This also means that Holly has officially been taken: hence the episode’s name.
Another highlight of this episode happens just a few minutes past Holly’s vanishing. This time, we’re placed in The Upside Down where Eleven, who went through the portal in The Wheelers’ home to go save Holly after discovering the aftermath with Nancy Will, is reunited with an injured Hopper. Here, the two’s father-daughter dynamic is very prominent within both characters. Eleven represents the rebellious though well intended child as she insists that following her instincts will lead them to Holly and consequently, Vecna. Hopper, of course, represents the worried parent while he scolds her for putting herself in danger now that she’s in The Upside Down.
The two come to a vulnerable crack within their heated debate, however, and it evolves the scene into one that’s bound to pull a tear (or several) out. While Eleven patches Hopper’s wounds up, Hopper confesses his immense fear of losing her. He reflects on the loss of his biological daughter, Sarah, whom he lost to cancer before the show’s events. It’s a very beautiful moment that ends up being an integral aspect of Hopper’s character in the remainder of the show.
With some more highly emotional story development involving Mike and Nancy’s guilt over their family being hurt, Steve and Jonathan’s tension regarding their shared love for Nancy, the finding of a mysterious wall within the Upside Down, Dustin’s return, and a discovery of Will and Robin’s that leads them to believe they know the identity of Vecna’s next victim, The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler closes with a scene that is much more homey and peaceful than any previous ones. At least, it appears that way on the surface.
The Creel house, a major figure from season 4, is highlighted in mint condition as Holly willingly walks side by side with Henry, who has been confirmed to be her “imaginary friend”, Mr. Whatsit. It’s a daunting image to end on since it not only tells us Henry has another master plan but it also tells us that Holly has quite literally entered the belly of the beast - defenselessly, at that.
THE TURNBOW TRAP
Third episode, The Turnbow Trap, opens with Hopper stabbing into the newly discovered wall within the Upside Down. Eleven even tries using her powers to open it, but it is unsuccessful. Leaving us wondering: what really is that wall, why is it so strong, and why is it there?
Later, an angry Joyce finds Will and Robin on their bikes heading back to the radio station. Joyce has been very overprotective of Will so far this season and begins scolding Robin for taking him somewhere unsafe. Unbeknownst to her, they have discovered Will's newfound ability to tap into the hive mind, allowing him to see Vecna’s plan for taking more kids. They now know Mr. Whatsit’s next victim: Derek Turnbow.
Holly is now in the Creel house, seemingly safe with Henry, while he tells her he soon will have more of her friends there, but she needs to stay in the house to avoid the “monsters” that live beyond the woods: under any circumstances she may not try to go out there and find them. Meanwhile, Eleven’s powers are hindered from the device the military has created that pains her. With the military having the advantage on them, they find Hopper and Eleven but not without a fight.
The rest of the party meets back up at the Squawk, Dustin informing Mike and Lucas about his “bike accident” even though it was a fight with the bullies from school. They soon develop a plan to essentially kidnap the Turnbow family and lure them to the barn to try and keep them safe from Vecna. The plan involves using Erica Sinclair to drug her famous pie and feed it to the family, then loading them into the van. While this plan is underway, Holly finds a letter in the mailbox telling her
“Holly, I need your help, Meet me at the X, Please hurry - Henry”
with a map of the area causing her to venture into the woods and see what this note could possibly mean. Hopper and Eleven have taken a soldier into their custody as a hostage and use her powers to try and see into his mind what all is going on in this underground base.
Robin and Will sneak into the hospital where Vickie, Robin’s secret girlfriend, works to steal medication to put into the pie to drug the family. Although the plan seems to go over well, it will later be an issue. During this, the others are setting up their own plans. Dustin drills a satellite into the top of Steve’s beloved red beamer (RIP), Murray and Jonathan set up bags of seed for Nancy to try and shoot a tracker into to see if the plan will work. Murray even hands Jonathan a cassette tape earlier in the show with an engagement ring for Nancy in it, and they discuss that.
At the Turnbow residence, Tina calls Derek down for dinner while he gives us his iconic “Mom can suck my fat one” line when she gets downstairs. The chime of the doorbell interrupts their argument, opening to a crying Erica apologizing while holding her pie. Erica makes it in successfully and joins family dinner. The family, all except Tina, enjoys the pie. Mr. Turnbow feels the effects first, then Mrs. Turnbow, and soon Derek. When Tina notices somethings is wrong, Erica tells Tina “And I told you to eat your damn pie” before injecting her with the drug, knocking her out.
The group loads the family into the back of the van while they begin setting up demogorgon traps all over the house. Once it breaks into Derek's room, opening a gate, the group begins phase two of their plan: injuring the demo enough to shoot a tracker into it. Ultimately even though they definitely destroyed the Turnbow home, it works in their favor and they successfully get a tracker into it. Steve and Dustin begin tracking it with the satellite on top of the car, Nancy and Jonathan joining them. While following the signal closely, Steve begins driving through various streets and even backyards chasing the signal.
However, the demogorgon changes its path and heads towards the barn where Will, Joyce, Robin and Erica are with the Turnbow family. This leads the group to the conclusion that Vecna has seen their plan and knows where they are. It then turns back to Holly, who's still following the path on the map on that note she received, upon everyone's surprise including my own, Max is revealed to be the writer of the note rather than Henry and she helps Holly. This brings our third episode to an end with Max meeting Holly and therefore re-introducing herself into the timeline.
SORCERER
Sorcerer marks the final episode of volume one and it is debatably one of the most significant episodes not just in season 5 but within the entire series
Though the episode begins with Joyce, Will, Robin, and Erica struggling to reason with a terrified and rebelliously snarky Derek, viewers soon fall in love with the youngest Turnbow child for his surprising charisma and humor. He’s the underdog of all underdogs and that blossoms much in thanks to Joyce and Robin, who are adamant that he isn’t “Dipshit Derek”, the nickname he’s been given at school, but rather he is “Delightful Derek”. After Derek’s turn of heart that comes about once he sees the demogorgon for himself, he becomes an integral character that serves as a liaison (or perhaps a mole) between the party and his classmates - Vecna’s next victims.
This takes us to our next essential scene that takes place at none other than the military base in Hawkins and the tunnels below it. In a ploy to lure Eleven out, the military takes in every child from Holly’s class alongside their teacher to keep them on the base. There, Derek puts on his newfound charm and finds fellow classmates who have also spoken to and seen Henry (Or, Mr. Whatsit as they know him to be) since these children are his next targets.
Below the base in the tunnels, we also see a critical moment between Will and Robin as they venture through. Will’s feelings towards Mike that have been developing since season 1 (and surely, before) have become quite apparent to Robin given their previous talks about queerness wrapped in cryptic tippy-toeing. Feeling for him, she gives him something that ends up being a revolutionary pep talk about self love.
She looks back on when she had a crush on Tammy, who of course only felt romantic feelings towards Steve, and tells Will that she had to learn to accept herself instead of relying on anybody else for validation. She emphasizes the point of focusing on happy, innocent memories to get her through periods of roughness. In the moment, this spiel of hers may seem like another Robin Buckley moment of oversharing for the sake of friendship but in hindsight, the audience comes to find that it’s one of the biggest turning points for Will’s character and the show itself.
Once Will, Mike, Lucas, and Joyce reach the base, the storylines between them and Derek sew together. From a tunnel directly below the bathroom of the children’s bunk, Derek leads Vecna’s future victims one by one where they are then escorted by the others to safety where Murray and Robin are waiting in a truck to deliver the children from Hawkins (and evil). Things never quite go according to plan in this universe, though, and we’re soon met with quite the predicament when the bathroom begins to flood due to a pipe that Mike accidentally busted. Soaking wet and a little disoriented from the hiccup in their scheme, Will and Mike proceed to make contact with Ashley Klein. Unfortunately for them, Ashley isn’t one of the children who’s been preyed on by Mr. Whatsit though she is a huge snitch according to Derek. Loud mouth and all, Ashley gives Mike and Will away (alongside the water that is now pouring out of the bathroom and into the bunk) to the guards stationed out front.
From there on out, the energy is cranked up to a 100. Will and Mike rush to keep the door shut despite their slipperiness while the kids they were able to smuggle down are rushed towards Murray and “Miss Robin” by Lucas. Ultimately, Joyce, Will, and Mike are all taken into custody by military officers and it is then when shit hits the fan. In Murray’s truck, in the tunnels, and on the main floor of the base, portals open up from not one but three demogorgons who have come to take the rest of the children. Despite the military’s excessive weaponry and the party’s efforts, they are no match for Vecna: who also joins the mix through the gate to give what he hopes to be his final physical presence within the town of Hawkins.
With a terrifying promise from Vecna delivered to Will himself alongside the taking of all the targeted children (including Derek), everyone is left to fend for themselves at the wrath of the demogorgons who have been instructed to kill Joyce, Robin, Murray, Mike, and Lucas. In a panicked, life or death storm of reflection and chaos, Will’s mind trickles back to Robin’s previous words of advice. Her monologue plays on as childhood memories depicting a much younger Will, Mike, Jonathan, and Joyce play through.
Many, myself included, took this as a “life flashing before one’s eyes” sort of thing and some feared that this would be Will’s demise but in actuality, these memories help him tap back into the hive mind at the perfect moment. Levitating off the ground with an apparent bloody nose, Will’s character comes to a peak. His eyes turn white and he kills all three demogorgons (therefore, saving his friends) with the mere flick of his wrists, stepping into his true nature as a sorcerer like Mike suggested previously in the episode.
So, yeah. Remember when I said this episode was revolutionary? I wasn’t lying. From Derek’s evolution to Delightful Derek to Will having powers to other moments of importance such as El and Hopper’s discovery of Kali or Max and Holly’s solitude in the cave and its significance, Sorcerer ends volume one on a cliffhanger that isn’t sour for once.
SHOCK JOCK
This fifth episode opens with our newly discovered sorcerer, Will. As he recovers from using his strength with his powers, we see him shift back to normal and wipe the blood from his nose as he heads over to check on Joyce and Mike. They then reconvene and remember all the kids they tried (and failed) to save from Vecna. Robin and Murray are outside the truck, Lucas is injured down in the tunnel left without the kids. The kids are unfortunately taken into the hive and held up within the vines of Vecna, marking their plan unsuccessful.
Derek is shown first waking up outside the Creel house, followed by the other kids. Henry warns the kids to not venture out into the woods and teaches them about the ‘Black Thing’ just like in their book ‘A Wrinkle in Time’. Just like Meg in the book, tells them they are special.
We are then shown Kali. After making her escape from Dr. Kay’s lab, she is now in the truck and switches Hopper and Eleven, until she loses her signal to make them see her without her actually being there in the physical form. While they are traveling back towards a known gate, Mike and Will find Lucas in the tunnels, who is bleeding from a deep scratch caused by a demogorgon across his chest. They inform Lucas about Will's newfound powers, siphoning Vecna, and how he could see through the demogorgon and see everything that was happening, dubbing him as the official Will the Wise.
Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Dustin head into the Hawkins Lab in the Upside Down to determine if Dustin’s plan is actually true. The group decides to split up, Steve wanting to team up with Nancy, however she decides to stick to the usual teams leaving Dustin and Steve stuck together. Back at the Squawk, Joyce begins telling everyone the master plan, facing some backlash from everyone else. Lucas and Erica both come up with good plans, Erica stating Dustin being MIA causes them to need Mr. Clark, but Lucas says the particles in the dead demogorgon need to be heated up by shocking it, tapping into the hive mind, essentially creating a Frankenstein-ed demogorgon.
Steve and Dustin enter the lab, while they are in the ‘Rainbow Room’, Dustin continues searching, leaving Nancy and Jonathan to discuss the woes of their relationship elsewhere. Nancy is more focused on finding Holly, not worrying about their relationship, Jonathan admits that they are no longer a team as they once were. They soon discover the melted room causing their interest to peak and go see the cause. Meanwhile, Kali and Eleven develop their own plan on how they will find Vecna and kill him together. Kali explains the torture she endured in the lab and how she planned her escape, along with her discovery of the pregnant ladies they have held down there. Derek then ventures into the woods, building a plan for the kids to warn Henry, while Holly and Max try to find their exit along the memory trail.
Back at the radio station, Will thanks Robin for talking to him about her sexuality and the struggles she found throughout the years while they set up to shock the demogorgon. However, back at the lab…Dustin and Steve start arguing, Steve striking a nerve when he brings up Eddie, describing the downfall of their friendship and how it's his fault. What causes all hell to break loose between them is when Steve says “Well if I’m such a god damn idiot how come I am the one still standing here?” as they lead into talks of Eddie's death, eventually causing the once verbal fight to turn physical. Dustin repeatedly does anything he can to hurt Steve, while he tries to make sure Dustin doesn't hurt himself. In the end of their fight, both boys are left crying until Steve decides to leave, leading to the end of their friendship for now.
While the party swiftly shocks the demogorgon back to life, Will luckily enters back into the hive mind so he can see what is going on in Vecna's world. Max and Holly are going through countless memories having to relive their trauma and end up in the memory of the night Holly was taken. As they see their exit through the front door, Henry comes down the stairs, shapeshifting into Henry, 001, then finally into Vecna’s final form, showing Holly the monster he really is. As he uses his powers on Max in an attempt to kill her, Will taps in. He uses his powers to control Vecna, snapping his leg, and even speaks through him, telling Max she needs to run. This leads the girls to their escape as Vecna tries to heal himself. The kids back at the radio station kill the demogorgon again, rushing to get Will to snap out of it so he can come back to them.
This insane episode ends on yet again another cliffhanger, leaving us with Nancy about to shoot into the weird haze above them, despite Dustin figuring the plan out and begging them over his broken radio not to shoot, as it will cause the worlds to merge and kill everyone, leaving all of us on edge.
ESCAPE FROM CAMAZOTZ
With its title being a nod to the season-spanning theme of A Wrinkle in Time, Escape from Camazotz serves as an explanatory episode that ties up a few loose ends and tosses in some action for good measure.
Things start off hot with Dustin racing to find Steve and the others to tell them of his discovery: the fact that The Upside Down is actually a bridge to another dimension and the wall is a containment field being held together by the sphere of exotic matter that Nancy shot at the end of the previous episode. He succeeds in finding Steve but with the fear that Nancy and Jonathan potentially just collapsed the fabric of The Upside Down, Dustin holds him back out of fear of losing yet another friend. His grief comes to a breaking point within this scene, as he finally comes clean and cracks about the true sorrow that has been waging a war in his life since the death of Eddie in season 4. He clings to Steve and begs him to stay, formally putting out the fire that was sparked within their altercation in Shock Jock.
After being knocked out and blasted into the lab after shooting the exotic matter, Nancy and Jonathan find themselves in a predicament that they can’t seem to find a way out of. The lab is quickly flooding with the odd, oobleck-like liquid that coats everything and the two are forced to take a good look at their lives and their relationship since there is no way out. Comically, the two point out holes and little lies within their relationship such as the fact that Nancy threw the rest of Jonathan’s weed stash away or how Jonathan gave her pink sweater to Goodwill. They seem to mutually understand that their lives are going in very different paths despite everything they’ve been through and after Jonathan whips the ring out, they agree to never get married and ultimately find that the oobleck-like substance has dried and they are safe. Though many fans were confused by this scene, the Duffers have confirmed that this was a breakup.
Meanwhile, Will wakes up in Hawkins and reveals that Henry plans on killing Max - who is still navigating Henry’s mind alongside Holly. There, the two girls stumble upon a memory that Henry is scared of. It is set in a mine and depicts a young Henry coming across an injured man holding a locked briefcase. Henry proceeds to kill him and opens the briefcase, whose contents are not revealed.
Up in Hawkins at the hospital, Lucas and Robin rush to reach Max before the demogorgons do. This entire sequence is intense and high stakes as Lucas carries an unconscious Max from her room and to the basement of the hospital with Robin and a frantic Vickie tailing behind. The demogorgons are right on their tails and things come to a climax when the four friends curl together and hide in a spot that’s not exactly ideal since Lucas refuses to shut the boombox off in fear that Max won’t be able to wake up otherwise. Unbeknownst to them, Karen Wheeler has come to the rescue yet again.
Because of a hectic, hospital-wide announcement previously done to warn Lucas, Karen Wheeler is made aware of the demogorgons and embarks on her own plan to save the kids. Stumbling out of her own hospital bed, she makes her way to the basement where she throws a series of oxygen tanks into one of the basement’s dryers. This attracts the demogorgons at the last hour and it presumptively explodes, killing them and saving everyone else.
Back in Henry’s mind, Holly and Max find the place that has been deemed as an exit. Max’s way out appears in the distance and after some words of wisdom and encouragement, Holly’s does the same a few moments later. The two make a plan to meet up once they’re back in their physical bodies and they separate to officially escape the complex horrors of Henry’s mindscape.
THE BRIDGE
The Bridge opens with Max’s heartbeat picking up pace as she wakes up in Lucas’ arms, much in part due to the sounds of Kate Bush. Everyone in the laundry room of the hospital is safe thanks to Karen Wheeler and her arc to becoming a complete badass mom this season. Max regains her senses, and although her muscles and body are very weak, she is readjusting. The entire scene is a definite tearjerker (not just me this time folks). Holly finally wakes up and begins breaking out of the restraints in the Hive. As she charges out, she is left to the Abyss though Vecna sees her escape and follows her.
Back in the Upside Down, Nancy and Jonathan are still stuck in the room. As they start to hear some loud banging outside, Steve breaks the wall with a fire extinguisher, saving the couple…or not so couple anymore. Dustin explains to them the exotic matter they discovered within Dr. Brenner's notebook, telling the others that Holly is not on the other side of the wall and that even so, she isn't even in the same dimension. Holly then finds a gate, falling through the sky and into the Upside Down, as the others hear her screams they run to the roof to investigate.
The scene shoots to Mr. Clarke, who keeps working on the telemetry tag with Murray and Erica. As they try to figure out how they can locate the others, he comes to the conclusion of “cutting their losses” , figuring out they need more height. Will tells Joyce all about Vecna's insane plan and how he has always been a vessel for him; essentially a main piece in his wild game. Even going back to the tunnels and how they didn’t spread from the gate on their own, every night Will would go into the hive mind, using them and virtually infecting their world with the Upside Down.
The party is all at the Squawk as they try connecting with Dustin via radio signal, waiting for everyone to arrive back safely. Eleven lifts the giant metal plates so they can enter the Upside Down to search for Nancy, Steve, Jonathan, and Dustin. Once they all find each other, Nancy regretfully informs them that when they found Holly as she came crashing down begging for Nancy’s help, she was shot back up by Vecna’s hold. Holly was dragged right back up into the Hive and tapped back to the Creel house. The military then learns about the ‘demon’ that has entered MAC-Z, which is Vecna. Dr. Kay blames everything still on Eleven and her powers despite not knowing the half of things.
With the rest of the gang back at the Squawk, they inform Max about everything that has been going on in their new base of operations. Dustin explains the “bridge” between both worlds, also known as a wormhole that connects Hawkins to another world known as the Abyss, a new realm. We learn the Abyss is home to demogorgons, the mindflyer, and every other creature within Vecna’s army of monsters. We also learn the reason why he is taking children: because their minds are weaker and easier to manipulate with his powers. He plans to use the Abyss to merge worlds.
Back at the Creel house, Holly is asleep in bed while the other children ask if she's okay. Of course, Henry lies to them, explaining that Max wasn't there to help at all and that she is a monster that was tricking her and lying to everyone. They develop a plan to “save the world” tonight, even though he really plans on ending it all. The military back in Hawkins discovers the gate they have opened outside of the lab and the cameras that were destroyed. The same soldier they held captive decides to go back into the Upside Down, on the prowl for Eleven.
To everyone's shock (not mine I personally have always believed in him), Steve comes up with a plan to use the signal tower so they can reach the rift and align it with the top of the tower. Allowing the worlds to get closer until the radio tower is poking through one of the rifts, Eleven makes a move entering into Vecna’s mind, destroying the spell and halting the worlds. The rest of the group decides the plan is not awful and although Eleven cannot tap into his mind, they plan on getting her damn close whilst using Max as a guide through his memories and mind.
When Holly wakes back up, to her dismay Derek sides with the other children, agreeing Max lied, causing Holly to second guess everything. When she kicks at the others, they drag her back and hold her, breaking her Holly the Heroic necklace.
Everyone else suits up for battle, grabbing whatever they can. Dustin and Steve find the spears Eddie and Dustin made in season 4, deciding to use them. Steve apologizes for his actions, admitting Eddie saved everyone's lives, and how much he truly did mean to everyone. When the dynamic duo confesses that they need each other, they throw us the gut-wrenching, “When you die, I die”, hitting us where it hurts and personally, causing myself a mental breakdown. (You can ask Kenz, she had to deal with me during that.)
Eleven and Kali discuss their plan, arguing about it all. Kali thinks Eleven's idea to run away with Mike is a horrible idea, telling her it is a complete and vicious cycle that can’t be stopped. Kali then tells her they need to kill Vecna, and that once they do, after the children are rescued and the others return safe, they will remain on the bridge. Then when the Upside Down vanishes, they will as well. She says it's the only way all this will end: they need to die with it.
After loading up the truck, Will needs to tell everyone something important, something a lot of us viewers have been waiting for. Throughout a lengthy, emotional talk, everyone learns that Will is “different”, different being that he is gay. Will even hinted that he had a crush on someone knowing they didn’t like him back, which we can all assume is Mike. Without a breath, Jonathan gets up and hugs him, showing him it's okay, and that he will never lose his brother or any of his friends. One after another, the entire group hugs Will, showing their love and support for him throughout all of this. Despite a lot of backlash of this scene, a lot complaining it was too long or unnecessary, I thought personally, it was very important, especially with the show coming to an emotional ending. This entire topic has been hinted at throughout the show and adds to his character as a whole, which leaves a mark on the entire group.
After the emotional coming out scene, Murray drives the group through the gate of MAC-Z, plummeting into the Upside Down, but not without a gunfight. Hopper and Nancy show off their shooting skills as they take down the military before heading in. While they head into battle, Henry and the kids in the Creel house set up what appears to be a seance, getting them into a trance to complete his mission. Everyone has made it successfully into the Upside Down for one final battle, the fight of all fights for the party, hopefully stopping this once and for all. This leads us into the final episode, one many of us have been waiting ten years for - a long emotional journey coming into what feels like too soon of an end.
THE RIGHTSIDE UP
The Rightside Up feels more like a movie than an episode of tv. To be fair, this is a consistent theme across the entire 5th season due to the longevity of each episode but The Rightside Up in particular really drives that home since it’s over 2 hours long. It’s an emotional, cinematic experience to close the show out once and for all and it certainly doesn’t lack in the action department.
The first integral scene depicts Mike, Will, Joyce, Dustin, Lucas, Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan climbing the tower whilst Hopper, El, Murray, and Kali prepare a sensory deprivation tank back at the lab. The main group soon finds that the top of the tower doesn’t perfectly line up with the opening to the Abyss and before they’re able to do much about it, the two collide. The scene progresses with the tower losing its structural integrity, sending the beloved Steve off the side with a much-too-long cut that has viewers already on the edges of their seats. Luckily for Steve (and us), however, Jonathan is seen saving him by catching him by the hand and pulling him to safety.
Further down the line, Eleven and Kali swoop in to spoil Vecna’s plan. Kali conceals the children to make him think that they’ve taken the children and Eleven attempts to attack him. As a hail Mary, Vecna manipulates Hopper by revealing Eleven and Kali’s plan to die together. This sends him into a panic and consequently, he pulls Eleven from the tank and sabotages the plan just in time for the military to swoop in after capturing Max, Vickie, Erica, and Mr. Clarke previously. This develops the scene into an intense, against the clock scenario since the military actively pursues Kali, Hopper, and Eleven in a rather ruthless way. Murray is able to help them out by destroying a helicopter with a grenade though Kali becomes mortally wounded and we witness her devastating death (or what appears to be a death), which leaves only Eleven to pick up the rest of the pieces.
Later on, we see Henry confront the memory that he’s been hiding from for so long. It torments him, revealing the contents of the briefcase to be some sort of exotic rock that possesses the evil power of what we can only assume to be the Abyss. Will even tries to reason with him through The Hive by pointing out the juxtaposition between their traumas but Henry chooses to be one with the darkness rather than redeeming himself, forcing everyone to move forward with their big attack.
Nancy draws Vecna’s lair, the Mind Flayer, out while Eleven battles his physical body from within the lair. The others attack with their varied spears and weaponry, leaving everything a goopy and violent mess until Eleven is able to impale Vecna from inside. This allows the others to join her. They circle around Vecna, each character mentally reflecting on the pain and torment he has caused them over the last few years. Vecna meets his final end when Joyce takes an axe and decapitates him - her final payback for how much he has done to her, her reputation, and her family.
The group returns to Hawkins all together but they’re met with an even bigger military presence that is eager to get them all into custody. As Mike is being shoved against the side of the truck, his mind flashes to some all too familiar scenery that we know to be Eleven’s mind. In an emotional, coming of age exchange of tearful explanations and final goodbyes, Eleven confesses to Mike that it has to end with her. She must stay back in The Upside Down, which has been rigged with explosives so it will disappear for good. Mike begs her to stay but she holds her ground and he flashes back to the present right when people begin to notice Eleven’s absence. The camera focuses on Eleven’s figure as she stands in The Upside Down just beyond the entrance to Hawkins. The whole group screams and pleads with her to join them where she’ll be safe (well, safe from extinction) but again, she sticks to her plan and vanishes with the rest of the dark dimension.
What we’re met with next is a time jump. 18 months later, the party is graduating from Hawkins High School. Dustin is Valedictorian with big plans for college, Max and Lucas are together and strong as ever, Will is preparing to go to New York for school, and Mike is grieving in a distant, depressing way. The older kids are still here, too. Robin goes to Smith College in Massachusetts, Jonathan goes to NYU for film school, Nancy quit school and is actively working at The Herald, and Steve still lives nearby while he works as the sex ed teacher and baseball coach for Hawkins Middle School. Viewers watch a heartfelt scene as the party graduates, amped up by Dustin’s rebellious speech that pays homage to Eddie and the Hellfire Club, which also gives him a lasting legacy as the first person to ever flip Principal Higgins the bird.
After the ceremony, the group splits for one final time. The older ones drink beers and reminisce on their time in Hawkins atop the roof of The Squawk, making a promise to one another to meet up once a month so their friendship stays intact with time. Hopper and Joyce finally get their long awaited dinner date at Enzo’s, where Hopper proposes and the two make plans to move out East to Montauk to be away from Hawkins and closer to Will and Jonathan. Meanwhile, the younger ones do what they always do: they play a game of D&D.
During this game of D&D, the energy is up in the Wheeler’s basement and it is this scene where Mike discusses the futures of each group member. It’s up to interpretation whether or not this is sheer imagination or something of truth however we are provided visual time-jumps for each instance. He explains that Will finds himself and requited love while he’s at school, Dustin heals with the help of Steve and his studies, Lucas and Max fall further in love, and Mike becomes a writer who’s adamant on telling the group’s story. He also reveals the fate of an unexpected character: Eleven.
He explains that Kali actually never died, she just provided the illusion that she did so she could later help El escape before The Upside Down went to smithereens. This suggests that Eleven’s death was an illusion as well for her safety and viewers are given a visual of Eleven finally living freely as she stands in a “far off land with three waterfalls” just as Mike described to her near the season’s beginning.
With the group in bittersweet tears at this possibility, all 5 of them are shown putting away their D&D binders for the final time just as Holly and her friends crash down to play a game of their own. It’s an immense parallel to the opening scene of season 1 and Mike looks fondly at it before retreating upstairs, leaving Stranger Things to end just as it began.
OTHER DETAILS (WARDROBE, PROPS, MUSIC, THEORIES, ETC.)
Now that we’ve passed the meat of this season, it’s time to get into the details and fan theories that elevate the initial storyline. Across the board, the most prominent details can be found within the main characters’ physical appearance. It’s an indicator of their individual development on top of being an ode to the authentic and diverse fashion styles of the 1980s.
Take Steve, for example. In season 1, Steve is the king of Hawkins High and his physique reflects that. His hair is meticulously styled and he dresses in clothes that are either preppy or athletic to indicate his esteemed status and pompous attitude. In season 5, however, we see Steve painted in a much different light. His hair is still generally the same cut but it’s more relaxed and natural as is his wardrobe. He’s depicted wearing clothes that are mature and empathetic such as a cable knit sweater and even in his more boyish wear like the backwards hat and patch jacket (which previously belonged to Eddie) he fashions in the final battle, it’s a sign of positive growth.
Other meaningful aspects of the wardrobe include the evolution of Nancy’s hair, changes in both Max and Dustin’s hair and skin, expansion within Lucas’ and Jonathan’s style, and even subtle progression in Robin through the expressiveness and personality of her clothing.
Now, as for theories? There are probably hundreds, perhaps thousands of them. Full fledged dragons, Karen Wheeler being Alice Creel, Ms. Kelley being a servant to Henry, Ted Wheeler playing a bigger role, a ship known as “Byler” becoming canon, and even Eleven being Henry’s biological daughter. So many fans have tried to piece things together and predict outcomes but this time around, most of the theories fell flat and had many rather disappointed. So much so, that something now coined as Conformity Gate was born upon the release of the finale.
Conformity gate, in a nutshell, was the idea that episode 8 was a false ending conceptualized through an even falser narrative. Many believed that the party didn’t actually defeat Vecna/Henry/One and what we were given was a smokescreen that was planted in their minds so they’d conform to their own failure. Conformity is a term and theme that’s followed the show from the beginning, especially during the last two seasons. This was the main driving force behind the theory alongside certain fans’ underwhelmed opinions regarding the final battle. Many had hoped that the actual finale would air on January 7th as indicated through subtle background “evidence” such as times on clocks, social media graphics, etc. Although this turned out to be wrong, leaving some unsatisfied, it is the first time in tv history where a fanbase has built and believed in such an unorthodox premise.
Also, for the record, I myself was a Red Dragon Theory truther. Yes, I was a little bummed that we just got the Mindflayer 2.0. I’ll get over it. Eventually.
That leads me to my final point which is the significance of Stranger Things in the scope of queer media and representation. Many have accused the show of queerbaiting although that is an afterthought compared to the bigger picture. As a Queer woman myself, I think Stranger Things really did a rather standup job at portraying the queer experience in the context of 1980s small town Indiana. Hidden relationships, shoved-down feelings, inner turmoil, fear, and unreciprocated love are all key to this and each of them are checked off within the show whether it’s through Robin, Will, or the party that unconditionally backs them.
As the mighty George Harrison once said, all things must pass and that includes the legendary Stranger Things. Though the Duffer Brothers have confirmed that a project taking place in the same universe (though with different characters, setting, etc.) is in the works for them, us fans have little to no insight on the timeline for this. In the meantime, folks can of course rewatch the show from season 1 or they can keep up with the cast.
Joe Keery (Steve) and Sadie Sink have been confirmed to be major cast mates in the upcoming Spiderman: Brand New Day movie, Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) recently starred in Goat, Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven/Jane) will star in Enola Holmes 3 this Summer, and Finn Wolfhard (Mike) is rumored to be directing more alongside rejoining the It franchise for It: Welcome to Derry season 2. Furthermore, Joe Keery, Finn Wolfhard, and Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry/One) all have music careers. Keery sticks with the moniker Djo, Wolfhard uses his own name, and Bower is with the post-hardcore group BloodMagic.
