Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 has officially landed, paving the way for the grand finale on January 1. While The Duffer Brothers show has always enjoyed cult fandom, the feelings for Season 5 are bittersweet. Ask why? While the return of Stranger Things after three years makes fans happy, the season finale also marks the end of an era.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 ended on a cliffhanger; safe to say, the mark of a new beginning when Will discovered he is one of Eleven. What happens after is what the following three episodes of Volume 2 are about. If you are a Stranger Things fan, we know you are going to watch it anyway, but here are our two cents about Volume 2, sans spoilers.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2: What happens after Will discovers new powers?
Will, played by Noah Scnapp, has always been one of the central characters in Stranger Things, right from the beginning. He was Vecna’s easy target and though rescued, life was never easy for him. All his anger has now channelised into him discovering new powers and erasing his villain’s very existence from the face of the earth. Will, this season, is shown as both confused and powerful. His gang is in awe of him, and so is his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder), along with the audience.
Over the new three episodes of Stranger Things 5, the Hawkins gang is busy plotting ways to get to Vecna. They have no choice but to focus on the most dangerous mission of their lives, leaving behind parents on a deathbed and loss of friends (as shown in previous seasons).
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2: The Hawkins gang
Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, was one of the most important characters of Stranger Things. It could be the demand of the storyline, and the Duffer Brothers are probably saving her potential for the last, but we see very little of her in Volume 2. Nancy (Natalie Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Neaton) are still busy hatching ways to back their friends at the final battle with Vecna.
Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery) have finally realised their brotherhood and have figured out a way to dismiss past woes. Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Robin (Maya Hawke) are one of the most sorted on the group. They know what they are doing (or maybe not). Jim Hopper's (David Harbour) is relentless in his pursuit of saving his foster daughter, El, and, in turn, saving the town of Hawkins.
Max’s (Sadie Sink) is still stuck in Vecna’s mind and at the hospital, and with Holly (Nell Fisher), she thinks of ways to get out of the endless loop. Will they, or won’t they? That’s for you to discover.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2: What doesn’t work
There has been a lot of online chatter about how Dustin, once one of the happiest and most positive characters, is reduced to just being grim and complex after a difficult few years with the loss of his dear friend, Eddie. And seeing him, one of our most favourite characters, lose out on innocence, is indeed heartbreaking.
The three episodes of Volume 5 are slow and doesn’t do much after the impactful Will-moment from ‘Sorcerer’ episode. However, by the time you realise the need for the endless plotting episodes, boredom has already seeped in. It’s long, lengthy and almost always about plotting and killing Vecna – a point that had been proven long before.
Episode 7, The Bridge, only helps you momentarily from the disappointment. And you end up hoping that the grand finale episode, The Rightside Up, is worth it.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2: What works
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2, though long and seemingly endless with the same conversation going on for three episodes, proves its point only after you watch Episode 7. This is the last season of the series, and The Duffer Brothers, wanted to gift fans an emotional farewell, instead of a robotic action packed one.
They perhaps wanted the audience to understand, know a character in-and out – what they thought, who they scared about, what they wanted, basically their characteristics – like you probably saw in trump cards of WWE stars when life was simpler. They perhaps wanted the audience to fully resonate with each character and find a piece of the gang in their own individualities. No character on the show is pointless. Every arc is made with the utmost planning and caution and you must be patient to let the story unfold.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2: Did any character die?
Makers often kill important characters to create a larger impact. We saw the tactic work when Billy Hargrove and Eddie Munson died in the previous seasons. Did the makers kill anyone yet? Well, we are not going to spoil it for you, but you too will have your hand on your heart, especially in the last episode for Volume 2. Whether it’s for good or bad, you will have to watch it to decide.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2: The final verdict
Stranger Things 5 Volume 2 is slow, but sometimes, the slower the broth, the tastier it gets. Was it as tasty as Volume 1? Perhaps an inch lesser but just wait for it to simmer.
Episode 5 might feel flat, especially after an adrenaline-stirring fourth episode, but you must wait for the Hawkins gang and Vecna to take over your minds too.
Some things take time, only if you give them a fair chance. That pretty much sums Stranger Things 5 Volume 2.
We give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
