Volume one of “Stranger Things” season 5 was a great introduction to a finale. Released on Nov. 26, the volume consisted of the first four episodes of the season, most averaging at an hour long.

Each episode kept audiences hooked, building anticipation for the subsequent volume. This is thanks to the new graphics, special effects and developed suspense. The new complex relationship dynamics kept audiences on the edges of their seats as Robin Buckley and Vickie Dunne navigated their new relationship, Jonathan Byers’ planned to propose to Nancy Wheeler and Dustin Henderson and Steve Harrington grew apart.

Not only did the pre-existing characters keep the audience engaged, but the new additions stole the show. Especially the character of Derek Turnbow, played by Jake Connelly, won over thousands of viewers as his humor and fun performance was arguably one of the best parts of the season.

Additionally, the plot throughout these four episodes built up suspense in every scene, such as Holly Wheeler meeting Max Mayfield in the Upside Down while navigating Henry’s mind.

The plot twist at the end of episode four was truly breathtaking. Audience members were shocked to see this crazy display of telekinesis from Will, who has been continuously sidelined in all of the past seasons, and is finally getting the respect, and power, he deserves.

Despite all of the amazing quality in this first volume, there were still some controversial choices made in these episodes. First, Dustin and Steve’s strained relationship is heart-wrenching. The audience was aware of how much they love each other, considering how their friendship blossomed since season two. However, seeing everything unravel due to Dustin’s struggle after Eddie Munson’s death is discouraging and leaves concern for the characters’ bond in future episodes.

Similarly, the reintroduction of the love triangle between Steve, Jonathan and Nancy was frankly nauseating. In past seasons, a point has been made that Steve is moving on from Nancy and they can simply be friends, like in season four, but watching the exchange of passive aggressive digs and the scene of Jonathan and Steve racing up the radio tower was random and cheesy. This new dynamic does not build on any of their characters more, and paired with his issues with Dustin, it moves Steve backward in his character arc, which has become so treasured among the fanbase.

Unlike its predecessor, volume two of season five was disappointing compared to the first four episodes. Released on Christmas Day, the three episodes of volume two were not bad; however, they simply do not have the same quality as those that have come before.

To start, the “new” characters in these episodes were not nearly as loveable as the ones from the last volume. This is especially apparent in the return of Kali, AKA 008, Eleven’s sister who also has telepathic powers. Kali’s insertion into the team and into Eleven’s personal business was distasteful, and created an odd power dynamic that showed Kali’s self-serving intentions.

Additionally, the breakup between Jonathan and Nancy was a relief on their rocky relationship,however, their implied
breakup conversation was not satisfying in the slightest. The entire “unproposal” idea was trying to appear witty; yet, it left audiences confused if the conversation was a break up or simply drawing a line of how far Jonathan and Nancy are willing to take their relationship at the moment. It should have been clear that the conversation was, in fact, the end of their relationship.

Conversely, Steve and Dustin’s make up was the best part of this volume as the heated tensions between them were finally addressed. The fight scene between them was truly eye opening as audiences gained more insight into how hard Eddie’s death affected Dustin. It also acts as redemption for Steve to finally see that, though Dustin was excessively hostile, Steve himself was acting jealous and uncompassionate for his friend.

On the other hand, many areas of the volume were found lacking. Will’s coming out scene stands out like a sore thumb, with the scene feeling forced and seriously awkward. The large group of people, the long-winded speech and all of the characters joining in to accept Will, left watchers with a sour taste in their mouths, especially considering how well “Stranger Things” has handled coming out scenes previously. For example, Robin’s coming out felt natural and authentic, contrary to the scene given to Will.

Considering the perpetual awkward tension through the volume, the suspense was completely lost. Compared to the amazing writing seen in the volume one cliffhanger with Will gaining powers, the ending of volume two was a regression in the already built up suspense and weakened all anticipation for the final battle.

Released on New Years Eve, the eighth and final episode of the “Stranger Things” franchise aired, leaving audiences with many conflicting feelings toward the series’ end. Throughout the episode, watching Vecna and the Mindflayer’s demise was a great relief for both the watchers and characters alike, though the action in these scenes did feel short-lived compared to the other action scenes in previous seasons.

The most impactful part of this episode by far was Eleven’s ultimate death, representing the end of all the oddities in Hawkins, with the passing of the person who essentially started it all. The use of Prince’s “Purple Rain” in this scene was beautiful and captured heavy emotions during Eleven and Mike’s last conversation.

Technically, there were two main deaths in the finale, being Kali and Eleven; however, as theorized by Mike, Eleven may still be alive, meaning there was only one official death in the whole episode. This was very disappointing as it got rid of the heaviness of the episode and let down many viewers once the finale was over. This could have been solved with more deaths in the main cast or even stronger action sequences with more near-death experiences.

The last 57 minutes of the epilogue for this episode were a kind attempt to wrap up the story. An especially sweet moment was watching the kids graduate from high school and seeing Dustin’s speech and his allusion to Eddie’s original graduation plans. Watching Robin, Nancy, Steve and Jonathan stay close was also reassuring, but their scene on the rooftop of the WSQK studio was long-winded and didn’t build much on the finale.

Despite the mostly happy endings in the series, most watchers had complaints about the finale, especially regarding the various plot holes in the last episode due to changed props, misalignments and multiple contradictions. This confusion made audiences so disappointed that they came up with theories, specifically a theory created on TikTok called “Conformity Gate.” Fans supposed that the different mistakes and plot holes in the final episode were simply a hint that the audience was inside of Vecna’s mind and being manipulated, and the finale didn’t actually happen. The theory speculated that the real finale would be released on Jan. 7. This was untrue, however, it is incredible to see how a fanbase can come up with an entirely different ending due to the pure disappointment in the one originally created.

Ultimately, the “Stranger Things” finale was a far too cautious approach on a story that has usually been able to break boundaries and leave audiences on edge. The episode was still enjoyable and gave peace to most of its beloved characters. However, there were many ways that the writing could have been improved so that audiences could have the best possible ending to this wonderful series.