With its first four episodes, season 5 of Stranger Things raises the stakes to their climax. The resounding return of Vecna, now known as “Mr. What”, plunges Hawkins into chaos. As the city is quarantined, the children are targeted as perfect “vessels” for his plan to reshape the world.
Dr. Kay, believing he is tracking Eleven, is actually holding Kali, aka Eight. This unexpected return of a character from season 2 further intensifies the intrigue. For her part, Eleven, accompanied by Hopper, attempts a desperate infiltration into a military base in the Upside Down. The tension is constant, the dangers multiple, and the mysteries… increasingly thick.
Will Byers unleashes his powers…and changes everything
The big revelation of this volume 1 undoubtedly remains the awakening of Will’s powers. Long passive, always linked to Vecna since his disappearance in season 1, he finally takes action. During a brutal confrontation, he manages to neutralize a horde of Demogorgons, drawing on his happiest memories and his complicity with Robin.
The image of her bleeding nose, a direct echo of the manifestations of Eleven’s powers, says it all. Will no longer just interacts with the world of the Upside Down: he begins to master it. This development finds resonance in the words of Ross Duffer: “One of the first ideas for Season 5 was, ‘What if Will could harness this connection and use it against our villains?'”
And he adds: “It also seemed very natural for us to refocus the story on Will. He’s the child who was kidnapped in season 1, so it made sense for the story to come full circle. If there was one who was going to be the key to defeating Vecna, it had to be Will.”
Return of Kali, Max’s mental prison and Vecna’s plan
This volume 1 also marks the return of Kali, who has been absent since season 2. Captive in the Upside Down, she is at the heart of the experiments of Dr. Kay, who seeks to understand the origins of Eleven’s powers. Kali could well play a crucial role in the future, especially against Vecna.
As for Max, she is still alive, stuck in a mental prison made of Vecna’s memories. Despite her efforts to escape – guided by the music and the sensations transmitted to her by Lucas in the hospital – she remains stuck, until Holly Wheeler gives her hope. The two girls launch a new plan, while Vecna continues her dark plans.
It is also to Will that Vecna addresses one of her most chilling monologues: “Do you know why I chose them to reshape the world? Because they are weak…”
An explosive finale approaching: what the sequel promises us
The cliffhanger is total: Kali to be saved, Max on borrowed time, Will at the gates of immense power, and Vecna more determined than ever. The upcoming confrontation promises to be dramatic, violent, and, if Jamie Campbell Bower is to be believed, unforgettable. The actor says: “I have the impression that there are still scores to be settled between [Vecna] and Will.”
And he teases the end of the series with emotion: “As a fan, I’m really, really, really happy and in love with this ending. It’s truly beautiful, and it’s a very fitting conclusion to a series that we all know and love.”
See you at Christmas for volume 2, then December 31 for the grand finale. Until then, theories will fly. But one thing is certain: Will is more than ever the key to everything.