Major Volume One spoilers ahead!
“Stranger Things” kicked off its final season with the release of Volume One on Nov. 26. Volume One consisted of the first four episodes, which was enough to crash Netflix and leave everyone itching for more. Many have questions, and plenty of theories have already been shared. But with the release of Volume Two around the corner (Dec. 25), there are some established plot points that will undoubtably have some impact on these next few episodes.
Dustin’s Character Change
This season greeted us with an almost unrecognizable Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo). Not physically of course, but the change in personality had most people raising their eyebrows. When anyone thinks of Dustin’s character they think of a goofy, lovable nerd like most of the boys. This season, he feels disconnected from the rest of the characters. It’s almost like he’s trying too hard to be edgy against the bullies at school.
To put it simply, this is him dealing with Eddie’s (Joseph Quinn) death. He was the closest to Eddie out of everyone and is grieving the most. Grief happens to present itself in different ways and Dustin is trying to keep Eddie alive by acting like his friend himself. The unfortunate part is, Eddie’s personality doesn’t really suit Dustin. He ends up in more trouble than not and abandons the team for most of the crawl.
Going into the rest of the season, will this character arc continue? The strained relationship with the rest of the crew, especially Steve (Joe Keery), will have some impact for the rest of the “Stranger Things” season. The duo hasn’t been on good terms and that could be a set up for some soul-crushing angst, or an eventual break down on Dustin’s behalf. Either way, grab some tissues.
That Love Triangle
The Stancy/Jancy debate has been going on for a while now, and will not be coming to a halt. If anything, it’s been much more apparent than it has been in previous seasons. The first episode showed a hilarious “macho-off” between Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Steve which established the dynamic right away. Throughout the episodes they would constantly try to one-up each other for Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) attention until Jonathan was sick of it. But the funniest part of it all, was Nancy not caring.
Another storyline to keep an eye out for is a proposal arc. Murray (Brett Gelman) dropped off a cassette tape that would be “engaging” and I assumed that was just a dirty joke until that ring appeared. This, again, could be a set up for an emotional death or it could cause more conflict within the relationship. It’s also hard to ignore the tension established between Nancy and Steve last season, and it’s obvious how he feels for her. Jonathan has the ring, Steve doesn’t give up and the debates online will not end until these character’s stories are complete.
It almost feels like “The Summer I Turned Pretty” rather than “Stranger Things” with this arc. Team Steve or team Jonathan? But there’s always that third option of the love interest choosing herself. And with Nancy’s lack of interest in their competition this isn’t an option to leave out. Her character is the definition of a strong, independent woman and she just happens to be in this triangle. Any option is up for grabs here.
Holly’s Increased Role
The Duffer brothers really tried to keep the episode two title a secret, but “The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler” was outed quickly. Holly (Nell Fisher) has been an insignificant character until this point, and her story is now one of the most important plots of the season. She’s the first victim of “Mr. Whatsit”/Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and kicks off all the action. And she’s in Vecna’s mind while she goes through everything that Will (Noah Schnapp) went through back in season one.
There’s some fun scenes of her dancing around to her favorite Tiffany song, but everyone is on the edge of their seat waiting for something to happen. Holly’s alter-ego “Holly the heroic” helps her brave the woods and it’s comforting to know Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) words made such an impact. The necklace with her figurine keeps the siblings connected in different worlds, and it adds another emotional layer to the crew’s mission.
Who would’ve thought Holly would be one of the most influential “Stranger Things” characters? She is now essential to both the plot inside of Vecna’s world and outside of it. She’s the driving force behind the mission, and discovered Max (Sadie Sink) in Vecna’s world. With her presence, “door three” has opened up again and sets up a crucial plotline for the latter half of the season.
Max is Alive(ish)
It turns out Max is not just a hospital patient this season! Holly finding Max in Venca’s world is a highlight from the volume. A Max/Holly “Stranger Things” storyline wasn’t expected, but is certainly welcomed. The expectation that Max was just going to be comatose the whole time is only half true. In the real world she is, but within Vecna’s memories she’s still alive and well.
One of the most important points revealed is that there is a way for Max to wake up. And of course, that’s through the help of Kate Bush. Max was able to travel through all of Vecna’s memories until she reached the point of return. Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) gives her an opportunity to escape as he plays “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” at every hospital visit. But Max seems to have given up until Holly creates a new spark.
Clips from the season’s trailer show Lucas carrying Max around with a boombox in the hospital. There’s no doubt that this could be an attempt to wake Max back up. But questions still remain on how Lucas or anyone will learn about Max/Holly. And if Max is traveling through Vecna’s memories again, will we learn anything new about Hawkins’ past?
“The Lost Sister” Isn’t a Skip
Season two, episode seven is infamously one of the most useless episodes in television history. Some argue it’s the worst “Stranger Things” episode. That is until season five, episode four. Turns out that episode might be important to the plot of the show again! So a rewatch of “The Lost Sister” might come in handy before the next episodes.
Way back when in season two a new character was introduced to the series: Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), or 008. She’s been through everything that Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) has been through. They grew up in the lab together, have powers and both got out alive. This reveal felt random in the series and it didn’t help that this plot wasn’t mentioned for another eight years. So naturally, “The Lost Sister” was a skip during most fan’s rewatches.
Kali will be a highlighted character for the rest of the season. Her and Eleven’s reunion will bring power to the crew’s side over Vecna. But conflict can arise since Kali was also a very bitter, punk character in “The Lost Sister.” There’s a possibility of trust issues between Kali and the others, much like Eleven in the beginning of the series. Isolation is what she knows, so it will be interesting to see her role in the end of the series.
Will Finally Figured Himself Out
Arguably the most compelling part of Volume One is Will’s character arc. For four seasons now, Will has constantly been the one to get the short end of the stick. With Vecna having control of his mind, he was powerless against the supernatural forces that took over him. He’s quiet, awkward and constantly overprotected by his mother because of the trauma he endured.
But that all changed with the new season, and a very important part of that was Will beginning to accept his queer identity. Finding an outlet in Robin (Maya Hawke) was critical for Will’s development as a character, and her speech about acceptance was a turning point. It’s been an unspoken truth that Will is gay in series, and this season is really leaning into that. And with Will being comfortable in his own skin, he could finally push past his fears.
The ending of episode four is what makes is so incredible. “Sorcerer” has tied season four, episode seven as “Stranger Things”‘ highest rated episode with a 9.6/10 on iMDb. Just as it seemed it was all over for the crew, Will remembers Robin’s wise words. We see a memory of him, Mike and the Byers family, the people most dear to him. This memory and acceptance unlocks Will’s Vecna-like powers, a major turning point in the series.
There’s a lot of questions still surrounding Will, like what’s the full extent of his powers? Do the writers have anything planned for Mike and Will? What will the combination of Eleven, Kali and Will do for the team? But those will hopefully all be answered by the end. “Stranger Things” Volume Two will release on Christmas day, and the two-hour season finale will stream on New Year’s Eve on Netflix, along with being available in theaters. There’s no better way to spend the holidays than finishing a series that’s been nine years in the making. So watch the Volume Two trailer below and get ready!
