The day finally came where Season 5 of Stranger Things kicked off. On November 26th, 2025, the first four episodes dropped. Volume 2, which will have 3 more episodes, will drop on December 25th (so two weeks from now), and the grand finale of this show will be revealed on New Year’s Eve, December 31st. This article may contain spoilers, so read on if you don’t mind them!
Where are we with the characters? Well, we are in 1987 Hawkins, Indiana. The first episode, The Crawl, almost hits us with a reset button: re-establishing the characters, the new normals (aka government being more keen-eyed than ever before), and a slow-burn tension as the town rattles in uncertainty. This moody introduction showcases what Stranger Things is best known for. The second episode, The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler leans deeper into what the town is feeling. This episode reveals many nods we got in previous seasons showcasing how the Upside Down is still present in everyday life. It’s eerie, grounded, and backs up the tonal shift of the later two episodes. The Turnbow Trap picks up the pace with movement, discovery, and more unease. All our main characters (Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, El, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington, and Will Byers) start to piece together what Vecna, our villain, is conspiring.
Lastly, we have Sorcerer, which is the most important (and my favorite) episode. This is the highest-rated episode in the entire series on IMDb. While there is so much to talk about with this episode, I’m focusing on Will Byers and his involvement. It is clear throughout the show that WIll is NOT like other kids. Season 4 highlights this with subtle body language throughout. Will and Robin share a moment where she gives a speech where she was able to accept her authentic self by watching old home videos of herself as a carefree and fearless child. This showed her that she always had the power to accept who she was. She even says “I was looking for answers from somebody else, but I had all the answers…” giving Will the confidence to be sure of what he is capable of. To see what Will does with this new reassurance go watch the first 4 episodes of Season 5!
Sabrina Rogers
Entertainment Editor
