Stranger Things 5: Hits, Misses, and a Few Easter Eggs So Far (with SPOILERS!)

Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 premiered on November 26, 2025 and marks the first of three parts that will conclude the acclaimed sci fi horror series. The season takes place 18 months after the cataclysmic events that opened portals across Hawkins at the end of Season 4 in 2022.

This new chapter continues to explore the lives of the friend group as they face the consequences of the fusion between the Upside Down and reality and the final threat posed by Vecna.

Created by the Duffer Brothers, the series also features them as executive producers alongside Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Iain Paterson.

The show stars its main cast, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and David Harbour.

Stranger Things 5, Volume 1 was highly anticipated and instantly sparked discussion, with some elements earning praise and others generating debate.

In this article, we highlight some of the hits, missteps, and notable Easter eggs from this first part of the season.

Designed as an explosive starting point, Volume 1 speeds up the pacing and heightens the tension as direct preparation for the final battle.

Answers to Long Standing Mysteries

The opening volume focuses on unraveling long standing mysteries, something that certainly pleases attentive fans. The story digs deeper into the mythological connection between Will Byers and Vecna, a thread that dates back to the first season, and finally offers the narrative explanations viewers have been waiting for regarding Will’s trauma and his importance to the larger story.

Electrifying Climax

The Duffer Brothers designed Volume 1 to play like a complete “mega movie,” meaning it has its own beginning, middle, and dramatic ending.

The high point of this first part is the fourth episode, which serves as the climax of this “film.”

This chapter ends with a major battle and an emotional peak that not only wraps Volume 1 on a high note but also sets the stage for the catastrophic events that will unfold in Volume 2.

The Opening of Decisive Storylines

Volume 1 delivers big narrative surprises and, more importantly, introduces the decisive storylines that will lead to the final answers the audience has been waiting for over nearly ten years.

The narrative moves quickly and pushes Hawkins back to the edge of total collapse, intensifying the sense that the end of the world as they know it is truly near.

The Return of Kali (Eight)

Kali’s appearance, a character from Season 2, is one of the biggest surprises and highlights of Volume 1 and immediately reignites the plot surrounding the Hawkins Lab experiments.

She appears with a shaved head and in custody, which suggests that the government or military has captured her and is trying to force her to help track down Eleven. This increases the tension and the conflict between our heroine and government forces and reinforces the idea that the government continues to view Eleven as a weapon rather than a person.

Will Byers’ Central Importance

Volume 1 makes it clear that Will Byers’ special connection to the Upside Down is crucial and is at the center of the story. The narrative shows that his importance goes far beyond being the first character abducted in Season 1. The season promises that Will will finally take on a central and decisive role in the final confrontation against Vecna.

Tension Without Major Fatalities

Although the tension in Volume 1 is extremely high, there is an intentional absence of deaths among the main characters. The creators used this approach to balance the moments of despair with brief glimpses of hope. In practice, this prepares the audience emotionally for an ending that is expected to be far more devastating and impactful in the episodes to come.

Artificial Resolution

One point that may have felt like an artificial solution or even a writing misstep is the subplot in which the military attempts to control Eleven’s powers using inhibitors.

This storyline created a false sense of security and, for some fans, seemed like an unnecessary detour from the main action. Critics argue that if the group already had a plan to confront Vecna, focusing on restricting the heroine’s powers may have felt like a delay or a forced way to hold back the series’ most powerful character.

Recycled Storytelling

Certain story elements, such as using memory-based time shifts to uncover important information, did not feel fresh. To us, it felt like a “copy and paste” of plot structures we had seen before.

We were left with the uncomfortable sense that Stranger Things was repeating itself or, worse, borrowing ideas from other major sagas such as Harry Potter. Unfortunately, this made some of the show’s early charm and distinctive creativity feel somewhat overshadowed at the start of the season.

Excessive Epic Scale

The series often tries to portray the characters as superheroes, and this heightened tone sometimes feels forced. This approach suggests a shift away from the show’s roots because it moves the narrative further from the more intimate, character driven focus on its teenage cast that helped define its early success.

Book: A Wrinkle in Time

The most prominent reference, one that spans several episodes, is to the 1962 classic sci fi children’s novel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

Mr. Whatsit

The character who interacts with the Hawkins kids is named Mr. Whatsit. This name is a direct nod to Mrs. Whatsit from the book, a mysterious and powerful supernatural figure who guides the children on their journey. In the series, Mr. Whatsit’s friendly persona is actually a calculated disguise used by Vecna.

Camazotz

The term Max uses to describe Vecna’s “mindscape,” where she and Holly Wheeler are trapped, is Camazotz. In the book, Camazotz is a dark and dystopian planet ruled by a centralized entity called “It,” which parallels the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down. The title of an upcoming episode in Volume 2 is even “Escape from Camazotz.”

1980s Pop Culture References

The season, set in November 1987, continues to honor the era.

Back to the Future

There are several clear allusions to the 1985 film. In one scene, Joyce jokingly admits she does not understand a Back to the Future reference.

Dr. Kay / Linda Hamilton

Casting Linda Hamilton, best known for playing Sarah Connor in The Terminator, as Dr. Kay, a tough military scientist, is a strong nod to 80s action and sci fi films.

Music

The song “Mr. Sandman” plays over the end credits of one episode, continuing the show’s tradition of using iconic 80s tracks.

Volume 1 of the final season of Stranger Things was not simply a prologue. It was an emotional and strategic turning point that forced our heroes to confront a harsh truth: there is no turning back. The conclusion of these four chapters carved into the heart of the narrative the idea that the fate of the world rests in the hands of Will Byers, the “patient zero” whose psychic connection to Vecna is the key to either victory or destruction.

Hawkins has fallen apart for good, becoming an exposed battleground where military containment has failed catastrophically. The Upside Down is no longer a distant threat but an invading force. We witness confirmation that Vecna is at the height of his strength and strategy, abducting new victims for an unknown final plan and retreating to his dimension with his army prepared for total annihilation.

What remains is an overwhelming sense of urgency. The board has been flipped, the stakes could not be higher, and sacrifice now feels unavoidable. The group is united, yet the looming final confrontation hangs over them with intense and desperate weight.

See you next time!