After three long years of anticipation for most and frustration for some, the first volume of the final season of Stranger Things is here.
Volume One premiered on November 26, the night before Thanksgiving. Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of the show, have brought their all to the beginning of the end of this historic Netflix original series.
The season opens with a scene showing Will in the Upside Down from when he was first taken in season one. This scene already set the mood for the finale, which will come on New Year’s Eve, where the Duffer brothers plan to fully explain the Upside Down and have the audience fully comprehend what has been happening all of these years in Hawkins.
“This season was very good, and it was cinematic compared to the others. The ending of this volume was great, and I like the iconic ’80s hits that they chose for the show,” says Tuanna Reid, ’27
After the iconic 80s synth intro, we are welcomed back to present-day Hawkins with a familiar nostalgic season one sound and the fan favourite characters. This sets an exciting tone for the episode, but this season proves to be different from all of the others.
We have always known Holly Wheeler, Mike and Nancy’s younger sister. She has noticed something about the Upside Down in almost every season. However, this season, she becomes a bigger asset to helping us understand Vecna or more of the Upside Down.
Will also gets reintroduced as a main character this season with his connection to the Upside Down coming back to life since he is back in Hawkins this season.
This season gives us new characters, new friendships and pairings, and brings back old faces; some in a different way. We could also assume from the final trailer that the music would once again come through as a big characteristic of the show.
“I was expecting more from the first episode of the new season after the ending of season four. Other than that, I enjoyed most of the character developments,” expresses Sam Best, ’28. “It was a binge-worthy season as I finished it the night it came out.”
Using Queen’s “Who Wants To Live Forever” gave the final trailer a cinematic feel. The credits of episode one included ABBA’s “Fernando,” which may be unrecognisable to some younger ears, but the band name has a popular appeal. Then in episode three, “I Think We’re Alone Now,” by Tiffany was played, which was one of the biggest hits in the 80s for teens. The music this season topped every other season, even with only four episodes.
“I started watching the series when season 4 was first released, but I quickly became a HUGE fan. I’ve listened to Running Up That Hill at least 100 times, and I really look forward to volumes 2 and 3,” says Sasha Castle, ’27
The final episode left me hungry for more than just turkey on Thanksgiving. The Duffers have given their all into this season so far to give the fans the finale they deserve. Episode four, “The Sorcerer,” received the highest rating on IMDb out of the whole show with a 9.6 out of 10 stars.
The second volume will be coming out on December 26, and the finale on December 31. Hopefully, the ending will bring a “Happy New Year.”