Stranger Things has returned after more than three years, and the opening four episodes of Season 5 waste no time diving back into Hawkins’ chaos. Volume 1 picks up a year and a half after the “earthquake” that ripped through the town which is the same event fans know was triggered by Vecna.
Hawkins is now under military control. While Hopper and Joyce focus on training Eleven, the rest of the group - Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, Nancy, Jonathan, Steve and Robin works to track down Vecna before he strikes again. Max remains in a coma, a constant reminder of how high the stakes are.
A faster, riskier start to the final season
As noted by the SCREENRANT, Duffer Brothers avoided a slow buildup. The characters are impatient, the danger is immediate and Hawkins looks nothing like the town fans first met in 2016. The young cast’s maturity also works in the show’s favor where Eleven shows a new confidence, and Mike shares an emotional moment with his sister Holly, who plays a key role in one of Volume 1’s most affecting sequences.
But Volume 1 also highlights a familiar issue. Once the group’s plan to stop Vecna starts to unravel, the narrative again splits into multiple smaller storylines. SCREENRANT points out that while Stranger Things has benefited from memorable pairings in the past, the expanding cast and larger mythology make the story feel stretched and sometimes too fragmented.
The publication adds that despite the long episode runtimes, some plotlines go untouched for long stretches as the story jumps between characters.
Volume 1 takes big narrative risks
Some twists in the first half of the season seems predictable to longtime theorists, while others may divide the audience. The article notes that several character decisions carry major consequences and will likely spark debate as the show heads toward its final chapters.
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Still, the report credits the Duffer Brothers for choosing bold moves rather than relying on safe storytelling. Even with complex subplots and years-long waiting periods between seasons, Stranger Things manages to stay emotionally charged and visually gripping.
Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. Volume 2 will be out on December 25, and the series finale will be released on December 31.
