*Spoilers ahead!
On Dec. 31 at 7 p.m., the series “Stranger Things” came to an official end, and fans said goodbye to Hawkins for the last time. Starting out in 2016 as a small Netflix original and the uncertainty of the outcome of the show, nearly a decade later, the series has become a global phenomenon with thousands of fans and shaping pop culture.
Christmas day, Volume 2 of Season 5 aired on Netflix, causing a wave of mixed emotions among fans. While excitement and expectations were high, controversy followed just as quickly. Fans were divided over pacing, character choices and theories that didn’t come true. On the other hand, we also get to see Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve’s (Joe Keery) characters finally speak on their long-overdue feelings, which ends in a fight, though it’s more emotional than violent. We also find out the truth of what Dr. Kay was ultimately planning with Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). One of the biggest moments that occurred in Volume 2 would be the “break-up” scene between Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) which many fans were confused about because they confessed they still loved each other, but I think it was a perfect break-up for the two characters who have been tied together through trauma since Season 1.
One of my favorite scenes in Volume 2 was the scene between Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) when Max finally wakes up from her two year coma in Henry’s (Jamie Campbell-Bower) mind. It was the most emotional and sincere moment in the entire season that caused even the other actors in the scene to get emotional because of their portrayal of the scene. “Everyone was quiet. Then Maya Hawke and AmyBeth McNulty started crying … Everyone just felt the presence of what we brought to the table,” Sink said an interview with Netflix.
With a lot of controversy over Volume 2, fans weren’t sure how the finale would wrap up, but in my opinion, it was perfect. With two hours to wrap up the entire series, there were many expectations set by fans. There was especially a lot of confusion when there was still an hour left after the group finally killed Vecna, but one of the most shocking moments of all was the sacrifice Eleven made. Most fans thought Steve or Dustin would die this season, but Eleven was least expected. It was the most heartbreaking scene in the whole series — seeing one of my favorite characters die, especially after not having a real childhood and her life ending so early. The song “Purple Rain” by Prince also added to the emotion. My personal favorite moment was how they ended playing DND in the Wheelers’ basement just like how they started the series — with the passing of the torch to Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) and her friends.
From Season 1 to Season 5, “Stranger Things” has kept a continuous theme throughout — friendship. In particular, relationships between people who would never be friends without the course of events that happened. Even though the events that occurred were not the most pleasant to go through, fighting off demogorgons and dealing with Venca, the group still found time to bond. For example, Steve and Dustin would have never been friends, which is one of the most beloved duos in the series.
A behind the scenes documentary came out just days after the finale, which showed the actors last day on set in which the main actors supported one another on each other’s last days, and the family that was created through this series. As the Wheelers’ basement door shuts and the screen fades to black, “Stranger Things” leaves us with one final message — to believe, in each other, in hope and in the stories that shape who we are.
