Many will still say that "Stranger Things" is for kids, kids who save the world from the apocalypse with bikes and plans made with action figures on board game maps. But those who have followed the series from day one know better. Now, almost ten years after the first episodes, the kids from Hawkins have grown up, and so have we.
The final season brings farewell, not only to the monsters and the "Upside Down", but also to the characters we've watched develop before our eyes. "Stranger Things" has become a story, and an example, of friendship, courage and facing the unknown over the years.
Same world, new reality
Three and a half years after the end of season four, "Stranger Things" finally returned for its fifth and final chapter, bringing the final story of the boys and girls who once raced through the streets of Hawkins on bicycles, battling forces from the parallel dimension "Upside Down."
Four episodes out of eight have been released. Three more are coming on December 25th, and the grand finale is scheduled, symbolically, for December 31st.
What was once a charming and endearing mix of the 80s, nostalgia, and childlike courage fighting to save the world from the apocalypse is now facing a new reality: the actors have grown up, projects outside the series are coming up, the voices are deeper, their physiognomy has changed, and with it the perception of the audience.
Still, it seems that the series manages to retain the recognizable spirit of its characters, while gradually introducing them to more mature and complex stages of life.
The new season begins in the fall of 1987, 18 months after the dramatic events of the fourth season.
The excellent "cliffhanger" from the end of season four, a shot of a devastated Hawkins, with the announcement and promise that it would continue "exactly where it left off", was continued with a military quarantine controlling the city.
Return to Hawkins
The fifth season, so far, seems like an introspective look at itself.
We only leave Hawkins when we go to the "Upside Down", a mental space made of memories that is still controlled by the main antagonist, Vekna (Jamie Campbell).
The reduction in the number of locations and the focus on a few key characters create, for fans, a more intimate, original tone and a more concentrated plot. This approach brought a clearer narrative focus, in contrast to the fourth season in which the protagonists were separated by thousands of kilometers, which made the story, at times, more scattered between the physical distance of the characters and the epic unforgettable scenes.
Each episode builds seamlessly onto the previous one, so "Stranger Things 5" is essentially a five-hour horror-action-comedy, in which absolutely every segment of the series is maximally developed.
The threat of the Vekna, now in even more forms, remains looming, and the boundary between our world and the "Upside Down" becomes increasingly fragile, if it still exists at all. Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine) is dead, while the role of head of the "deep state" is taken over by Dr. Kay (L), operating a secret base within the parallel dimension itself.
The visual aspect of the fifth season is an impressive testament to the series' technical progress.
"Upside Down" has never been depicted in such detail and immersion. The shots convey a sense of fear, danger, threat, but also claustrophobic isolation. This visual spectacle, unlimited by the effects budget, rises to the level of a blockbuster in production standards, but without departing from the characteristic aesthetics that made the series famous. However, it should be noted that now entering the "Upside Down" has become easier, almost trivial, which somewhat reduces the danger and tension that this dimension once carried.
Despite the visual splendor, the series remains true to its tone. References to cult films from the 80s ("The Exorcist", "Home Alone") recall the original inspiration.
But they are no longer nostalgic and charming decor, they now act as a contrast between the fleeting "childhood innocence" and a more complex and slightly bitter adolescence.
The return to radio, the occasional Dungeons & Dragons analogy, and fantasy motifs from earlier seasons show how the series balances between nostalgia and its own evolution.
Characters who finally get their stories
One of the most important aspects of season five is the character development.
Ingenious Dustin (Gejten Mataraco), through a new image and attitude, it seems that he is trying, whether it is a marketing plan or not, to keep alive the spirit and memory of the fan favorite from the previous season, Eddie Manson (Joseph Quinn) and his heroic sacrifice.
Nancy (Natali Drajer), as in previous seasons, bravely faces every challenge, and now with even greater determination as she deals with direct loss, the disappearance of her sister, and an almost tragic outcome for her parents.
Eleven (Dear Bobbi Brown) appears more powerful and physically fit than ever. With the help of Hoper (David Harbor), breaks into Dr. Kay's base, where he encounters Kali - Eight (Linea Berthelsen).
Mike (Fin Vulfhard) the incorrigible nerd stays in his "zone".
Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Luke (Kejleb Malkohlin) are still looking for their place, while Steve (Joe Kerry) obviously, but really, enough of the "babysitter" role.
Joyce (Winona Ryder) remains an energetic, courageous mother who wants to protect her son, trying to make rational decisions, even though previous seasons teach us that it's not that simple.
Fortunately, though, the character development and layering hasn't completely disappeared. The biggest shift in characterization comes with Vila (Noah Schnapp). Will, who spent two seasons as a "ghost" present only through trauma, is once again thrust into the spotlight. Through his inner struggle with trauma, sexual orientation, years of repressed emotions, and the struggle to find his place in the world, the new season finally gives him the emotional dimension he's been waiting to develop.
His developing friendship with the chatty, misunderstood, and free-spirited Robin (Maya Hawk), will turn out to be, for now, a key element of the new season, bringing honesty and intimacy to a narrative that has so far been dominated by action and horror. Their conversations will lead to, for now, the biggest plot twist, in which he, accepting himself and starting from his "inner self", discovers supernatural abilities in himself, similar to those possessed by Eleven, and manages to save his friends from the Demagorgon's attack.
While helping Will discover himself, Robin is still a guide through the insecurities and fears that she has almost conquered, showing that the series is now taking issues of identity more seriously.
Perhaps the most tragic reminder of Vekno remains Maks (Sejdi Sink) who is caught between life and death in the new season. Trapped in Vekna's mind, but still in a coma, Max perfectly portrays her inner wrinkle and the trauma she has been carrying since the loss of her brother Billy (Dejkr Montgomeri) in the third season.
Hoper's development follows a similar line of emotional maturation. He is no longer a sullen, withdrawn alcoholic. Eleven has left a strong mark on his character. Hoper retains his courage and determination, but also shows vulnerability - he is unwilling to let Eleven go to the "Upside Down", even when he knows she is stronger and more prepared than ever.
However, instead of giving the rest of "Hellfire Club" such treatment and development, the series creators "refreshed" the lineup.
So the childish, naive, fight against the supernatural is now taken over by the younger sister Nancy and Mother, Holly (Nell Fisher) and her school and society's not-so-popular friend Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly) giving viewers a reminder of the series' original charm.
Holly now brings the element of "sweetness," while Derek fills in the comedic scenes that Dustin once carried. And I believe it's no coincidence that they're roughly the same age as the "original cast" in 2016, when "Stranger Things" first set the world on fire.
Growing up as the core, adventure as the framework
Despite everything, "Stranger Things" remains a coming-of-age story.
Although it acknowledges the maturation of its characters, the series still tries to preserve the spark of childhood adventures and adventures through visual and narrative expression.
BMXs have been replaced by technological gadgets and radio waves, but the basic moral conflicts remain the same: friendship, courage, and the fight against forces beyond comprehension. This combination of nostalgic and modern approaches allows the series to appeal to both old and new fans, without losing its identity.
Yet, there is something paradoxical about this, as its creators With i Ross Duffer called it, "the last ride".
While the visual spectacle, technical sophistication, and action aspect of the series have been elevated to Hollywood levels, it seems that the development of certain characters and stories has remained "halfway".
The plots and motifs from the widely drawn-out fourth season have almost disappeared in some places.
With occasional predictability and reliance on proven elements of nostalgia, the series seems to be playing it safe, which on the one hand preserves the fanbase, but on the other hand diminishes the chance that "Stranger Things" can truly be spoken of as one of the best series of all time.
With that, "Stranger Things 5" chose to balance between the past and the future.
Ultimately, the fifth season is, as announced, a farewell gift to fans. The series may no longer be the fantasy of kids racing bikes through Hawkins, but it remains a recognizable mix of action, humor, horror, and great emotion. It proves that, even though it has grown up with its audience, it still knows how to captivate and excite us, just like it did in 2016.
The fifth installment of "Stranger Things" leaves viewers feeling fulfilled and a little nostalgic for past seasons, or it's now clear to everyone that the end of the decade-long adventure is approaching, but also excited about the finale that promises to tie up all the threads of the story into a grand ending and provide answers to all doubts.
"Stranger Things" confirms that despite the maturation of the characters and the audience, the essence of the series has remained the same: friendship, courage, facing the unknown and love for the spirit of the 80s. It is perhaps the most beautiful farewell to a series that marked an entire decade of TV, but also a large part of my life.
The Duffer Brothers have always proudly worn their influences, and the spirits Steven Spielberg i Stephen King they helped make the series a phenomenon.
Anyway, "Stranger Things 5" begins in the fall of 1987, which is 18 months after the events of season four and a full four years after the first season, which only emphasizes how long the wait was and how much "burden of a break" fans carried in a world that loves precisely timed releases. At the same time, it's proof of how much the Duffer brothers care about the original story, with the fact that, according to them, they imagined the ending even before filming the first season.
Season 5 brings farewell, not only to monsters and the "Upside Down", but also to the characters we've watched develop before our eyes
Bonus video:
