Major spoilers for “Stranger Things” Volume 2 ahead.
In a small town with very little crime, the mysterious disappearance of a young boy becomes the start of something darker in “Stranger Things.” The hit series, which debuted on Netflix in the summer of 2016, blends 1980s nostalgia with sci-fi horror, focusing on the adventures of a tight-knit group of six kids — Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). “Stranger Things” follows them as they battle supernatural monsters, uncover mysteries and repeatedly put their lives at risk to defeat the Mind Flayer, a monstrous creature threatening the town of Hawkins.
Season 5, Volume 2, released on Dec. 25, 2025, centers on Vecna, the primary antagonist behind the unexplainable events that have haunted Hawkins. Formerly known as Henry Creel, Vecna was among the several children experimented on at the Hawkins Laboratory before becoming attached to an alternate dimension, the Upside Down. Wanting to connect the Abyss — the dimension where Vecna was originally banished to and gained his powers — to the real world, Vecna attempts to use power from 12 kidnapped children to attach the two dimensions.
Volume 2 focuses on many emotional scenes, many of which center on Max. Trapped in Camazotz, a place within Vecna’s mind, while in a coma in the real world, Max’s escape attempts are heavily supported by Lucas, who never gives up on her. In a final, desperate attempt to save her, he plays “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush, where Max realizes that the way to her exit is not through music — but something powerful that connects her to the people she loves, specifically Lucas — perfectly encapsulating the duo’s well-built chemistry where both actors’ nuanced performances bring complex emotions that are deeply moving despite minimal dialogue. Having watched their friends-to-lovers relationship unfold, their reunion stands out as one of the most genuine, pure and vulnerable moments in the volume.
Whether it is classic 80s shirts with earthy tones or the vibrant summer sport mall aesthetics, “Stranger Things” has lots of fashion choices that enhance the impression of the series. But this particular season included questionable wardrobe decisions, such as keeping Eleven in a wet suit throughout Volume 2. For the few scenes in which it felt necessary, were when she’s using her psychic powers in water to connect with Will. It was especially awkward when the rest of the characters were wearing regular clothes during their strategy planning at the radio station with Eleven still in her wetsuit. Then, there’s Holly, who, while struggling to break past Vecna’s “Pain Tree”, a prison in the Abyss designed to trap people through pain and memories, appears to wear Under Armour apparel. After viewers noticed, it was quietly edited out because the time period of the volume was set in the 1987s, meanwhile the brand wouldn’t be established yet for the next nine years. These small yet noticeable mistakes give the impression that not every detail was fully thought through. As a result, the viewing experience feels less intentional, making it disheartening to see the level of investment and attention to detail in earlier seasons no longer upheld.
Undoubtedly, the $400 to $480 million Season 5 budget was not fully utilized to offer the best quality CGI and visuals. The biggest concern is the background visuals that constantly look blurry and filtered. The season relies heavily on CGI effects for creating massive landscapes, enhancing the details of monsters like Vecna and the demogorgons and accentuating the thickness and appearance of the “exotic matter,” but the quality falls short of expectations. Some are well-executed — for example, the CGI effects on the monstrous creatures, giving viewers goosebumps looking at the terrifying flesh-like vines squirming on Vecna’s skin. However, things like the exotic matter that droops out of the walls in the Upside Down have CGI effects that intensify the texture of the marshmallow-like goop. This ultimately feels like an uncomfortable and odd decision, especially with emotional scenes with characters that are surrounded by this strange substance.
Volume 2’s biggest shortcomings come from its heavy exposition and tortuous plot. Scenes meant to build intensity, such as Nancy, Jonathan, Steve and Henderson’s search for the shield generator in the Upside Down, are weighed down with excessively meandering dialogue. Instead of increasing suspense, the group’s bickering undermines the urgency of their mission, making the show’s storytelling feel tedious.
Furthermore, the imbalanced pacing between scenes also limits the opportunities to feature the original cast members such as Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder). Despite their significant role in the storyline from previous seasons for being the primary adult protagonists who often drove the investigations, they are largely set aside. Joyce, in particular, was showcased as a brave, courageous and clever character, but felt that her role was reduced to a supportive and worried mother of Will. Their growth as characters brings much more expectations to seeing them involved in the action, but them as supporting roles rather than active characters, simply feels disappointing.
Similarly, side characters like Kali Prasad (Linnea Berthelsen) reappear with minimal character development, making their presence feel inconsequential. Prasad returns in Volume 2 to contextualize a tragic backstory on Vecna, and while her role is crucial to see the bigger picture, Prasad does not have any significant character development, instead acting as a filler character to deliver the main lore. Newly introduced characters, such as Holly (Nell Fisher) and Derek (Jake Connelly), dominate many of the action scenes that ultimately lead to the climax. This results in a disconnect between the show and the audience that hinders its momentum, and it’s difficult to see relevance in scenes where the key characters aren’t the ones driving the plot.
By the end of Volume 2, “Stranger Things” finds itself in fragmented pieces, but in a good position for the finale to finish it off. Viewers have a clear understanding of Vecna’s intentions as the episode ends with Henry and the 12 kids sitting around a table holding hands, thrilling suspense successfully sets the pathway to a grand finale. However, there are numerous storylines that need to get wrapped up, putting pressure on the finale to tactfully do so in one episode — a lofty task.
With hopes for a conclusion that brings emotions of a bittersweet mix of grief and contentment lingering after the episode ends, it is up to the finale whether this show succeeds in putting together nearly a decade of complex storytelling, character development and evolving relationships or whether the story is left lingering like the floating particles in the Upside Down.
RATING: ⅖
