Well, if you’re a dedicated Stranger Things fan, you are probably all done, or about to be done, binging the four lengthy episodes of season 5, volume 1 which were released on Wednesday. Who cares about spending time with family on Thanksgiving break anyway?
Now, we are headed toward the release of Stranger Things season 5, volume 2, and if you thought that we would be heading into that release day (Christmas, December 25), totally blind, that does not seem to be the case, as the showrunners are getting pretty chatty about what’s coming.
The Duffer brothers are giving clear indications about what’s coming in volume 2. Among the highlights we now know (via Variety):
Explaining Will’s Powers: They rely on him being connected to the Hivemind. While it looked like he was just using Eleven-style telekinesis to crumble the demigorgons, it was actually because they were linked up through Vecna’s hivemind. The Duffers say we will “see how far he can take it.”
Vecna’s Reaction: They say we’ll have to see in Volume 2 if Vecna underestimates Will a second time, which is why he doesn’t bother capturing or killing him in episode 4.
A “Bloodier” Volume 2: “I’ve said this before: The show is not “Game of Thrones,” said Matt Duffer. “I’m hoping it surprises people. But there’s no Red Wedding, if that’s what you’re asking. That would be depressing.”
Vecna’s Memories: The Duffers call this the “new Russia” storyline, as it will involve fewer characters, namely Max and Holly. But it still supposedly “integrates” with other storylines (it better, as the Russia storyline is not exactly one of the show’s most beloved).
Stranger Things season 5
Netflix
The power balance between Vecna and the Mind Flayer: They dodge the question of whether the Mind Flayer is the “true evil” that seduces Henry, meaning Vecna may not technically be the big bad here overall. This will not be resolved in Volume 2, but in the finale in Volume 3, so don’t hold your breath for an answer on that on Christmas Day there.
I found the most useful bit of that to be the explanation of how Will’s powers actually work, as we are only given a glimpse at him murdering demigorgons without much information past that. It has the possibility to make him not overpowered, given that he has to be in close proximity to the Hivemind so they work at all, but also someone who can potentially end this whole thing. I would be surprised if it was not him and Eleven tag teaming it.
I really don’t think the show needs to start murdering main characters in order to give us a “cool” finale. Granted, the show is known for big kills, but usually a new character introduced that season who ends up targeted for death. This has happened like four times now. Could that be Holly this time around? Or wait, what about Derek?
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