I started watching Stranger Things in 2020/2021, when Covid hit and I started piggy-backing my sister's Netflix account during the lockdown. I was sceptical about the show. How good can a kids show about the 1980s be? But critics review had been near universally positive and the pitch was insane, so I thought I should give it a try. After all, I'm into mystery. So I gave it a try.
Boy, did I not regret my decision.
Season 1 itself was already a solid show. The kids searched around for their friend who vanished one night and never returned and evidence pointed towards the presence of another dimension where the answer held. And there's a mysterious girl who materialised out of nowhere with unimaginable powers that unlock secrets upon secrets that eventually are traced back to a government's programme.
Then Will was found.
But season 2 descended into a darker tone with Will playing a bigger role. And we now had a better glimpse of what Will had been led into.
Then season 3 came and we had a much sinister evil with a more malicious intent.
Oh, and the kids grew up. That's quick.
Then it hit a hiatus for about 3 years before Season 4 came. I was already hooked and very excited for season 4.
Boy, what a good season it was.
We now know the evil behind everything - Vecna/One/Henry. Season 4 was different in the sense that it was a lot darker, a lot more mature, and a lot more....graphic, and gory. But when the evil has risen a notch, I guess it makes sense that the expectations should tilt the same direction.
Season 4 came in two batches. But the finale was a little....underwhelming. If you ask me.
And since then I've waited for so long for season 5.
And finally, december 2025, season 5 has arrived.
Boy.
It came in 3 volumes. I hated Netflix for doing this.
Volume 1 was slow but good.
Volume 2 was okay.
Volume 3, the finale, was the high point.
I won't drone on the summary but I would say it was a good finale.
Plenty of criticisms online about the underwhelming end of the show centres on their expectations of Avengers level battle. It's a kids show. You won't see the kids battling the demogorgons and the Mind Flayers with superpowers like how Thor summons the lightning. But it does strike me as odd that not a single demogorgon was shown in the finale.
Anyway, every character contributes a little to the demise of Vecna. Naturally, Eleven played the biggest role, but so does Will. The rest of the kids crippled the Mind Flayer, Max and Kali helped rescued the kids.
And perhaps the most satisfying for me, is the fact that Joyce was the one to blow the final kill.
She. Deserved. To. Wield. Every. Single. Swing. Of. That. F8cking. Axe.
For what Vecna has done for all of them.
And when she wielded the axe, we had a playback of how every character was hurt by him. I think it was also worth mentioning that we did not see a flashback of what Steve and Robin went through - because they had never been a victim of Vecna. They stayed and helped to fight because they loved the kids.
The series had ended. It does feel like a void has formed.
Just like how it feels when Supernatural ended for me after 15 years.
But Stranger Things had been a hell of a ride, and every episodes had been a massive entertainment.
We'll never have a second Stranger Things, and that's okay.
I will miss the show. For its suspense. For its action. For all the actor's breathtaking performance.
And most of all, for having being with me for so many years.
Yes, Steve, including you. You were a jerk but like many people, I grew dear to you, for being a big brother to everyone.
And Joyce, for being such a loving mother.
Till next time.