Stranger Things 5 Vol 1 ends with Will discovering a powerful new side of himself, setting up a fierce showdown with Vecna. Here’s the ending explained and what to expect next.
Stranger Things 5 is releasing in three parts. The first four episodes were released on November 27 in India. The remaining three episodes will stream on December 25. The finale episode will be released on New Year’s Eve, on December 31.
As expected, Stranger Things 5 Vol 1 started on a slow note but left fans on the edge of their seats. Spoiler alert: Will Byers went on to become a gifted hero. But what did the ending actually mean, and what can you expect in the forthcoming episodes of the show? Let’s find out.
Also read: Stranger Things season 5 nears its finale, Netflix reveals finale episode length | Find out here
Stranger Things 5 Vol 1: Ending explained
Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 ends with the core group of Hawkins split up – some in the real world of Hawkins and the rest in the Upside Down. Each of them faces a singular threat from Vecna and the Demogorgons. In the last few minutes of Episode 4, Vecna takes control of Will’s mind. As he writhes in pain, Vecna reminds him of the time he took over his mind and how weak he is. He says that it was his successful experiment with Will that gave him the confidence to create havoc and pull every child into doom (his mind).
Meanwhile, Demogorgons attack Robin, Mike, and Lucas as they set out for their respective task, united by a common mission – to finish Vecna.
In that moment, Will remembers his conversation with Robin on finding the ‘right answers’. He taps into memories that once kept him safe – Castle Byers, his bond with Mike, and the small, defining moments that shaped him as a person. Those memories become his anchor, giving him the strength to push back against Vecna’s voice in his mind. Instead of being overpowered like before, Will finally finds himself and stands his ground.
The Duffers had been building toward this shift since the start of Season 5. Their plan was always to let Will reclaim the part of himself that Vecna once exploited – and change it into his greatest strength. As Will finally confronts everything he’s held inside for years, something new awakens within him.
He raises his hand, pulls raw energy directly from Vecna, hinting that this time, the onus doesn’t completely lie on Eleven – she now has Will to help him fight. He uses the power of his mind to destroy every Demogorgon attempting to hurt his friends. It is now left to see how he amplifies his newfound powers to kill Vecna in the finale episode.
Stranger Things 5 Vol 1 review
India TV rated the show with 4 stars out of 5. A part of the review reads: “The Duffer Brothers very cleverly joined the missing pieces of the past seasons in the finale chapter. Going by how the show is progressing so far, the smallest of doubts from the past seasons don’t go unanswered in Stranger Things 5. From the dark red and grey strobe tempo of the Upside Down world to a stark contrast of the ‘normal’ world, we now understand why the makers took three years to conclude the finale season. There are moments when you’d feel that things aren’t adding up. But then it’s Stranger Things – when have things added up anyway?”
The key characters of Stranger Things are Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Max (Sadie Sink), Nancy (Natalie Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Neaton), Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Hopper’s (David Harbour), Robin (Maya Hawke), Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Will Buyers (Noah Schnapp).
