Stranger Things Season 4 Vol. 2 Review
Stranger Things Season 4 Vol. 2 landed on Netflix on July 1st, it’s the epic conclusion to the fourth season. Down below is our review for Stranger Things Vol.2 and predictions for the fifth and final season. Let’s head into the Upside Down!
When you’re done here, check out our fandom shop for some Stranger Things designs at FANDOM-MADE.com
THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS FOR STRANGER THINGS SEASON 4 VOL 2. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK IF YOU ARE NOT UP TO DATE.
Following Chapter 7: The Massacre at Hopkins Lab, Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 begins with Nancy (Natalia Dyer) under Vecna’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) control. It is here that she discovers Vecna is Henry Creel, 001; Hopkins Lab’s first subject. Who wants Nancy to send a message to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). The message: He’s coming to lead an army of monsters and darkness through four gates to destroy Hawkins. Each kill creates one gate and now Vecna’s only one kill away from invading the other side…
El believes that she is ready to take on Vecna after receiving her powers back from the Nina Project after learning the truth about what happened in Hopkins Lab. Seeing the Military show up, El was able to show off her power, as well as assist her friends from across the country, let alone battle Vecna. How powerful is she? Have we seen her in all her glory?
Honestly, I don’t think we have seen El at her full strength…yet. Every season she has been getting stronger; the fact she was able to piggyback from Max (Sadie Sink) into Vecna’s mind from hundreds of miles away speaks volumes. And now that she knows who she is battling and with her friends/family by her side, she will get stronger. It would be kind of interesting to see if her powers develop more in season five.
Vecna/Henry/001 shows us his journey through the Upside Down; showing that it was there long before him. That he molded the black cloudy hive into the form of the Mind Flyer and together they have been attacking Hawkins from the beginning. Something Will has encountered in season 2.
This clears a lot of things up, at the end of Vol. 1 it was speculated that El had created the Upside Down when she created the gate that 001 went through after the Massacre in Hawkins Lab. So, when Vecna/Henry/001 told of their journey through the Upside Down it now has given us more questions. And I want to think that the biggest question is, has the Upside Down always been a parallel universe, or did someone create it? This is a question I want to be answered in season five.
I am not usually a fan of the villain giving their long-winded speeches on why they are the villains and how much they hate humans or people in general. But Vecna’s honestly gave me chills “I saw a means to realize my potential to transcend my human form, to become the predator I was always born to be,” even reading it gives me slight chills now. His speech is very powerful and it shows how evil and dark he is.
We had epic battles all happening at the same time, stretching all over, the fate of our heroes all hanging in the balance; everyone is doing their part in defeating Vecna and the Mind Flayer.
The one thing I love about this show is that their battle/fight scenes are never lacking, and this season stepped it up. The sequence of events with the battle/fights in Russia, Nevada, Hawkins, and the two groups in the Upside Down; I am not sure how they can step up from here. The setup and transitions from fight to fight were so smooth that you could see how all the groups were working together.
Sidenote no grown boy should have been tackling Erica who is 11 years old, I have deep problems with that.
Standout Moment of Vol. 2
This wouldn’t be a good review if I didn’t mention Eddie’s (Joseph Quinn) epic guitar solo/concert in the Upside Down. It’s a clip that I have watched repeatedly! The song he plays ‘Master of Puppets’ by Metallica came out in 1986, the same year season 4 is in. From his dedication in honor of Chrissy (Grace Van Dien), the red lightning/flashes of the upside down, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) headbanging on the side as they wait for the bats to come; this is what sets the scene up to finally take down Vecna who Max is running from. Earlier in July, we found out from the actor that it was mostly him who was playing.
We had some character deaths at the end of Vol. 2, Dr. Martin Brenner/Papa (Matthew Modine), Jason Carter (Mason Dye), Eddie Munson, and Max Mayfield, though it is led to believe that Max isn’t dead as the season ended. Thoughts?
Part of me is a little disappointed about who the deaths were; after Vol. 1 was released, it was announced that five characters were going to die and that no one was safe. My gut feeling did warn me about Eddie because they always kill off a new and loved character every season, for example, Barb, Bob, and Alexie. Don’t get me wrong though his death destroyed me, it was how his death got me, not running away for once, and his last words to Dustin. Eddie had become one of my favorite characters of the season, and to see him killed off upset me.
“I didn’t run away this time, right?” – Eddie Munson
At the same time, we were also going through Max’s death scenes, it wasn’t just her death that hit at that moment it was Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) reaction to her death that hurt the soul. Him breaking down and calls out to his sister to call for help. To be honest, I was laughing so hard at Jason’s death that I would have preferred more and I wish Eddie had witnessed it.
General thoughts on this season
I like how they split the season up into two volumes, definitely when the episodes got longer towards the end. Wished that we saw more of Argyle (Eduardo Franco), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Will, and Mike; at times it felt like they were forgotten. Occasionally, I lost interest in certain parts, but then something would happen and I would be engrossed again. Not sure how I am feeling about the two day time jump in the finale, it left an unsettling feeling. There are so many great moments in this season, and the cast has stepped up as well. I am reminded of Avengers Infinity War this season; how if the characters don’t take a stand now, many lives will be lost. Essentially that is what happened. The Upside Down has arrived in Hawkins.
The four gates dividing Hawkins light up with a hellish glow as an ominous black cloud emerges over Hawkins. Predictions for Season 5?
I’m predicting that something going to happen to or with Will (Noah Schnapp), he has the strongest connection to the mind flayer; in the finale episode as he was talking to Mike (Finn Wolfhard) he says “Vecna is not dead yet, but merely hurt, but they have to kill him or he’ll destroy everything.” Will can feel him and the mind flayer the moment he steps back into Hawkins. I’m looking forward to seeing the mind flayer in action; something that has been a threat since season 2. What will they do with Max, who is currently in the hospital, essentially brain dead, will be interesting to see. I really want to know why the Upside Down is frozen exactly on November 6, 1983. I can’t wait to see how the Duffer Brothers tie up the entire story.
What are your thoughts on Stranger Things Season 4 Vol. 2? Let us know in the comments or on any of our social media accounts.
