Ronit J

Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2 Synopsis:

After the events of the fourth season, in the fall of 1987, the group seeks to find and kill Vecna after the Rifts opened in Hawkins. The mission becomes complicated when the military arrives in Hawkins and begins hunting Eleven. As the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance approaches, the group must fight one last time against a deadly threat.

Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2 Review:

If you’ve read my Vol 1 review, you know what I felt about the opening episodes. Some good, some bad, but overall it had me hyped for the finale. But, did Vol 2 continue on that trend, or was it a dud? Well, sadly, it’s the latter.

Here’s my honest review of Volume 2, which consists of the three episodes (episodes 5-7) of the season. Spoilers ahead!

Quite The Roadblock after Episode 4

Everything I said about Season 5 in Vol 1 stands. However, it feels like the show didn’t learn enough from its strengths in the first few episodes. From dull and repetitive expositions, to some odd choices that make no sense given the stakes and time pressure, Episodes 5, 6 & 7 of Stranger Things Season 5 really feature all the worst things about this series, especially it’s fourth and fifth seasons.

I blame the ‘second-screen-friendly’ aesthetic for this. Because honestly, the amount of plot progression and character development that we got with these three episodes did not warrant a three-and-a-half hour long marathon. Apart from a few plot points and reveals, the rest just feels like filler. It felt that way for the first four episodes too, but it becomes all the more apparent in Vol 2.

Frankly, writing a long review for this volume feels disingenuous because I can explain myself in three words: exposition, filler, boring.

Poor Treatment

I’ll admit, there were some good reveals. For example, many fans speculated time travel, with the Up Side Down being our world in a different time. However, the wormhole reveal completely shattered that theory. I’m glad because I hate when writers use such lazy time travel hacks.

Sadly, that’s about the only thing I actually liked about Season 5 Vol 2. Everything else felt like a pile of duds. Everything set up in the first four episodes pretty much goes nowhere. The ‘resolutions’ we do get with Nancy and Jonathan’s breakup, Steve & Dustin’s making up, and worst of all, Will’s coming out, all feel out of place and poorly handled. It’s not that they’re bad reveals, it’s that they come at moments of high tension, completely derailing the momentum of the scene and plot. Also, there’s so many characters, plots, subplots, and interpersonal relationships that at this point you just can’t handle them in a nuanced way anymore. So, streamrolling with exposition and quick resolutions feels like the only way forward.

Sadly, the results in a very dull and boring second volume, where powerful emotional moments feel unearned and out of place, derailing and already slow and tedious plot.

Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2 Ending Explained

This volume could have been an email, and here’s why: I can explain not just the ending, but the whole volume in simple bullet points.

• Nancy & Jonathan break up, because they need different things in life. They love each other but can’t spend their lives together. They do this with a confusing ‘un-proposal’.
• Steve and Dustin make up, with Steve apologising for being insensitive. Dustin admits that Steve was right.
• Dustin learns from Brenner’s notes that the Up Side Down is a Wormhole leading to ‘The Abyss’. Also, there’s an ‘Exotic Matter’ sphere there, which is what melted parts of the lab. It will come in handy for the finale.
• Max learns that she doesn’t need music, but Lucas’ presence to escape Vecna’s mind. She does so, but only after having a long talk with Holly despite there being a time pressure. Also, she abandons Holly sort of, which was a strange narrative choice.
• El and Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) escape the Up Side Down thanks to some MacGyvering.
• Max reveals to everyone that Vecna plans to merge their world with the Abyss.
• Vecna catches Holly, who is then shunned by all the kids, including Derek (because he’s scared of Vecna). She eventually falls down the stairs while trying to run away and getting ambushed by the other kids.
• We learn that Vecna is scared of the cave because he killed a man in there, and it is a very traumatic memory.
• Steve proposes they try and bring the two dimensions closer so El and Kali can kill Vecna. Kali reveals to El alone that the only way to end this whole drama is to close the dimensions with them out of it. This is so the military can never again access the dimensions or its powers.
• Will can come out as gay.
• The team head into the Abyss so they can fight Vecna.
• Vecna uses all the kids—including Holly, who is now complacent—to begin merging the worlds.

Is Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2 Worth Watching Or Should You Wait For The Finale And Binge All Episodes?

No.

Just leave the show on in the background. Or better, read a bullet point summary of the volume. Because it’s that bad.

In Conclusion:

Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2 does everything wrong. It’s dull, overly expository, and really represents everything wrong with Netflix content. Honestly, it’s killed my interest for the finale to an extent.

Also check out:

• The Great Shamsuddin Family (2025) | Film Review
• Top 10 Books of 2025
• Top 10 TV Shows of 2025
• Top 10 Movies of 2025
• Pluribus Season 1 | Vince Gilligan | Rhea Seehorn
• Island of the Dying Goddess

What did you think of Stranger Things Season 5 Vol 2? Let me know in the comments below! Any other manga, anime, series, book, or movie you’d like me to review? Let me know your recommendations, and I’ll be sure to check them out.

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free ebook of Abandoned by the Gods!

Until next time!