First Impressions
When I finished episode five of Stranger Things season five, I honestly had to sit quietly for a few minutes. Not because I was confused, but because so much happened and so much of it landed emotionally. This didn’t feel like a setup episode or a filler chapter. It felt like a turning point.
From the very beginning, I could tell this episode wasn’t playing around. It didn’t ease us in. It picked up right after the chaos, dropped us straight back into danger, and just kept tightening the pressure. What surprised me the most was how many moments I expected to happen near the end of the season actually happened here. Big reveals, character breakthroughs, brutal confrontations, and emotional payoffs all came earlier than I thought.
This episode felt dense in the best way possible. Every storyline mattered, and none of them felt wasted.
Direction, Atmosphere, and Overall Feel
One of the first things that stood out to me was the direction. Frank Darabont’s touch is very noticeable here. The episode has this constant haunted-house energy. Every location feels threatening in a different way. It’s not just monsters jumping out; it’s the environment itself feeling wrong.
The Upside Down spaces, the melting walls, the church, Hawkins Lab, and even Vecna’s constructed “safe world” all feel like different rooms in the same nightmare. I loved how movement through space mattered. Characters aren’t just walking forward. They’re climbing, crossing, falling, and slipping between dimensions at strange angles. It made everything feel disorienting, which worked perfectly for the story.
This episode also leans heavily into fantasy and sorcery vibes. There’s a strong D&D energy here, but it doesn’t feel cheesy. It feels earned. The show isn’t just referencing fantasy, it’s using it.
Will’s Transformation and Emotional Weight
If there’s one character who truly defines this episode, it’s Will.
Watching Will step fully into his abilities was powerful, but what hit me harder was how he felt about it. Even after doing something incredible, even after saving lives, he doesn’t see himself as a hero. He sees himself as someone who acted too late.
That guilt hangs over him the entire episode. Everyone around him calls him a wizard, a sorcerer, someone special but Will doesn’t buy it. And honestly, that made his moments even stronger. He’s not confident. He’s scared. But he still steps up.
The way Joyce supports him here really got to me. Her apology, her pride, and her shift from protecting him to trusting him felt like a huge emotional payoff. She doesn’t just believe in Will anymore, she relies on him. That change felt natural and long overdue.
Vecna, Henry, and the Horrifying Revelations
The revelations about Vecna were dark. Really dark.
Learning that the experiments weren’t just about children, but about pregnant women being injected and discarded when their bodies rejected the blood, added a whole new layer of horror. This wasn’t just unethical science. This was cruelty at a level that made my stomach turn.
What made it worse was realizing how systematic it all was. The idea that Eleven survived because she was one of the few who could survive that she’s valuable not because she’s unique, but because she’s compatible is terrifying.
Seeing these truths revealed through Eight’s experience made them hit harder. Her story didn’t feel like exposition. It felt like trauma being shared. Her pessimism, her realism, and her lack of belief in happy endings contrasted beautifully with Eleven’s hope.
That contrast made their interaction feel raw and honest.
Eight’s Redemption and Presence
I’ll be honest—I didn’t expect to like Eight this much here.
Her role in this episode felt purposeful. Her powers were used creatively, especially with illusions and misdirection. The hologram escape was smart, tense, and satisfying.
But what really worked for me was her emotional grounding. She isn’t optimistic. She isn’t inspirational. She’s scared. She’s angry. And she’s realistic. When she tells Eleven there are no happy endings for people like them, it hurts because you can tell she truly believes it.
She doesn’t need forgiveness or approval. She needs the truth acknowledged. And the episode gives her that space.
Dustin vs Steve – A Fight That Hurt to Watch
The confrontation between Dustin and Steve was painful in the best way.
These two characters love each other, and that’s exactly why the fight hurt so much. They know how to hurt each other. They know where to aim. And when Eddie’s name comes up, everything explodes.
Steve’s words about Eddie being a reckless hero cut deep. Dustin’s reaction felt raw and uncontrollable. This wasn’t just about Eddie, it was about grief, guilt, and unresolved anger.
What made this scene work was that neither character was fully wrong. Steve wasn’t lying. Dustin wasn’t ready to hear it. And the aftermathof Dustin discovering the map felt earned, not convenient.
Their fight didn’t break the story. It advanced it.
Hawkins Lab and the Rising Tension
The Hawkins Lab storyline felt like classic Stranger Things horror. Melted walls, dead soldiers, strange energy, and the slow realization that something is very wrong.
The shield or whatever it truly is, created a sense of dread that built quietly. Dustin, realizing too late that he was wrong, desperately tried to warn Nancy and Jonathan through a broken radio, which was one of the most stressful moments in the episode.
And Nancy pulling the trigger anyway?
That moment felt like a perfect example of the season’s theme about acting on instinct versus thinking things through. The episode doesn’t tell us immediately what the consequences are, but you feel that something terrible has just been set in motion.
Max, Holly, and Vecna’s World
The scenes inside Vecna’s constructed world were some of my favorites.
Holly sneaking away, Max guiding her through memories, and the use of past trauma as both a prison and an escape route was beautifully done. The memories weren’t just visual; they were emotional obstacles.
Derek’s role here surprised me. His reluctant redemption, his fear, and his eventual failure didn’t feel pointless. It felt tragic. He tried. He just wasn’t strong enough.
And then Vecna arrives.
The moment he grabbed Max, after searching for her for so long, was terrifying. But Will stepping in, breaking Vecna’s control, snapping his leg, and screaming for Max to run was one of the most powerful moments of the episode.
That wasn’t a spectacle. That was earned heroism.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This episode’s biggest strength is balance. It juggles a massive cast and multiple storylines without losing emotional clarity.
If there’s a weakness, it’s that the episode is heavy. There’s very little breathing room. But honestly, at this point in the season, that feels intentional rather than flawed.
Who This Episode Is For
If you love character-driven storytelling, emotional payoffs, and dark fantasy horror, this episode is absolutely for you. It rewards long-term viewers who care about these characters and aren’t just here for action.
Final Thoughts
Episode five of Stranger Things season five didn’t just move the story forward; it redefined it.
It delivered major revelations, deepened relationships, and set up consequences that feel massive and unavoidable. By the time it ended, I wasn’t just excited for the next episode; I was nervous.
And honestly? That’s exactly how Stranger Things should make you feel.