The fifth season of Stranger Things has finally arrived, and I binge-watched the first four episodes during the release-night marathon. After spending a few days digesting it, reading reviews, and watching criticism online, I decided to share my own thoughts. Warning: spoilers ahead.
Continue at your own risk.
The Most Popular Series of the On-Demand Era
Stranger Things is currently the most popular series in the world, capable of creating a cultural phenomenon similar to what Avenida Brasil achieved in Brazil during its finale. That is an enormous accomplishment in the era of on-demand entertainment. And it comes with narrative sacrifices.
The storytelling draws heavily from the school of Quentin Tarantino: a blend of classic Hollywood cinema mixed with universally appealing themes that audiences consume enthusiastically. It is a very well-crafted cocktail. However, it is far from being an impeccable audiovisual masterpiece. Each season therefore follows a central thematic line within its plot structure.
The Central Theme of This Fifth Season
The question I asked myself after finishing the first four episodes of this fifth season was exactly this: what is the central theme of the series? Many will say it is Will’s acceptance of who he truly is, but no — that is only the theme of this first volume.
After reflecting more deeply, I reached a conclusion.
The answer is in the opening scene. Returning to the past, to the beginning of the events that shaped the entire series, we see Will lost in the Upside Down and kidnapped by Vecna. Then comes a disturbing moment when we finally understand what may have actually happened.
Throughout the episodes, a mysterious man appears before a specific group of children. This man pretends to be their friend, claiming he wants to protect them from danger, only for the revelation to arrive later — unsurprisingly — that he was Henry, the man who eventually became Vecna, the arch-enemy of Stranger Things.
A classic abuser profile. At least according to the media image society has built around abusers. (Reality is somewhat more complex.)
These children are kidnapped and held captive by Vecna. The reason has not yet been revealed, but the way they are imprisoned — exactly like the opening sequence with Will — becomes deeply disturbing when viewed from this perspective.
Will’s Character Arc
Will’s narrative arc in this first volume of episodes actually began several seasons ago, when he started to perceive his sexuality and struggle against it. The revelation of his powers during the final moments of the fourth episode represents the overcoming of a trauma that, regardless of its cruelty, shaped him into who he is today.
Now that this arc has seemingly been resolved, it will probably be pushed into the background in the second volume, so I would not create huge expectations around it. Another subplot will likely take center stage.
But the main theme of this fifth season feels very clear to me:
The fight against a powerful man with a disturbing fixation on children — and the lifelong impact this leaves on them.
