End of an era: “Stranger Things” kicks off its final season after a decade in Hawkins

Post Views: 40

By Brianna Brinker, Campus News Editor

A decade of travelling through our television screens into the upside down, fighting off Demogorgons, eating Ego waffles, playing Dungeons and Dragons, winning arcade games, endless bike rides, and never-ending friendships is officially coming to an end this year.

Netflix Original, “Stranger Things”, released its first four episodes of the final season on Nov. 26.

Most Stranger Things fans have “watch parties” when new seasons are released to be able to watch with their friends. (Photo was taken by Marylynn Bourgoing)

This is the Stranger Things film crew setting up to film for Stranger Things season five in November of 2024. (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

“Stranger Things” is a science fiction show that takes place in 1983, when four young boys, Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Lucas Sinclair, and Dustin Henderson, play a fictional board game called Dungeons and Dragons, but then it turns into their reality when Will Byers goes missing due to being abducted by a monster from another world, a Demogorgon. He then gets lost in an alternate dimension, called the Upside Down.

With Byers’ disappearance, Wheeler, Sinclair, and Henderson have no choice but to go on a journey to look for their friend. This is when they met a young girl named Eleven, who has telekinetic powers. Each season is filled with plot twists, shocking surprises, emotion, intriguing characters, comedy, and terrifying monsters.

“After binge-watching ‘Stranger Things’ in a few months, I was immediately hooked! I love all the characters, and I think the Duffer Brothers do a great job of showing all kinds of relationships and friendships across the show.” Said Heaven Nazario, a senior majoring in English.

The show was released in 2016. As college students, we were in the 8-12 age range when“Stranger Things” came out, the same age as the young main characters in season one. As each season came out, the characters entered a new phase of their lives, while we were at similar stages in our own lives.

Watching the kids face real-world middle school problems as we were in middle school at the time made it very relatable. Now, with the final season being released, all of the characters have grown into young adults, as we are entering that era of life as well.

For example, season three came out in the summer of 2019 as they were entering high school, like many of us were at the time. It was easy to understand the characters because we were so close in age. This made it so fun and exciting to watch!

Hawkins High School has been featured in all seasons of Stranger Things. In season five, Will, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin are all in high school. (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

Nov. 6 is the day Will Byers went missing. In season four, Holly Wheeler goes missing on Nov. 3. Lucas Sinclair notices a pattern, and they find out more information in season five. (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

In the alley of the fight scene from season one, you can find a signature from one of the cast members. (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

It has been a part of our lives for nearly 50%, saying goodbye to this show feels like the end of our childhood.

“Stranger Things” is a well-beloved show with 1.35 billion hours watched, and it is an overproduction! Usually, it takes multiple years to finish just one season of the show because of all the details. Each season has a new plot and shocking surprises.

“I loved watching ‘Stranger Things’ seasons one through four because it was a perfect mix of comedy, science, fiction, and horror. It kept me on my toes! It is also heartwarming that even outside the show, the cast acts as a family. It almost adds to my love for the show; this adds to the reason why ‘Stranger Things’ has been a comfort show for me over the years. Now, one of my favorites.” Said by Amani Summers, a sophomore studying Cybersecurity.

The first four episodes of season five can be described as intense, eerie, humorous, gory, vengeance, and shocking. The first episode starts a year after season four was left off, when Vecna destroyed the home of Hawkins, as the Upside Down bled into the real world.

The real Surfer Boy Pizza van from Season four is parked in Jackson, GA, the town of Hawkins in the show! You can even jump in and take a look around! (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

The real library that is featured in the TV show, you can go inside and take a tour! (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

Arcade games were huge in the 80s! In season two, the kids’ favorite hangout spot was the arcade! (Photo was taken by Brianna Brinker)

Season five takes place with Eleven training with Hopper and Joyce for future battles with Vecna and is hiding from the military, the older teenagers (Nancy, Jonathon, Steve, and Robin) are all helping in different ways through secret codes to avoid military, Dustin is mourning the loss of his role model, Eddie Munson who died last season and standing up for him against bullies, Will is seeing visions and figuring out how he can use it as an advantage, Max is still healing in the hospital as Lucas visits her, Mike’s little sister, Holly, is becoming a main character this season and Mike uses his experiences to give her advice. They are all a team together, focusing on killing Vecna before he takes Hawkins down.

In each episode, you find out more information. The characters are constantly on a mission. After the first episode, their focus turns to Holly Wheeler, because we see her taken by a Demogorgon in the first scene of episode two.

The characters then split into groups. Eleven joins Hopper in finding out what the military is up to while Nancy, Jonathon, Steve, and Dustin work on different plans to find out Vecna’s plan. The mission is to save Holly. Lastly, Will, Joyce, Mike, Lucas, and Erica are using Will’s visions to help save Holly and others in danger.

The ending scene of the last episode left fans in shock. It was an ending no one was expecting. Now, “Stranger Things” fans must wait until Dec. 25, Christmas Day, to watch three more episodes that will be released on Netflix. Followed by the finale that comes out on Dec. 31, which will also be in theatres.