Stranger Things 4 Vol. 2 Review and Ending Explained: Worth the Wait?

We got Stranger Things 4 nearly 3 years later the 3rd Season that debuted in 2019. We got the first 7 episodes of the Season earlier this year. To be precise 29th May 2022. While everyone believes this was Netflix’s call to break the season into two parts so that they’ll be able to hold on to their subscribers for a month longer. Although, the Duffer Brothers- the masterminds behind Stranger Things claim that they too thought the 4th Season was too big to be released all at once. It was nearly 13 hours worth of content. So, they thought if they break the season at the 7th episode they can give the fans a satisfying end to the first Volume and the second Volume can culminate the Season.

As they believe Vol. 2 is the 3rd act of the season. Stranger Things 4 Vol. 1 left us on a shocking note where we discover that the big bad of the season- Vecna is in fact the too sweet to be true orderly in the Hawkins Lab. He is Victor Creel’s son and 001 in Brenner’s Project. After making us wait for 5 miserable weeks, we finally got Stranger Things 4 Vol. 2. So is Vol. 2 everything we dreamed of? Does it successfully answer all the questions Vol. 1 raised? Does it give us the dark end the Duffer Brothers promised us? In all, is it worth the wait? The following article contains spoilers to Stranger Things 4 Vol. 2.

Does the Stranger Things Finale Pay Off?

While the first 7 episodes were quite supersized in their own right but its nothing compared to the 2 hours 22 minutes long finale. The stage was set for everything and it was only about the payoff now. Well the 8th episode titled “Papa” kicks off right where the 7th left us and mostly tries to answer or solidify the story. The episode sees Brenner resisting Eleven to leave the Nina Project when she plans to leave to help her friends in Hawkins, who are in the eye of the storm. There Sullivan and his officers attack the facility to kill Eleven.

But she has got her powers back and she kicks their asses. Brenner sacrifices himself to save Eleven, giving him his redemption of sorts. Consequently Mike and gang take her in and are on their way to Hawkins. In Russia, Hopper and gang discovers the variety of creatures they’ve been collecting from the Upside Down. Yes, there is a piece of the Mind Flayer in there as well. They escape Kamchatka and threaten Yuri to fly them out of Russia.

Then we come to the 2 hour long finale. The finale brings every character’s journey to a final face off. Eleven faces off Vecna through entering Max’s mind. Nancy, Steve and Robin plan to kill Vecna by going to Creel’s attic. Dustin and Eddie plan to distract the bats and Lucas stays with Max who places herself as bait. Hopper and company plan to kill the various creatures from the Upside Down to help Eleven as it is a hive mind.

 

Well, Vol. 2 answers a lot of the questions we had, but raises a lot more. Story wise the Season makes sense. The Duffer Brothers had promised us a dark finale and we did get it in a way. So the finale concludes with Eleven once again defeating One but she wins the battle and loses the war. As One is able to claim his fourth and final victim- Max resulting in another gate opening. Making it 4 gates that means the Upside Down bleeding into the real world.

Max technically doesn’t die as El sort of brings her back by rolling out some of the memories. She is currently in a coma and seeing Eleven finding nada when she wanders in her mind, we can assume she is very off the living plane. Even if we got an end where the villains has won but Vol. 2 was underwhelming as the number of deaths promised vs the number of deaths we got were quite less. For an instance, we can assume everyone from Russia survived, even if basically everyone was ready to see Enzo die.

Everyone thought Steve was going to die but he survived as well, which is a good thing but the kind of villain Vecna was especially now that we know he is indeed the final big villain it was difficult to see almost everyone making out alive off the season. They even couldn’t let go off Max as she was brought back by Eleven. However, I will say seeing Eddie die was quite heartbreaking. Especially when se says this time he didn’t run and how after doing everything he is still seen as the villains of it all.

Verdict

Season 4 ends on a strong note especially seeing that the danger in Hawkins is more than ever. Although, the way Vol. 1 left us with so many expectations from Vol. 2 and given its 2 hours 22 minutes runtime, the finale is disappointing. However, in classic Stranger Things fashion the finale dials up the emotional quotient to the fullest. We see Hopper & Eleven reunite, Hopper & Joyce get together, Eddie’s death, Max’s coma. So yes the finale does pull the strings and confirms that Vecna is still out there. Season 4 finale leaves us on the biggest cliffhanger the show has ever left us. Season 5 being the final season, it is safe to say that the stage is set to an epic conclusion. It is also very good to see all the characters finally in one place for the biggest crisis for their life.

I still believe Vol. 1 was better than Vol. 2 but I can’t deny that this is a solid conclusion to the season. The Duffer Brothers had warned us about it being the darkest season and yes it was, if not in the death count at least the way our heroes of Hawkins have lost for the first time ever. Vol. 2 in my opinion is around 3.5 out of 5. It seems a bit harsh but I think it is fair. Stranger Things 4 Vol. 2 is a good 4.5 hours of content to binge watch this weekend. The 2 hours 22 minutes of runtime seems justified and to answer the question posed in the title. Yes, Vol. 2 was worth the wait. It is a bigger and badder season. It might not be the best but it is definitely the most interesting. Overall, Stranger Things 4 was another valued addition to the biggest Netflix show ever.

What was that Ending?

Stranger Things 4 is done and we can discuss the disastrous fate of Hawkins. The finale saw, Vecna claiming its fourth and final victim- Max. This kick starts his plan of taking over our world as the Upside Down bleeds into the real world. Max is brought back to life by Eleven but she has her hands and legs broken. Eleven couldn’t even find her when she visits her mind. Eleven defeats Vecna in Max’s mind and Nancy, Steve and Robin do the rest where they burn Vecna’s body.

However, Will senses his presence as he enters in Hawkins and says he is hurt and he’ll be back. Vol. 2 finally confirmed that Vecna is indeed the real villain in Stranger Things. The Mind Flayer was a red herring. Proving my theory right. So, we get another flashback where we are filled in all the all those gaps we have in the entire story. So, Dr. Brenner in Season 1 was indeed asking Eleven to find One and not the Russians, hence she made contact with the Demogorgon and everything went to hell.

When One was banished to the Upside Down, it was indeed another dimension however it was clean. The landscape looked like an abandoned planet or so. One after realizing he is dead, explores his new space and realizes this new realm is full of psychic energy which he uses to his advantage. He uses that psychic energy to give us the illusion of the Mind Flayer. The creatures from the Upside Down were indeed present from the start but now One controlled them.

He waited for a doorway to be opened to this world. That means he was not able to open the gate himself but Eleven was. Once that was done he started executing his plan one by one. First the Demogorgon then the Demo Dogs and the Spider Monster made out of flesh. However, if you remember Season 3’s finale that show Eleven getting bitten by that monster. That bite was actually a way for Vecna to get Eleven’s powers that made him capable of travelling in people’ minds, making him more strong.

After failing many times he finally came himself to take over the world. He was from the start all along, which I’d suspected. He indeed opened 4 gates and seeing the final shots of the show it seems like Hawkins is finally a part of the Upside Down. The Earthquake has given the Upside Down unlimited access to the real world now. The vines and hive mind might start growing out of the cracks out. We also see Spores falling in Hawkins, the same things we saw in the Upside Down from the start.

People misunderstand it for snow but you know if you know. Now it is up to Eleven and the gang to save Hawkins and the world. Whenever Vecna/ One/ Henry does come back or recovers from his injury he’ll be pissed and more powerful. As Brenner explained every victim he kills makes him swallow them whole, making him more powerful. Now for the people who died this Season: Chrissy, Fred, Patrick, Max but comes back to life, Eddie and Jason. These are the on-screen deaths, the official count due to the earthquake in 22 and counting.

Let me know what you think of the finale. Did you like it? How excited are you for Season 5?

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