Stranger Things S5 Vol 2 Review: Sets Up an Epic Finale

Netflix has dropped Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2, and the big question is simple. Does it live up to the momentum Volume 1 built, or does it lose steam right before the finish line? The answer is a little complicated, but mostly encouraging.

Major spoilers ahead. You have been warned!

Volume 2 picks up immediately after that Will reveal. You know the one. Will tapping into the Hive Mind, snapping Demogorgons like twigs, and casually reminding everyone that he is far more than just the kid who got lost in the Upside Down. The story does not waste time easing us back in. It moves forward with intent.

The Upside Down Finally Explained

The biggest revelation of Volume 2 answers a question fans have been asking since Season 1. Exactly what is the Upside Down?

Turns out, almost everyone, including the audience, had it wrong. As Dustin bluntly puts it, they were catastrophically wrong. The Upside Down is not an alternate dimension running parallel to Hawkins. It is revealed that the the Upside Down is a wormhole, a bridge between two worlds. One side is Hawkins. The other is what Dustin names The Abyss, a hostile realm where the Demogorgons, the Mind Flayer, and now Vecna truly belong.

This is classic Stranger Things. The show has always taken familiar sci-fi ideas and twisted them into something more grounded and weirdly human. Eleven has telekinesis, but she needs salt water and carbs to amplify it. Powers have rules, limits, and consequences.

So why should a wormhole be a neat little hole in space? A wormhole is a tear in spacetime. No one ever said it could not be a town-sized bridge wrapped in a living wall, acting as a boundary between worlds. It is a smart reframe, and it fits the show’s internal logic perfectly.

Episode 6 Steals the Entire Volume

If Volume 2 has a standout, it is Episode 6. Easily. This episode delivers some of the strongest character moments the series has had in years. By now, everyone has seen that Dustin and Steve scene, and yes, it hits exactly as hard as people say it does. It is raw, sincere, and emotionally earned.

There is also long-overdue clarity around Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve. If you were wondering whether Jonathan and Nancy broke up in Episode 6? They did. The Duffer Brothers have confirmed it. Also Will finally coming out to his friends and family was handled with restraint and care.

Where Volume 2 Loses Some Momentum

For all the highs, Volume 2 does stumble at the very end. Episode 7 does not quite deliver the punch you expect from a volume finale. It is not bad, but it lacks that edge-of-your-seat urgency that Episode 4 had in Volume 1, or even Episode 6 just an episode earlier. The group heads into the Upside Down for the inevitable showdown with Vecna, aiming to save the children he has taken and confront him in the Abyss. Conceptually, it works. Emotionally, it feels muted.

Honestly, Episode 6 would have made a perfect Volume 2 finale. Ending there would have left viewers buzzing with anticipation. But releasing only two episodes during Christmas week probably was not an option, and it shows. This feels like a logistical decision rather than a creative one, and it slightly hurts the momentum.

Setting the Stage for the Final Battle

Despite its softer ending, Volume 2 does exactly what it needs to do. It positions every character, clarifies the mythology, and raises the stakes for the finale.

There are still unanswered questions hanging in the air. What exactly was inside the briefcase young Henry found? Is Vecna’s true endgame simply merging the Abyss with Hawkins, or is there something more calculated at play?

We will find out on New Year’s Eve, when Stranger Things reaches its conclusion.

Rating:

I am giving Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The final episode does not quite stick the landing in terms of hype, but the rest of the volume delivers strong lore reveals, meaningful character growth, and one of the best episodes of the season in Episode 6. Max’s storyline once again stands out, complete with another hauntingly effective use of Running Up That Hill.

Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. For more reviews, breakdowns, and deep dives, click here.

The end is close, and Hawkins is not ready for what comes next.