Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 has been released on Netflix more than a month after the first volume came out. One of the most popular shows, Stranger Things began in 2016 and has been a fan-favourite ever since. The first part of Stranger Things Season 4 saw the people of Hawkins fight Vecna, the new big bad from the Upside Down.
It was revealed towards the end of Volume 1 that Vecna is none other than One aka Henry Creel, who was experimented on by Dr Brenner after the former killed his mother and sister using telekinetic abilities. Henry is the son of Victor Creel, a World War II veteran who was framed for the deaths of his wife and daughter. Robert Englund, who portrayed the iconic character Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), is playing Victor Creel in Stranger Things. The casting is interesting because Stranger Things was created by the Duffer Brothers as a homage to the 80s' pop culture, and the fourth season for the show is deeply inspired by Nightmare on Elm Street.
When One tried luring Eleven into joining him on his mission to take over the World, she ended up opening the first gate to the Upside Down and banishing him to the alternate reality.
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 is coming out with two episodes which will decide the fate of the characters. The trailer for the season finale was released late in June, and reveals several interesting details and easter eggs. We decode some of the theories for you. Here is everything you need to know about Stranger Things before watching the season finale.
Running Up That Hill By Kate Bush
The song Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush has topped the charts after it was featured in Episode 4 of the first volume. This was Max's favourite song, and her friends Steve, Lucas and Dustin played the song to free her from Vecna's clutches. Running Up That Hill is now like an anthem for the show, and this is evident from the fact that it was played throughout the trailer for Volume 2.
How Will Nancy Come Out Of Her Trance?
In the final episode of Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1, we see Nancy becoming the next target for Vecna. She enters into a trance, and is shown visions of Vecna's childhood and how he killed his mother and sister. Nancy and Maya Hawke's Robin had figured out that Victor was not responsible for the death of his family, but it was only when she was catatonic that she came to know the true identity of Vecna.
Robin or Eddie are likely to save Nancy from Vecna by playing her favourite song, which could be from a Tom Cruise movie.
We will also see Nancy coming face to face with Vecna at the Hawkins Lab. Several dead bodies will be seen lying on the floor, and it is possible that Vecna is showing her visions from the day of the Hawkins Lab Massacre.
Eddie Munson Playing His Guitar On The Trailer
Eddie Munson will be seen playing his guitar on top of his trailer, either to distract the demo-bats, or to save Nancy.
Jason Could Be Vecna's Next Victim
In the show, we will see Lucas fighting Jason in one of the scenes, followed by Lucas becoming shocked because someone will be taken into a trance in front of him. Jason is likely to be Vecna's next victim, but since Lucas had been friends with Jason for a year, he may be aware of the latter's favourite song.
After Lucas saves Jason, the latter may finally believe that Eddie Munson did not kill Chrissy Cunningham.
Ms Kelley Wears A Necklace With A Key
Ms Kelley, the school counsellor of Hawkins High, wears a necklace with a key having the shape of a clock on it. This is symbolic to the grandfather clock seen by Vecna's impending victims. A grandfather clock is also there in Victor Creel's house.
An interesting point to note is that most of Vecna's victims, including Chrissy and Fred, were seeing the school counsellor. A shape similar to the key on Ms Kelley's necklace is also seen on the grandfather clock. It is likely that Ms Kelley has a connection to Vecna or the Upside Down.
Time Travel Could Be A Major Theme
Time travel could be a major theme in Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2. In the first volume, we learnt that the Upside Down was "creepily" frozen in the past, on November 6, 1983, the night Will Byers disappeared. Since time is an important concept this season, the characters are likely to perform time travel in order to defeat Vecna.
One had expressed his frustration over the fact that everyone in society is caught in a monotonous life, and that hours, days, weeks, months, and years pass as they continue carrying out the same activities each day. While in a trance, Nancy saw that Henry Creel was able to control the hands of the grandfather clock at his house using his telekinetic abilities.
Is The Upside Down A Reflection Of Will’s Mind?
Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will have been playing Dungeons and Dragons since childhood. The creatures from the Upside Down — Demogorgon, Mind Flayer and Vecna — have been named after characters from Dungeons and Dragons based on their appearances and powers.
In 1983, Will entered the Upside Down, where he spent almost a week. It is likely that the overgrown, alternate dimension is a recreation of Will's mind, based on his memories and knowledge about Dungeons and Dragons.
It is possible that Will has psychic powers, because of which he was able to survive in the Upside Down for a week without food and water. At the end of Season 1, Will vomited out a baby Demogorgon. He was also possessed by the Mind Flayer in Season 2, making his connection to the Upside Down stronger than other characters.
Will might end up saving his friends from Vecna because he has been in contact with both the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer. He was also working on a painting which was not revealed to the audience in Season 4 Volume 1. The painting may hold clues to defeating Vecna.
Hopper And His Team To Discover A Soviet Lab
Winona Ryder's Joyce Byers and Murray will successfully free David Harbour's Jim Hopper from the clutches of the Russians. They will discover a Soviet Lab, in which creatures from the Upside Down, including a part of the Mind Flayer, are kept in cages. The Soviets had tried opening a gate to the Upside Down in Russia Season 3, but when they were unsuccessful, they constructed a mall in Hawkins and tried to create a gate there. It is possible that the gate the Soviets opened in Russia allowed some creatures from the Upside Down to enter the real world.
Enzo aka Anotov, the prison guard from Kamchatka who helped Hopper, was not seen in the trailer. Enzo will probably die this season.
Will Steve Harrington Survive?
It is safe to say that Joe Kerry's Steve Harrington is the most loved character on the show, and has been designated as the "babysitter". He is best friends with Dustin and always protects the kids. Steve is likely to play a major role in defeating Vecna in the season finale.
A Combined Real World And Upside Down?
Dustin had earlier said that the Mind Flayer is a creature which devours realms or worlds. It is possible that the Mind Flayer will try to devour the real world, because of which it may combine with the Upside Down. In Season 5, we may see the characters living in a post-apocalyptic world.
Was Vecna Behind All The Mishaps In Hawkins?
Considering Vecna's psychic powers, it is possible that he had been controlling the Demogorgons and the Mind Flayer, and summoned them to kill people in Hawkins. The entire Hive Mind in the Upside Down is probably under Vecna's control.
Dr Brenner To Be Killed?
Though Dr Brenner had experimented on Eleven when she was a child, she considers him a father figure and calls him "Papa". Through the Nina Project, Brenner and Sam Owens manage to make Eleven remember her past and the events that took place on the day of the Hawkins Lab Massacre. Eleven remembers how she defeated One and banished him to the Upside Down, and this will bring her powers back. However, Dr Brenner believes she is not ready to fight Vecna, and tries to stop her from going to Hawkins to save her friends, as her life might be in danger.
Nevertheless, she will go to Hawkins to help everyone there. Dr Brenner might end up sacrificing himself this season to save Eleven, as this would act as a redemption for the heinous acts he had committed in the past.
Erica, Lucas And Max To Visit The Creel House
In the trailer, we see Erica, Lucas and Max going back to the Creel House, probably to figure out how to kill Vecna. They may discover that Vecna's lair in the Upside Down is exactly below the Creel House.
Victor Creel Could Defeat Vecna
Eleven will be seen fighting Vecna in an Upside Down version of the Creel House. Eleven saved her friends in all the previous seasons, but this time, a different character might be seen defeating the villain. Victor Creel, who is Henry's father, is likely to be the one who kills Vecna. Victor is the one who helped Nancy and Robin figure out that music helps Vecna's impending victims escape his clutches. Also, Victor was not killed by Vecna, which means the former has a strong mind, and may possess some special abilities.
Most of the major characters on the show, including Steve, Robin, Eleven, Max, Will, Lucas, Joyce, Hopper, Jonathan and Mike are likely to survive Vecna and be seen in Stranger Things Season 5.