Stranger Things Season 5 Review: A Wild, Emotional Final Ride

Old Bikes, New Battles, and a Finale Fans Will Never Forget

It’s really happening, Hawkins fans, Stranger Things is officially heading for the exit, and Season 5 proves the show still knows how to go out with a bang. After a long three-and-a-half-year wait, the final chapter is here, and yes, it’s packed with monsters, memories, tear-jerker moments, and the kind of over-the-top action that made this series a global obsession.

Let’s address the Demogorgon in the room: the kids are no longer kids. They’re clearly in their 20s now, and while that changes the magic of watching children outrun terror on BMX bikes, the show smartly adjusts. Instead of expanding the world, Season 5 shrinks it back to its roots. We stay in Hawkins. We stay in the Upside Down. And everything else fades away because defeating Vecna is now the only mission that matters.

The first four episodes feel like one long, glossy, high-intensity movie. Episode one carefully sets the stage. By episode four, you’re thrown into a non-stop 90-minute rollercoaster of flamethrowers, bullets, monsters, and chaos—all powered by what looks like an unlimited visual-effects budget. There’s a moment near the end that will absolutely have fans yelling at their screens.

 

 

 

 

 

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Our core gang is back in full form:

• Dustin is still the lovable tech brain

• Robin is fast-talking and fearless

• Eleven remains the emotional and psychic powerhouse

• Mike keeps fighting with his heart on his sleeve

• Lucas, Jonathan, Joyce, and Hopper are all along for the ride too

The adults barely exist now, and somehow that works. The story becomes timeless—trapped in one final loop of friendship, fear, and survival.

This season is loaded with throwback love: you’ll spot nods to The Exorcist, Home Alone, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and even some deep-cut ’80s cult classics. But the biggest influence is Stranger Things itself. At this point, it’s a genre of its own.

#StrangerThings5 (Vol. 1) nails the final-season tone — it’s more mature, more intense, but still keeps that classic ST humor alive. The character work this time is insane, and every episode ends on a straight-up HIGH NOTE ????

And WILL BYERS… easily the standout of this volume.… pic.twitter.com/YSUsenkOI7

— ZeMo (@ZeM6108) November 27, 2025

Emotionally, the spotlight shifts in a powerful way. Nancy steps up as a true leader, and her arc hits especially hard when she’s belittled and told to stay out of “adult matters.” But the most unforgettable journey belongs to Will Byers. The boy who started it all finally gets his moment. His quiet, deeply moving story of identity, fear, and acceptance becomes the emotional heart of the final season.

One last ride. One last fight. One last time in Hawkins—and honestly, it’s worth every second.