The wait has finally ended, after three years, our beloved Stranger Things returns with the highly anticipated season 4, or the first part, at least. Volume One is made of seven episodes, while Volume Two will be out on the 1st of July and will be made of two episodes. It is available on Netflix, and produced by the Duffer Brothers. The first three seasons’ protagonists will come back with the new cast member Jamie Campbell Bower.
Stranger Things – Fourth Season – Plot
STRANGER THINGS. David Harbour as Jim Hopper in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
Six months have passed since the Starcourt Mall Battle brought terror and destruction in Hawkins. In the aftermath of the event, our heroes split up for the first time and deal with the consequences, complicated also by the high school life.
In this period of vulnerability, a new and terrifying supernatural threat presents itself with a gory mystery, the resolution of which could finally end the horrors of the Underworld.
Where were we?
Eleven, after Hopper’s disappearance, lost her power and left Hawkins to live in the quiet town of Lenora, becoming the adoptive daughter of Joyce and adoptive sister of Will and Jonathan Byers. Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Max deal with the consequences of what happened at the Starcourt Mall, Max in particular, who keeps thinking about the loss of Billy.
Nancy, Steve and Robin continue their personal plans, between study, work and sentimental problems, but a new wave of mysterious and disturbing murders brings personal issues back to the forefront, and all will have to do their best to bring their attention and will back to solving Hawkins’ crimes.
The mystery of Vecna
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Hendrson and Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2022
I must admit that the third season wasn’t the best one, to me, but it was like a passage story to bring us to this point. On the contrary, I can say that this fourth season, or better the first volume, goes absolutely beyond my expectations. It left me breathless and I loved it!
Our stranger guys are all grown up and face all sort of problems, not to mention that their lives have never been simple at all, from the Upside Downto the Demogorgon, now a new dreadful villain appears: Vecna. Obviously, the brain behind the physical and metaphysical solutions is, as usual, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), with hist lifetime friends.
The sensitive issues of bullying, homosexuality, and misunderstandings between adults and teens are once again addressed. Now we have also religious and bigoted rants against role-playing games and nerds, considered the classic losers. Once again, I want to reiterate and fight against those who think different means weird or bad.
STRANGER THINGS. Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2022
Returning to the stories of our protagonists: inner conflicts are exaggerated by making many of the guys, who carry inner burdens and fractures, as precisely targeting the evil Vecna who creates breach in their souls to destroy them.
In this context, will our Max (Sadie Sink), Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and many others, feel safe? Obviously no. But who’s Vecna?
I can’t reveal many things, in case you haven’t seen it yet, but for sure, it’s an incredible character, well studied both visually and in the inside. It almost feels like he’s the answer to many of the questions we asked ourselves in the other three seasons.
How have been created the power of Eleven and the Upside Down ?
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Matthew Modine as Dr. Martin Brenner in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2022
Eleven, now defeated by hardships, by the cruelty of her classmates and by the loss of her powers will have to discover her past in order to find herself, undergoing a long introspective journey as her only chance of becoming what she once was. As usual, a great challenge for Brown, who keeps refining her acting skills.
Thanks to this clever device, we’ll finally understand how Eleven became the ultra-powerful kid we met in the first episodes. Finally, we’ll have a clear explanation to why she has psychic powers and to why she’s so powerful. All comes from the pain. Yes, simple but true. A great metaphor to push ourselves in finding our inner strenght.
We’ll also discover the secrets of papa, professor Brenner, his past and what connects him and Eleven to another very important character. On the surface he appears as a simple lab collaborator, played by Jamie Campbell Bower (Twilight, Sweeney Tood, Shadowhuters).
STRANGER THINGS. Jamie Campbell Bower as Peter Ballard in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2022
Half of the group operates in Hawkins: a line-up composed by Nancy, Robin (Maya Thurman-Hawke), Steve (Joe Keery), Eddie (Joseph Quinn), ovviamente Dustin, Max e Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) who investigate on the mysterious deaths and on time-space portals that allow the monsters to come into our reality from the Upside Down.
The other half is in California, trying to reconcile with Eleven who has been arrested from the police: here we have the group made of Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) Will (Noah Schnapp), Mike (Finn Wolfhard) e la new entry Argyle (Eduardo Franco). Let’s say they won’t get one right.
Also on the Russian frontline we have Joyce (Winona Ryder) and the mad Murray (Brett Gelman), who are investigating on the disappearance of Hopper (David Harbour).
In conclusion
Going back to the 80s with our Stranger Things friends is always exciting. The hype is at an all-time high, I can’t wait for the first of July for the release of the last two episodes. I found myself devouring Season four again and again with great gusto and again, despite the ending that leaves us breathless, I have to give it an 8,5 rating, hoping to get to a full 10 with Volume Two.
