WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1. Return to this space when you’ve seen what in the Upside Down is going on!
Well, well, well. I have to say, I believe I was just as delighted as many other Stranger Things fans when Season 4 finally (Finally!) debuted recently as part of the 2022 TV schedule. Not only were there a lot of standout Stranger Things characters (even among the new cast member additions for the epic set of episodes), but the Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1 ending offered some amazing insights into Vecna, Eleven, and even the Upside Down.
Obviously, I’m now in the same boat as fans around the world and stewing over my many Stranger Things Season 4 thoughts, especially as the Duffer brothers have teased "chaos" for Volume 2. While I don’t, by any means, know what’s going to happen in the last two episodes of the season, I’m very excited to see what the mega-hit has in store for us. With that in mind, here’s just a small sampling of eight things I really want to see in Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2!
Steve Having A Big Hero Moment (Probably To Save Nancy)
Steve has already had a number of amazingly heroic moments during his time on Stranger Things, so I have no doubt that Season 4, Volume 2 will provide additional evidence of his bravery. Already in this season, we’ve seen him do one of the bravest things, and without giving it much of a thought: volunteering to find the Water-Gate. Of course, when Steve did find it, he got way too close and ended up getting sucked in, leading him to be attacked by a number of Demo-Bats and to Nancy, Robin, and Eddie going in after him.
This led to Vecna eventually latching on to Nancy before everyone was able to escape back to Hawkins. Nancy looks… as OK as one can be when one is in the Upside Down still, in the Volume 2 teaser, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Steve will be a big part of that by figuring out a way to save her. And, I can’t wait for that or any other big hero moments from him.
Mike And Eleven’s Reunion
Oh, my. Do these two ever have some relationship issues to work out, amirite? Sure, saving the whole world is the bigger problem, but the Duffer brothers have promised that even with as action-packed as Volume 2 will be, there will still be plenty of good character stuff to sort through, and the rift between Eleven and Mike certainly fits that bill.
I can’t be sure that these two will actually be able to reunite by the end of the nearly two and a half hour finale, but I’d love to see Eleven and Mike get at least a tiny chance to talk about why he’s not loving El the way she wants him to anymore. If this isn’t the perfect convo to have before she has to fight her old nemesis, One/Vecna, I don’t know what is.
Eddie Being Proven Innocent In Hawkins
Man, don’t you just love Eddie? I was prepared for him to be a I-hope-he-dies-soon jerk, but that scene in the woods with Chrissy changed everything. And, during his journey as a scared young man on the run, we’ve seen that Eddie really is a decent dude who absolutely doesn’t deserve anything he’s been through, or to go to prison for a supernatural murder he didn’t commit. I don’t even know how the Hawkins gang would be able to exonerate Eddie, but I am dying for him to be proven innocent so that he can finally walk that stage, look Principal Higgins dead in the eye and flip him the bird!
How Hopper, Joyce, And Murray Get Out Of Russia
I can only imagine that this will be a very tough one to solve, even with there being over three hours left in Season 4. When we left them in Volume 1, the trio was stuck in Hopper’s Russian prison with a very angry Demogorgon. Even if that beastie manages to rampage through the prison and kill everyone else, Hopper, Joyce, and Murray will still have to beat or evade it and then find out how to get all the way back to the United States.
My guess is that the mystery smoke we see Hopper and Murray come upon in the Volume 2 teaser has something to do with them making it back quickly, but I’m excited to see whether or not my hunch is correct.
Argyle Finally Seeing Some Supernatural Stuff
You know, I really like Argyle. But, a part of me wonders if he’s just too gentle for this world. One of the joys of Stranger Things Season 4 so far has been watching Argyle react quite realistically to going from being a pizza delivery guy to a government conspiracy-evading getaway driver. I do hope he makes it out of this season alive, but I’m also hoping we get to see the generally stoned young man react to seeing some of the supernatural shenanigans that everyone else is now so used to.
Getting More Answers About The Upside Down
OK, so now we know that Eleven was strong enough to banish One to the Upside Down after he killed nearly everyone in Hawkins Lab. But, boy, do I ever have a ton of other questions about the dimension, Eleven’s part in opening it, and how One factors into what we saw in the previous three seasons. I’m really, really hoping we get more answers before Season 4 comes to a close!
More Robert Englund (Hopefully)
Is there anyone who was let down by Robert Englund’s performance as Victor Creel in Stranger Things? Nope. Didn’t think so! His one scene as the character, whom the Duffers allowed us to believe was the Big Bad of the season, was incredible. Englund helped to bring the horror of what Victor went through to life with perfect pathos, and even though I know that if we do see him again it will likely mean that he dies, I’m still eager to get more out of this character and Englund this season.
Eleven’s Big Showdown With Vecna
We know it has to be coming, right? Now that El remembers what happened between her and One in the lab and seems to have her powers back, she’s going to try and stop Vecna. But, I have a bad feeling that he might now be too powerful for her, and if Eleven has any hope of defeating him, it’s going to take a truly great sacrifice on her part.
All we have to do now is wait patiently to see what Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 2 has to offer, and luckily we only have until July 1 to see the finale for ourselves!
