‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 1 Ending Explained & What to Expect from Volume 2

3 years and 4 months of waiting is officially over, the fifth season of Stranger Things is now available to stream on Netflix! What a return it was, with an incredible climax to Volume 1 that makes the months-long wait for Volume 2 feel unbearable. Here’s our ending explained to Volume 1 and what we can expect to see in Volume 2 in December 2025.

It’s been over nine years since we witnessed the disappearance of Will Byers, and after four incredible seasons of television, we’re finally witnessing the end of Netflix’s flagship series, Stranger Things.

Lucky American audiences were able to watch the first four episodes (or Volume 1) of the final season before most subscribers, as they went live at 5:00 PM (PST). So while Americans will be busy with Thanksgiving, the rest of the world will be busy watching Stranger Things.

After binging the four episodes, we’ve put together an ending explained for volume 1 and what we expect to see from volume 2!

When is Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 coming to Netflix?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then likely only then, you won’t know the release date of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2!

But just in case you missed this critical piece of information, you’ll be delighted to know that Volume 2 will be released on Christmas Day (December 25, 2025)!

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 ending explained

Warning: The following section contains spoilers. Proceed with caution!

There are some huge revelations to conclude Volume 1 of Season 5.

Will the Wise

Will the Wise, rise! Vecna’s attack on the gate resulted in the death of dozens of members of the military, and the remaining children were kidnapped for his master plan (which has yet to be fully unveiled). However, Vecna couldn’t depart without taking a shot at Will, goading him, by explaining that the reason he chooses children as his victims is that he believes them to be weak of body and mind. Vecna also confirmed that Will was Vecna’s first kidnapping and that he “broke so easily,” but it was thanks to the horrific things Vecna did to Will that he realised the potential of his abilities.

The generational trauma runs deep, and the irony isn’t lost on us. Papa, aka Dr Brenner of the Department of Energy, used Vecna as the first child in his experiments to try and create a weapon against the soviets. Meanwhile, Vecna used Will as the first child in his experiments to develop his powers for his master plan to reshape the world. The apple doesn’t fall from the tree even if it’s thrown into a demonic dimension.

But, arise, Will the Wise, who, as Vecna, left the gate back to the Upside Down with the kids in tow, looked inward into himself, and used the inspiring words of Robin to unlock his potential and stopped multiple Demogorgons from murdering his friends by using powers just like Vecna and Eleven. A droplet of blood running down his left nostril confirms Will shares the same power as Eleven.

So, was Will chosen by Vecna for his latent abilities, or did Vecna himself create the very weapon that could result in his downfall? We can’t wait to find out.

Sisters Reunited

Meanwhile, in the Upside Down, Hopper and Eleven were on the hunt for Holly Wheeler, and after a fight with some of the military, they discovered a strange new weapon that could overload individuals like Eleven, preventing her from using her powers.

Convinced the military already has Vecna locked up, the pair headed to the military base in the Upside Down. Their infiltration was working, but the “grunt” Hopper had interrogated before returned to the base to warn them. With the alarms set off, Eleven was once again overwhelmed by the strange devices, leaving Hopper to fight alone.

Hopper fought well, but the strange tentacled creature from the Upside Down had incapacitated him, leaving him at the Mercy of Dr Kay. But with Eleven distracting her, Hopper was able to escape from its clutches and knock Dr Kay unconscious.

With Eleven unable to use her powers while she was recovering, Hopper tried to insist she make her way back to Steve and the others. However, Eleven understood this when Hopper was going to attempt to confront Vecna himself, and even had a failsafe: explosives strapped to his chest.

Going through the security door by himself, Eleven was left terrified at the idea that Hopper was about to sacrifice himself. There was no need for Eleven to worry, as Hopper had discovered something monumental… Kali, aka number 8, Eleven’s older “sister” who hasn’t been seen since season 2, was captured by the military.

What they were using Kali for remains unclear. Perhaps they were able to tap into her brainwaves and weaponise the signal that was effective against Eleven, which could explain why Vecna and his legion of monsters hadn’t attacked the base yet.

What to expect from Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2

Three powers are better than one

At the start of the fifth season, the only person capable of fighting Vecna was Eleven. By the end of volume 1, there are now three power users: Eleven, Kali, and Will.

Will is brand new to his powers, and their activation was triggered by an intense encounter with Vecna and a need to protect his friends. It’s unclear whether Will needs training to develop his powers or whether he will be able to use them on command like Kali and Eleven.

Picture: Eleven reunites with Kali

It’s unknown what Kali’s condition is, as we don’t know how long she’s been a captive. It’s more than likely she will need time to recover her strength before she can take the fight to Vecna. She’ll more than likely be a great teacher for Will and Eleven.

Eleven will also need to recover her strength, as the weapon used by the military completely overwhelms and incapacitates her. How long she will have to recover remains unclear, as we don’t know how long it will take for Vecna to enact the next stage of her master plan.

What is Vecna’s ultimate goal?

Vecna wants to use the children to “reshape the world” in his image. In the fourth season, Vecna only needed four victims to unleash hell on Hawkins. By the end of volume 1, he has captured 11 children.

Is it any coincidence that the number of children he’s gathered matches what order Eleven’s name and her subject number at the Department of Energy? On her own, and in an act of rage and self-defence, Eleven was able to tear open a doorway to Dimension X, where she banished Vecna. If Vecna can give those children powers, like he’s possibly done with Mike, and if all 11 of them are under his control, he could use them as conduits to completely tear apart the fabric of space and time and truly unleash the terror of the Upside Down or possibly Dimension X on the world.

Vecna will hunt Max

Max is alive in the real world in her coma, while her consciousness remains alive in Vecna’s dream dimension. She was able to contact Holly, giving the youngest Wheeler the full breakdown of who Vecna is, what the Upside Down is, and how dangerous he is. Vecna knows Max is still alive, but since he can’t enter the cave where she’s hiding, he can’t stop her from interfering with his plans.

However, just because he can’t stop her inside the dream dimension, that doesn’t mean he can’t send his monsters to destroy her body in the real world. We know for a fact that Vecna will send at least a Demodog after her, as it was revealed in the trailer as Lucas attempts to save her.

Not to mention the sixth episode, which is titled “Escape from Camazotz”, suggests that Max and Holly will make an attempt to flee from the dream dimension, and Vecna will try and put a stop to it.

Attack on WSQK?

With the radio station as the HQ of the Party, Vecna will send some of his forces to attack it. We know this for certain as the radio tower Steve and Jonathan climbed is in the trailer, and it looked to be under attack. Given that the fifth episode is titled “Shock Jock”, it’s likely this is when the radio station comes under attack.

Back to the Beginning

Dustin deduced that the centre of the circle wall that surrounds Hawkins in the Upside Down is located at Hawkins Laboratory. Where the first door was opened, and where Vecna, Eleven and Kali once called home. As the original gate to the Upside Down, it’s possible that Vecna is using the captured children as his conduits here to further increase the power of the gate.

The seventh episode, titled “The Bridge”, suggests this is the bridge that continues to connect the Upside Down to the real world, and if they can destroy the “Bridge” for good, then they could finally be rid of Vecna and the Upside Down once and for all.

Will Holly Wheeler develop powers?

We have a hunch that not only will Holly be granted powers thanks to Vecna, but she will be integral in his downfall.

Will Ted and Karen recover?

Ted is in an induced coma, and Karen is conscious and recovering from her injuries in the hospital. While the pair came super close to dying, we would expect them to make a full recovery by the end of the season.

How excited are you for Stranger Things season 5 Volume 2? Let us know in the comments below!