"Stranger Things" Season 5, Volume 2 finally reveals the origins of the Upside Down. Here’s how the wormhole works, what the Abyss is and how it all connects to Vecna.

Find all the connections from previous seasons and 'The First Shadow' play that may help you connect the dots as you watch 'Stranger Things 5' Vol. 2

A longtime gem in Netflix’s TV crown, Stranger Things is about to air the finale of its fifth and final season. But the show has been review-bombed following the release of the second set of episodes from the season.

The final season of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ has sparked a shocking amount of backlash from fans—here’s why season five is being criticized online.

Maybe! Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 7 “The Bridge” ends with Kali and Eleven quietly agreeing to their plan to sacrifice their own lives in the final battle for the Upside Down. They exchange this vow with quiet, meaningful nods as the group officially enters the Upside Down.

On Christmas Day, Netflix dropped three new episodes in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, and with them came long-awaited answers fans have been waiting for.

With the end of Stranger Things approaching, the chatter surrounding the series continues to grow hotter. Some enjoy season 5 volume 2 while other fans think that the progression of the narrative doesn't match their pace,

Stranger Things fans believe Season 5 feels strange on purpose, with a viral theory claiming Vecna is manipulating the audience as part of a meta twist.

Let’s start with the facts before we spiral. Through the first seven episodes of season 5, Eleven makes it out alive. There was no heroic last stand, and she’s still standing when Volume 2 ends.

Nancy and Jonathan found a glowing, electrified ball of spice on top of the lab and thought, “Vecna’s magic!” Actually, it’s exotic matter. In the real world, scientists use this term for stuff that doesn’t follow the rules of normal solids, liquids, or gases. In the show, it’s the glue holding the wormhole open.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 3 – which consists of the Episode 8 series finale – drops on Netflix on December 31, 2025 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET. Yes, that’s New Years Eve. If you’re in the UK, that’s 1am on New Year’s Day, meaning you’ll have to take it easy when seeing in the new year if you want to watch the episode immediately.

After four-and-a-half seasons of questions prompted by “Stranger Things,” in Volume 2 of the show’s fifth and final season, creators Matt and Ross Duffer offered answers aplenty, while also setting up the potentially tragic stakes of the series finale.