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Stranger Things 5 is finally out on Netflix, bringing the first volume of the last season to the world. There has been no sign of Vecna since season 4, but the team at Hawkins was anticipating his return.
The crawls became a regular ritual for them all, with everyone contributing uniquely in finding any signs of Vecna and killing him. From Max's fate to another character's vanishing, the first volume brought moments that kept the tensions high. While the Demogorgons infiltrate a military zone to abduct Vecna's chosen kids, several events unfold that lead to unexpected developments.
Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers for Stranger Things 5 Volume 1. Reader's discretion is advised.
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As Vecna enters Hawkins and manages to take the remaining eight children he needed, the Demogorgons charge at Mike, Lucas, and Robin at three different locations. However, Will gains powers like Eleven, further stopping and killing the demons.
Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 ending explained: Who gained new powers at the end?
Chaos is unleashed at the end of episode 4 as Mike, Will, Joyce, Lucas, Robin, Erica, Derek, and Murray's plan to rescue Vecna's chosen kids gets sabotaged. The armed men capture Mike, Joyce, Will, and the kids before they can escape through the tunnels. However, as Lt. Colonel Sullivan tried to interrogate them, Will had a vision of the approaching Demogorgons. They had also found Lucas and Robin's locations, where other kids were present.
Several Demogorgons spring up from the fissures at the military zone, killing all armed men present at the location. While Mike, Joyce, Robin, Murray, and Lucas try to take the kids to safety, they too are stopped by the evil forces. Vecna finally appears at the site, attacking all except Will. He explains his choice of kids and the purpose behind it, and then takes them all to the Upside Down.
More Demogorgons emerge and try to attack Mike, Robin, and Lucas at different locations. However, in a turn of events, a strong power holds back the demons and goes on to kill them right before they charged at the three. At the end, it is revealed that Will was the one who had gained new powers like Eleven and had managed to save his friends using them.
Also read: What is the runtime of the upcoming episodes of Stranger Things 5? Explored
What's behind Will's new powers?
Will kept doubting his strength and feelings throughout Stranger Things 5 volume 1, with his Vecna connection and past experiences making him vulnerable. While Joyce also pushed him to be in the safe zone, Will willingly looked for ways to help out in the greater cause to defeat Vecna, further bringing good results with his risky steps.
Robin's advice of finding answers within himself had resonated with him, giving him the boost that he needed. Towards the end of episode 4, titled 'Sorcerer', Will witnesses everything fall apart as Vecna comes and speaks to him. While he could not save the children on time, the pain of seeing his friends suffer pushed Will to go beyond his limits.
In a flashback sequence at the end of Volume 1, the viewers get to see snippets from Will's beloved childhood memories as he recalls Robin's advice. From his strong bond with Mike to memorable moments with Joyce and Jonathan, the memories gave him the strength to realise his innate powers and go against Vecna's control over him. He gains powers just like Eleven's at the end of episode 4, showcasing that he is the sorcerer, the wise one who could make a difference.
Why did Vecna choose the 12 kids?
After the entire site is left devastated, Vecna goes on to speak to Will at the end of Stranger Things 5 Volume 1. The conversation between the two becomes pivotal as it lays down the reasons why the antagonist was after 12 particular children from Hawkins.
Vecna discloses that he chose those kids to reshape the world because of their common quality of 'weakness'. Being gullible and fragile in mind and body, they became the perfect targets for Vecna's perilous plans. He wanted to gain control over them and use them as vessels to change the world as he wished.
The antagonist went on to state that Will was his first target for this mission, explaining the reason behind his abduction in Stranger Things season 1. Will's weakness, as Vecna mentions, made the devil realise that his plans could work and bring his sinister dreams to fruition.
He makes a chilling statement about his choice of Will and other kids in the end, which goes:
"Some minds, it turns out, simply do not belong in this world. They belong in mine."
While this indicates the dark plans Vecna is brewing in the Upside Down, the statement further creates tension about what could happen next. Will's newfound powers, however, stand against Vecna's plan of control, which could further lead to challenging moments in the next volume.
Also read: How many episodes will there be in Stranger Things 5? Episode count, release schedule, and more
Watch Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 on Netflix.
