This guest post is written by Jordan Grigsby.
Well, it’s over, my childhood is over… says the 30-year-old woman. Whatever. This show was absolutely legendary, and the final season — whew, mind blowing. I could have watched another three seasons, but bravo to the Duffer brothers for stopping when the show reached its zenith of icon status. Speaking of which, let’s talk about the 16 best moments from Season 5, shall we?
FULL SPOILERS AHEAD! PROCEED WITH CAUTION
16. Every Time Hopper Was Annoyed with Kali’s Existence
That man was sick of her.
15. “Karen, with her wine.”
Gotta love a clueless Eleven line. She always has good one-liners, like “I piggybacked from a pizza dough freezer” or when Will’s asking the gang if they know the feeling you get when you drop on a roller coaster, and everyone says yes and El simply says “no.” Her delivery is always just *chef’s kiss*. This was perfect. Plus, let’s give it up for Karen fucking Wheeler for the way that she went at the demo with her broken wine bottle while drunk. If I’m fighting, I want Karen on my team for sure.
14. The Graduation Scene
Specifically, Dustin’s speech. I laughed, I cried. It was the best kind of chaos. Plus, it was a beautiful nod to honoring Eddie Munson. IYKYK. Eddie always said he was gonna look Principal Higgins dead in the eye, flip him the bird, snatch his diploma, and run like hell outta there. And what did Dusty Buns do? Exactly that. Bravo, Duffer Brothers. Those little details are what make this show brilliant.
13. Will Coming Out
First of all, I need to try popcorn with Milk Duds. Second, this scene was so sweet, and so beautifully handled. Very heartwarming to see a story where someone from the LGBTQ+ community is completely accepted and embraced by all of their family and friends. I hope the LGBTQ+ community felt seen, and enjoyed seeing a closeted gay kid not have to endure any traumatic coming out storyline. Will was constantly going through trauma anyway. He deserved a lil’ peace.
12. Mind Flayer / Vecna Battle
Lucas’s reaction to seeing El jump into the Mind Flayer (what the actual fuck) was me the entire fight. Nancy Badass Wheeler volunteering herself as bait just like an eldest sister would was everything. And I’m just sayin’, my favorite duo of the show is Nancy and a gun. Lucas saving Dustin — CINEMA. Put that boy in more action roles. Marvel, I’m looking at you. Oh, and that very sibling-coded convo between Mike and Nancy, genius.
11. Dustin and Steve’s Talk
My gosh, thank goodness they finally talked things through. The two of them constantly going at each other for the smallest shit was irritating me. But I was definitely in tears watching poor, traumatized Dustin firmly grasp Steve “The Hair” Harrington, and explaining to him how he wouldn’t be able to handle his bestie’s death.
I mean, look in his eyes — Gaten was ACTING his ass off. He was vulnerable, and instead of continuing to push his friends away, he embraced Steve and let him know he’s been struggling and doesn’t want to lose any more friends to Vecna. His trauma took over this season, so it was as delightful as Derek when he finally kinda snapped back.
10. Joyce Chopping Off Vecna’s Head
Well, Dustin got what he wanted: To see Vecna’s head on a platter. Having each character’s traumatic flashbacks during every whack was powerful. I do, however, wish Joyce would have known that it was Henry Creel, or there would have been more of a connection to the Broadway play, which, spoiler alert, is a deep dive into Henry in high school with the Hawkins parents.
9. Henry Basically Telling Will That He Chose To Be Evil
MWAHAHA! I loved this! Yesss! I was screaming, hootin’, and hollering! I love how they made us all kinda feel sorry for Henry, just for him to turn around and say nah, I’m a villain by choice. The whole ~let’s feel sorry for the villain and understand what made them evil~ thing is overdone anyways, so it was refreshing to see a villain stand on business. And round of a-fucking-plause for Jamie Campbell Bower. He devoured this damn role and left not one crumb. He was moving, chilling, haunting, and an all around exceptional character, as Henry, One, and Vecna.
8. Hopper’s Speech to El
Well, pass the damn tissues, because I was in shambles. Hopper’s speeches are always tear-jerking, and this one was no different. He had a gun pointed at him and gave zero fucks, and still chose to be a dad in that moment. And with tears in his eyes, he begged his daughter not to sacrifice herself.
“Life has been so unfair to you. Your childhood was taken from you…but you never let it break you…Fight for the days on the other side of this.” ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! How can I get Hopper to give me daily pep talks, because I felt like I needed to hear that, too, and I’m not even fighting evil creatures, just anxiety and bills.
7. Vecna Making Hopper Think That He Killed Eleven
Did anyone else think that Kali was behind that vision at first? As soon as she was no longer in the room, I just KNEW she was behind it. I’m sorry, but, Vecna ate that *bites finger*. He really had that man thinking that he shot his child. Fucking genius.
It pulled Eleven, Kali, and Max away from the kids, leaving them completely vulnerable (even though Holly held things down for the kids, just like a Wheeler). I love a clever villain, and getting into Hop’s head the way that he did — using Sarah, showing him Eleven’s plan — absolutely brilliant. Shit, even I thought he killed her.
6. Will Taking Over Vecna to Save Max
Wow, wow, wow, peak fuckin’ cinema, truly. They Frankenstein’d a demogorgon to get Will close to the hive mind, and he took over Vecna’s mind exactly when Max needed it. I would have shit myself from fear and confusion if I were Max. I thought she and Holly were cooked for sure. That “RUUUUNNN” was chilling. Magnificent.
5. Every Derek Turnbow Scene
I could have made a whole list filled with Delightful Derek moments. I lost it every time he said “suck my fat one.” Looking Henry in his eyes and saying “your mom” — an icon. Him staring at Mike then giving a little wave had me wheezing.
Or what about when his parents literally passed out, and he sat there and laughed his ass off until he passed out himself. And of course, who can forget “mom does it when she’s out of Valium” or “ASHLEY KLEIN IS A SNITCH!” I’ll be quoting Delightful Derek all of 2026, thank you very much. He was the comic relief this season, and will forever go down as one of the funniest characters on the show.
4. The Hospital Scene
This scene was the definition of perfection. Lucas ran from Demodogs all through that hospital, carrying Max and a damn boombox, then refused to turn it off even when they were about to get eaten. He was bringing Max home no matter what it took, and I love him so much for being such a little lover boy angel.
The entire series, he proved he would go to war for those he cares about. And watching him finally get to reconnect with Max after such a heartbreaking Season 4? My heart can’t take it.
But once again, let’s give it up for Karen Fucking Wheeler. My girl heard that her extended kid, Lucas, was in trouble and sis immediately rose up like The Undertaker to handle things and protect one of her babies. She was struggling to walk and breathe, but she still did not let that stop her from saving the day. Badass. My girl is really this season’s MVP. She got busy on the Demos every chance she got, even after they fucked her up and landed her in a hospital bed.
3. Mike and Eleven’s Talk / Eleven’s Sacrifice
The Duffer Brothers knew exactly what they were doing playing “Purple Rain” while the gang lost El. And my poor Mike, watching him lose Eleven yet again, broke my heart the same way it did in season one. Even after defeating literal monsters, the government remained the fucking villain. Like, how did the government manage to piss me off even in a fictional TV show?!
Although I always suspected that Eleven or Will would have to die, it still came outta nowhere and wrecked me. We were this close to a proper happily ever after, and then the government had to ruin everything. Shocker. Art imitating life, I guess.
2. One Last D&D Game in Mike’s Basement
I loved that we leave our beloved characters the exact same way that we met them. The scene mirrors the introductory scene in Season 1, where the boys are downstairs playing D&D. I loved that Stacey finally came around to Dustin, just as Nancy said in Season 2, and that the group still chose to spend their graduation night with just the party in Mike’s beloved basement. I also loved Mike’s Mage story. And although it’s corny, I believe. I mean, it makes sense.
All season, they showed that the kryptonite completely suppresses Eleven’s powers. So if she had all of those sound systems blaring her kryptonite at her, she wouldn’t have been able to use her powers to speak to Mike in the void. She had to be somewhere away from the sound. So I do think that the El we watched disappear with The Upside Down was an illusion, and Eleven somehow escaped. Plus!! Her nose bleeds when she uses her powers, right? Well, I didn’t see any damn blood when she was standing there, ready to disappear. *Mic drop*.
1. Will Getting Powers
Holy shit! This was the most incredible fucking thing I’ve seen on TV in a while. I was screaming. I just knew Mike, Lucas, or Robin were gonna die, but then Will the Wise stepped the fuck into the chat. The Demogorgons freezing midair, lifting, then having their bones snap in a Vecna-like manner, right before almost murdering our faves?! Fucking breathtaking. And then Will dropping, and ending the episode with him wiping his nose bleed?! Directors, writers, Duffer bros — standing ovation. Impeccable. Prime television.
We watched lil’ bowl cut grab his neck in terror for four seasons, so seeing him finally boss up and take control was magnificent. I wish the entire season would have been in theaters, because seeing this in a room full of fans would have been legendary. This scene will live rent-free in my head all year, and will forever be seen as a seminal moment.
Image Credit: “Stranger Things,” Netflix
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