After three years of anticipation, Stranger Things Season 4 has finally arrived on Netflix. The long-awaited season centers on the Hawkins gang as they dive into the Upside Down once again, where the show’s most menacing villain named Vecna lives.
Volume 1 only explores the tip of the iceberg on how capable Vecna is as a mad villain. Compared to the previous season's villains that centered on eerie creatures from the Upside Down, Vecna is on a whole new level as the villain possesses human instincts such as decisiveness and determination.
Now that the show has introduced the show's big bad, what can fans expect with Season 4's Volume 2?
In an interview with EW, Stranger Things Season 4 creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer warn fans that "everybody is in jeopardy" on the season's second volume.
"A lot of [the darker tone] was driven by the fact that we had these — I still call them kids, even though I know they're not kids, but they feel like my kids — is that they were heading into high school," Matt said. "And it felt like the right time to put them into a full-blown horror film. We're dealing with darker themes, and issues that come along with being a teenager, because for at least Ross and I, and I think for most people, high school is a challenging time. And you're experiencing a lot of dark emotions for the first time."
"Whereas for us, middle school was such a magical time. And that was why that was reflected in season 1, whereas this has gotten darker," Matt added. "You're feeling a little bit unsettled and unsafe for everybody...that's the intention."
Matt concluded, "We wanted the whole season to feel like everybody is in jeopardy. And we felt like that was something you couldn't really do as well when they were these cute little kids. But now, you know, everybody's life is on the line."
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 indeed leaves the entire Hawkins crew in danger under Vecna's grasp. Max (Sadie Sink) is still under Vecna's curse, and Nancy was captured by the spine-chilling villain in Upside Down.
With Eleven miles away from her friends, it would definitely be difficult for the Hawkins gang to escape and go against Vecna. According to Ross Duffer, "This formidable monster that they've come across, he doesn't mess around," while Matt added, "No, he doesn't pull punches."
These comments of the Duffer Brothers clearly imply that a heart-wrenching death should be expected for Volume 2. As much as fans want to see the whole gang complete, it would make sense to kill off one character or more now that the show is slowly approaching its monumental finale.
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 is available to stream on Netflix, while Volume 2 arrives on July 1.
Also Read: Stranger Things: Duffer Brothers Hype up Final Season Ahead of Season 4 Finale
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