The highly anticipated season 4 of Stranger Things officially aired on May 27, 2022.

Unlike the previous seasons, this season introduced a second volume, which aired on July 1, 2022. This season has returning characters, including Steve Herrington, Eleven, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, Lucas Sinclair, Mike Wheeler, Nancy Wheeler, and Jim Hopper.

This new season also has some new characters, including Crissy, Eddie, and the antagonist, Vecna. Season 4 takes place in 1986 Hawkins, Indiana. According to Ana Peres from Movieweb, “This new season was much more horror-oriented than the others.”

This season introduces a new feel of emotions to Stranger Things.

First, there is much more heartbreak and death in season 4. Saint Paul’s junior Landyn Dufrene stated, “It had a lot more action, but I think season 3 is better because of the character development.”

In previous seasons, all of the deaths were used as ways to defeat the antagonists, but in this season it seemed as if the directors were killing off characters just to get rid of them.

As a result of all the deaths this season, it wasn’t emotional when a character died. For example, when Bob was attacked and killed at Hawkins lab in season 2, it was moving and sad because a lot of the season was spent on developing the character; however, when a character dies early on in season 4, it wasn’t emotional because the viewers barely knew her.

This season has much more horror than the others. Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas Sinclair in the series, stated, “I can’t give up too much but this season … is more intense [and] a lot darker.”

There are a lot of jump scares and gruesome deaths, but I think the scariest part is the recurring grandfather clock with loud chimes that foreshadow a death to whoever sees it.

With all of these new changes, the Duffer brothers, the creators of Stranger Things, have created another great season to a great show. The brothers have planned for the next season to be the show’s last. There is already a lot of talk about what season 5 will be like, and most fans cannot wait.