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Stranger Things creators let slip the Season 4 episode that set up the biggest Season 5 reveal yet

With Stranger Things season 5, the Duffer Brothers wanted to emulate the power that the Max running sequence from season 4 brought

An image from Stranger Things season 5
Image credit: Netflix

Even the Duffer Brothers know that Stranger Things was at its best with the season 4 episode, 'Dear Billy.' Okay, I admit that I might be a bit biased, because Max Mayfield is the best part of Stranger Things for me. However! It doesn't come as a surprise to me that the Max-centric episode, 'Dear Billy,' was a touchstone for the Duffer Brothers when they were crafting the climax of season 5's episode 4.

But before we get any further, here's your warning that spoilers for Stranger Things season 5, volume 1 are up ahead. You've been warned!

The Duffer Brothers spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the twist in season 5 episode 4, 'Sorcerer,' where Will Byers uses his connection with The Upside Down and Vecna to hijack the baddie's telekinetic powers. Matt Duffer said, "We liked giving Will, who’s been a little bit more in the background, especially for the last two seasons, a very powerful moment that tied into his character growth and development. That’s important for me and Ross and the other writers on the show, especially when you have these big climactic set pieces, that there’s something big or emotional or powerful happening with one of the characters at the same time. 'Dear Billy' in season three being a good reference for the best the show gets, which is when we have the special effects and spectacle climaxing at the same time as a character’s emotional journey. That was the goal with the end of episode four."

It's worth noting that Matt Duffer erroneously states that "Dear Billy" was from season 3, when it's from season 4, but that's small potatoes. The climax in 'Dear Billy,' where Max breaks free of Vecna's control in The Upside Down and races towards her friends in slow motion, powered by the sound of Kate Bush, is one of the most moving sequences in Stranger Things. We'll have to see if Will's power-up sequence in season 5 will garner the same appreciation among the Stranger Things fanbase that Max's moment of running-to-make-a-deal-with-God has.

Stranger Things season 5, volume 1 is streaming now on Netflix.


Jules Chin Greene

Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.

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