First Five Minutes Reveal Will’s Terrifying First Encounter With Vecna

The fifth and final season of the Netflix series Stranger Things is just around the corner, and fans cannot wait to see their favorite characters back on screen. There’s already a lot of excitement for it, and to make things even more thrilling, the streaming platform has released the first five minutes of the upcoming edition. And it looks like the makers are bringing the story full circle, right back to Will Byers.

It all began with the vanishing of Will Byers, and when he returned from the Upside Down, he was never the same. Even though viewers got an idea about what might have happened with him in the alternate dimension, they never actually witnessed his time in the Upside Down, until now. The clip released by Netflix provides viewers with a chance to see how Will survived the world governed by Vecna.

The video opens with a look at decayed “Castle Byers,” his childhood sanctuary, now a place of nightmares. Suddenly, Will is jolted awake and forced into a desperate chase, hunted by a Demogorgon through the dark, twisted forest. Although he tries his best to outsmart the monster, he finally gets caught by the Demogorgon. Interestingly, it doesn’t kill him and takes him back to an even darker place. Later, we realize that the monster was following someone’s orders and that someone was Vecna.

Will finally comes face-to-face with the ultimate evil, and Vecna doesn’t waste any time in letting him know that he is here for a purpose. He says, “At long last, we can begin.” In a truly discomforting moment, a tendril from Vecna’s body forces its way into Will’s mouth, implying a horrifying form of possession or corruption. While doing so, Vecna told Will, “You and I, we are going to do such beautiful things together.” This particular sequence proves that Will’s time in Upside Down was more dangerous than anyone thought it was.

Moreover, it also confirms that Will is definitely connected with Vecna, and that’s one of the reasons he knows the dangers the King of Monsters brings with him, as they get ready for the final fight.

The cinematography looks top-notch, using deep shadows and the usual blue and red color palette to create a terrifying atmosphere. This is all heightened by the haunting background score, which brilliantly uses an evocative version of Should I Stay or Should I Go. Just like its previous editions, the makers have left no stone unturned to make the final edition of Stranger Things visually appealing and create new landmarks in storytelling.

The first five minutes of Stranger Things season 5 make it clear that the stakes have never been so high, and the gang is ready to face their biggest challenge yet, reminding fans that this is the final battle between Hawkins and the darkness that has been haunting the town for years.

Volume One of Stranger Things season 5 arrives on November 26, while Volume 2 will be available for streaming on Christmas, and the grand finale on New Year’s Eve.

Watch the clip below:

Related: Stranger Things Season 5 Details: Two-Hour Finale, 18-Month Time Jump and more