A very moody and sad trailer, with an orange hue that permeates much of the shots, this trailer begins with a lot of warnings from Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine). The kids are not ready, he says. Hawkins will fall, he says. And now we’re rethinking our list of who we think dies in Stranger Things 4 volume 2. Read next: I’m totally on board with Netflix canceling more shows — here’s why. Will is afraid of Vecna taking everyone. And then Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” hits, to make sure we’re emotionally hyped. And, as mentioned above, Robin warns Steve that she’s afraid they’re not all coming back. And then we see Max, Lucas and Erica entering the Creel house, because of course we should be throwing Max into Vecna’s old home. A home where, it seems, Lucas gets into a fight with one of his fellow basketball teammates (or is it an illusion created by Vecna?). Oh, and a giant explosion seems to destroy the base where Eleven’s been trying to get her powers back in the Nina machine. Whether that’s the military interfering where they shouldn’t, or Eleven finally back to full powers, nothing about that shot truly makes us feel more confident. Then, if we weren’t worried enough, the scariest words hit. Vecna (it seems) says “It is over. Now I just want you to watch.” That may sound like a Bond villain giving James to escape and win, but it’s just unsettling here. Especially when he later says, “your friends have lost.”
The other Stranger Things 4 volume 2 moments we noticed
Dustin and Eddie arming themselves for the return to the Upside Down has us ready to root for them. But while Eddie has his guitar to fight Vecna’s blues with good feels through his rock n roll, we’re now a little worried about Dustin. Hopper, Joyce and Murray are seemingly still stuck on their own, but now they’ve all got weapons. Joyce looks like she has a shotgun, while Murray’s even got a flame thrower! We’re just happy that Max has her tape-player attached to her person. Stranger Things 4 volume 2 arrives on Netflix on July 1. Next: Check out the one Prime Day TV deal we’re waiting for. Also, I explain why the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale is the episode I’ve been waiting for.
