The battle for Hawkins is almost over, but the secrets behind the making of Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 are just coming to light. Beyond the wormhole revelations and emotional gut-punches, these final chapters are packed with incredible behind-the-scenes stories, clever Easter eggs, and details that add rich layers to the story. From a monologue that took a grueling day to film to a juice box that’s a perfect piece of 1987, here are the most fascinating fun facts from the penultimate volume.
1. The “New Coke” Callback You Might Have Missed
When Lucas is strategizing in “Chapter Five: Shock Jock,” he boasts that his plan is “faster, bolder, better.” This isn’t just confident teen talk—it’s the exact slogan for New Coke. This is a brilliant, subtle callback to Season 3, where Lucas was the only one of the kids who actually liked the infamous beverage flop. It’s a tiny detail that shows the writers haven’t forgotten a thing about these characters.
2. “Camazotz” is a Double-Literary Deep Cut
The name Holly and Max give to Vecna’s mind prison is a masterstroke of thematic storytelling. Camazotz is pulled directly from Holly’s favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time, where it’s a planet of forced conformity—a perfect analogy for Vecna’s hive mind. But it also doubles as the name of a bat-like demon lord in Dungeons & Dragons, tying the show’s fantasy-game roots directly to its new cosmic horror. Two references, one terrifying meaning.
3. The Finale Outfits Are a Tribute to Past Battles
As the crew gears up in “Chapter Seven: The Bridge,” look closely. Dustin isn’t just wearing any ghillie suit—it’s the exact same one he wore in the Season 4 finale during the Upside Down rescue mission. Steve’s trusted leather jacket is also the same from that final battle. This isn’t a costume department oversight; it’s a deliberate choice. These are their “battle uniforms,” tangible reminders of the trauma and experience they carry into this last fight.
4. That Door-Blasting Scene is a Direct Aliens Homage
The tense opening of “Chapter Five,” where the military uses blowtorches to cut through a heavy steel door, is a shot-for-shot stylistic homage to James Cameron’s 1986 classic, Aliens. This isn’t just an aesthetic nod. By invoking Aliens, the show aligns Dr. Kay’s ruthless, vivisection-focused science mission with the cold corporatism of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, raising the stakes and the genre feel perfectly.
5. Mr. Clarke’s “Mellon” is a Perfect Nerd Password
When the science teacher uses a gadget to open the military gate, he whispers “Mellon.” This is a wonderful deep cut for fantasy fans. It’s the Elvish word for “friend” from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (1954), specifically the password to enter the Mines of Moria. It’s the ultimate in-joke: the nerd hero using a nerdy password to enable the final mission.
6. Max’s Escape Had a Heartbreaking Misdirect
In Volume 1, we believed the portal in Camazotz closed because Kate Bush’s tape ended. Volume 2 reveals the truer, more intimate truth: it closed when Lucas let go of her hand to rewind the tape. The music was just the beacon; Lucas’s physical connection was the anchor. This reframes Max’s entire journey—her salvation was never about a song, but about the person who never stopped holding on.
7. The “Abyss” Was Almost a Ninja Turtles Reference
The Duffer Brothers revealed they’ve had a 20-page mythology document explaining the Upside Down since Season 1. Originally, the primordial dimension now called the Abyss was dubbed “Dimension X. That name is a direct pull from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, where Dimension X is the home of the aliens the Utroms. The change to the more ominous “Abyss” fits the show’s evolved tone, but the classic ’80s roots remain.
8. Kali’s Powerful Haircut Scene Was the Actor’s Idea
The brutal, emotional moment where Kali’s hair is sheared off in Dr. Kay’s lab was added at the request of actress Linnea Berthelsen. She felt it was a crucial visual to convey the character’s violation and trauma, tying her experience directly back to Eleven’s origins. The scene was done in one take, making the raw intensity on screen completely real.
9. Erica’s Ecto Cooler is a Flavored Piece of 1987
In the junk food spread, Erica grabbing a Hi-C Ecto Cooler is a period-perfect masterpiece. The drink was first released in 1987 as a tie-in with The Real Ghostbusters cartoon. Since Season 5 is set in the fall of ’87, this isn’t just an Easter egg—it’s historically accurate product placement. It also subtly continues the show’s long-running Ghostbusters homage.
10. Holly’s Under Armour Shirt is a Notorious Goof
Sharp-eyed fans spotted it: when Holly’s sleeve rolls up in the Abyss, she’s wearing an Under Armour shirt—a brand founded in 1996. This anachronism has become a lighthearted meme among the fandom, a rare wardrobe slip-up in a show usually meticulous about period detail. Consider it a playful reminder that even in the Abyss, 1990s moisture-wicking fabric is a bridge too far.
11. The “Nightmare on Elm Street” Bodies Hint at History
The soldiers encased in the fleshy walls of the Upside Down lab aren’t just for horror ambiance. Their Freddy Krueger-like fate hints that the exotic matter has violently “stabilized” before. It suggests the wormhole has experienced previous disturbances, adding a layer of unstable, lived-in history to the lore that Dustin is only just beginning to understand.
12. Caleb McLaughlin Really Carried Sadie Sink for Hours
The climactic hospital escape wasn’t filmed with a dummy or a stunt double. Caleb McLaughlin physically carried Sadie Sink through multiple takes over hours of filming. He cited the challenge not as her weight, but the fatigue of repeated takes while maintaining Lucas’s fearful yet brave demeanor. The authentic strain and care you see on screen is genuinely his.
13. Will’s Coming-Out Monologue Was a Marathon of Emotion
Noah Schnapp’s powerful, series-defining speech in “Chapter Seven” was a monumental undertaking. The scene took a grueling 12-hour day to film, with Schnapp noting the entire cast was watching, adding to the pressure. The Duffer Brothers revealed it was the most difficult and rewritten scene of the season. Yet, in a magical moment, Schnapp’s first close-up take—raw, honest, and emotionally spent—is largely what made the final cut, capturing a perfect, once-in-a-series performance.
These details prove that the magic of Stranger Things lies as much in the love and thought poured into every frame as it does in the spectacle. As we head into the New Year’s Eve finale, we’re not just invested in the characters’ fates, but in the incredible craft that brought them here one last time.
