A lot happens in the first half of Stranger Things Vol. 4, but the things most people are talking about take place in the fourth episode, “Dear Billy.” That episode itself is jam-packed with huge moments and revelations but it’s the ending sequence, which sees Max (Sadie Sink) escaping from Vecna’s Mind Lair, that has easily gotten the most attention.
In large part, that’s because the song in the sequence, “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush, has seen a massive resurgence in popularity due to its inclusion in the show. But that almost certainly wouldn’t have happened if the sequence itself wasn’t so good, and now Sink as well as Stranger Things EP and director Shawn Levy are here to break it down.
I’m a little bummed that the video doesn’t talk about the Kate Bush song, whether or not it was used on set, or anything like that. But it is certainly a surprise just how much of that sequence was practical versus digital. The dead bodies, the staircase, the bloody floor, all real. And, of course, Vecna is real, played by—well, we wouldn’t want to spoil it if you haven’t seen all of Stranger Things Vol. 4 yet. In either case, the actor was actually there in a suit.
The second half of this season, which is really just two long episodes, is out Friday and we’ll finally see if the kids from Hawkins can take Vecna down. Plus, if they do, what’s going to happen in the fifth and final season? Hopefully there’s a tease.
And since this sequence has become the standout scene in the entire season (so far), Netflix also got the cast together to react to it in real time, which is a fun little video. Watch that below.
Stranger Things Vol. 4 Part 2 is out Friday.
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