Stranger Things Season Five Trailer Proves It Will Thrive Where Stephen King’s IT Fails

Netflix released the Stranger Things season five trailer this week, sparking fan theories and speculation about who will survive and what each clip means. What’s immediately clear is the visual spectacle and the heightened stakes, taking the beloved series to new levels.

Stranger Things also appears ready to deliver on an element that Stephen King’s IT has never managed. Given how often people compare these two stories, audiences will certainly hold up Stranger Things’ ending against the iconic horror tale.

IT Has Never Quite Stuck The Landing In Any Of Its Versions

Pennywise Becoming A Spider Has Always Felt Anticlimactic

Stephen King’s IT is one of the most well-known horror stories of all time, and that’s why it has been converted into a direct-to-television movie and then two huge global films as well. It features Pennywise as one of the creepiest horror icons of all time, with the clown playing off the fear of those he torments, allowing for some shapeshifting moments to freshen things up. However, Pennywise’s final form as a giant spider in his last confrontation with the Losers’ Club has never felt like it’s on the same level. It’s more anticlimactic than anything, as the visuals have always been underwhelming, and it hasn’t provided the same level of fear that Pennywise does throughout the rest of the story.

A big reason for that is that the change is so dramatic within what audiences have come to expect from Pennywise. Transitioning from an eerie clown who enjoys playing mind games to a giant monster creates an odd juxtaposition that has often taken audiences out of the action, as the villain becomes so different. While it’s intended to portray Pennywise in a powerful and threatening manner, it ultimately falls short of the mark, which has ultimately hurt the movie in the final showdown.

Stranger Things Season Five Appears To Showcase Vecna In Full Force

Netflix Is Taking The Fear Factor To Another Level For The Final Season

Stranger Things has introduced a range of monsters since its inception as villainous threats, to ensure that the main characters have been pushed to their limits. Whether it’s the Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer, or the Demobats, there have always been creatures that have been around to provide a threat. However, Vecna is the character who is seen as the ultimate villain in this world, a role established by Stranger Things. Netflix did a brilliant job bringing Vecna to life and showcasing what he’s capable of, but now the key is in maintaining that, and not taking the character to a ridiculous level.

The final season trailer shows Vecna as even more intimidating than before. Like Pennywise, Vecna’s look evolves, but he remains recognizable, avoiding the missteps seen with IT. Keeping Vecna consistent while increasing his threat level ups the drama for fans, and ensures that the final season of Stranger Things is going to have stakes that will grip audiences as it goes on. Vecna needs to be portrayed as the ultimate monster that Eleven and the rest of the group are trying to defeat in a bid to end this nightmare, and that’s why his portrayal is so important.

Stranger Things Needs To Provide An Unforgettable Ending To Ensure Its Legacy

Vecna’s Presentation And Storyline Will Be Crucial To That

Stranger Things has often been compared to IT due to its 1980s theme, the young heroes who defy stereotypes, and the overall horror threat. However, Netflix will be hoping it can provide a more entertaining ending, as it’s always something that has let IT down, with Pennywise being taken too far at the end of that story without providing the same level of fear. That’s where Stranger Things appears to have learned a lesson, as in the trailer, Vecna looks just as threatening and menacing as ever. He has been tweaked visually, but it hasn’t been taken to the point of being ridiculous, where audiences won’t take him seriously as a villain. Instead, Vecna looked even scarier than before, with his powers also being intensified, and that’s a good sign for how Stranger Things is going to wrap up.

Stranger Things is one of the most successful shows of the modern era, but to remain in that conversation in the long term, the ending needs to be an unforgettable one. The trailer for the final season has certainly led people to believe that it will happen, as everything is being ramped up in terms of the drama and action, but people won’t know until they see the final product. Vecna is going to be a crucial part of the final season, being considered a success due to his role as the overarching threat in this story; therefore, it’s essential that he remains a serious threat all the way until the final moments of Stranger Things.