By James Rumschlag
Stranger Things Season four was one of the most electric seasons of Netflix’s top shows. Set in March 1986, eight months after the events of the third season, the fourth season is split between different plotlines. We also see many references to pop culture, including a guest star from a very famous horror franchise. This season also takes place in more areas than past seasons have. From Hawkins to Southern California, to a highly secure prison camp in the USSR, to secret government locations, and of course, to the Upside Down.
Starting off in Hawkins, Indiana, we meet up with returning characters Robin, Steve, Mike, Lucas, Max, Nancy, Erica, and everyone’s favorite, Dustin. We first see that Mike and Dustin are trying to figure out what is going on with one of the hottest board games of the 80s, Dungeons and Dragons, simply referred to as D&D, in their own club called the Hellfire Club. The Hellfire Club is a reference to a name that should be very familiar to ’80s comic book fans. First appearing in “The Uncanny X-Men” in 1980, the Hellfire Club was a group of supervillains with the world power of the wealthy elite. They were an essential part of “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” wherein a telekinetic hero named Jean Grey was killed and reborn as the powerful Phoenix — not unlike when Eleven was stripped of her powers only to return at the end of this season stronger than ever.
Down in Southern California, we see Eleven, also known as El, struggle with the reality that she has currently lost her powers, and is trying to adjust to a new area, with new people, and a new school. El is living with Will, and his mom Joyce Byers. Will also struggles to make new friends, but not as much as El, as she is seen as the “weird girl” at their new school. Here we also see another of many pop culture references, this one referring to ‘Carrie’. Everyone learns to no longer laugh at El after she smashes a girl’s face in with a roller skate. The horror master, Stephen King, 1974 novel, “Carrie,” and Brian De Palma’s ’76 screen adaptation have been cornerstones for El since the beginning; the bullying aspect of the original tale amplifies the connection to El’s journey through the first two episodes. Just as Carrie White suffered tormentors at her school, El is viciously abused in class, in the halls, and eventually on the roller rink. She doesn’t strike back with her powers as Carrie did, but it’s not for lack of trying.
Taking a trip back to Hawkins and even more, the Upside Down, we meet the main villain of the season, Vecna. Vecna is a fictional character appearing in Dungeons & Dragons. Originally appearing in the Greyhawk campaign setting, Vecna was described as a powerful wizard who became a lich. Vecna is also based on horror icon, Freddy Kreuger. Both icons can attack their victims in a dreamlike state, and end them in many brutal ways that are shown in the real world.
Speaking of Freddy Kruger, the actor who plays him, Robert England, makes a guest appearance when Nancy and Robin pose as students from Notre Dame and want to visit Victor Creel, Vecna’s true father. So yes, Robert England plays the man who raised Vecna. An amazing moment for horror fans everywhere.
Moving back to the USSR prison camp, Hopper gives the fellow inmates a speech at their feast before their fight with the Demogorgon. This speech is in reference to the movie “Alien 3”, when Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley is in the same place with her team before their big fight.
With Eddie Munson as the outcast of Hawkins, he tends to listen to more “outcast” music for the time being. With him making many references to many rock and hair bands, we can see two Anthrax posters, two Judas Priest posters, Liege Lord LIVE 1984 flier and his two guitars. We also see a great number of tapes, where in one scene Eddie holds up an Iron Maiden tape and yells “This is music!”. Even Eddie’s name is a reference to Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie the Monster.
One last reference for Eddie Munson was when he shredded his guitar in the Upside Down. One of the most replayed scenes of the season, this scene was electrifying for metalheads everywhere. Eddie plays Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” perfectly to help draw the attention of the demo bats away from Steve, Robin, and Nancy so they can hunt down Vecna in the Upside Down. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see our hero Eddie make it out, as he is killed by the demo bats while protecting Dustin.
All in all, I believe that Stranger Things Season 4 is one of the most exciting and heavy with pop culture references. From seeing Eddie perfectly perform “Master of Puppets”, to seeing Robert England make a guest appearance on the show, no other season could compare to Season 4. If you haven’t seen Season 4 yet, it’s definitely worth the watch, especially since this is barely the tip of the iceberg of how great this season is.
rumschja20@bonaventure.edu
