Holly’s Role in Stranger Things
Holly Wheeler is getting some attention in Hawkins, and it’s sparked a bit of confusion among fans, with many asking, “Wait, who is Holly?”
Warning: Spoilers for “Stranger Things” Season 5, Volume 1.
The initial four episodes of Season 5, streaming now on Netflix, focus significantly on Holly Wheeler, portrayed by Nell Fisher. This role has been recast from the twins Aniston and Tinsley Price, who played Holly in earlier seasons.
Holly is the youngest child in the Wheeler family, with parents Ted and Karen, and older siblings Mike and Nancy. Due to her age, she hasn’t really been caught up in the main action of the series yet.
Stranger Things first premiered in 2016, chronicling the adventures of characters like Mike and Nancy as they face off against menacing creatures from the Upside Down. Holly, their little sister, has been more of a background character until now.
Interestingly, her newfound prominence feels a bit unexpected. The Duffer Brothers, the creators, shared that the idea of making Holly a central character this season was something they “discovered” while working on Season 5.
Matt Duffer mentioned they aimed to recapture the essence of the first season, where several main characters had younger siblings. He pointed out that the original child actors, now grown up—like Millie Bobby Brown—are much older now. So, they felt the need to incorporate actual kids again.
Reflecting back, Holly had a notable moment in Season 1, witnessing strange flickering lights in Will’s room and sensing a monster, reminiscent of “Poltergeist.” In the current season, she has an imaginary friend named “Mr. Whatshit,” inspired by Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time.” Her mother, Karen, is concerned about Holly’s imaginary friend considering her age, while her father, Ted, remains oblivious.
Things take a turn in the Wheeler household when the Demogorgon attacks, injuring her parents and kidnapping Holly. It’s later revealed that her imaginary friend is actually Vecna, the villain with a sinister plan to kidnap kids, keeping Holly in the old Creel house in the Upside Down.
Dressed in a vintage blue dress and cape, Holly stands out amidst the chaos. Costume designer Amy Parris described the color as “golden ocher,” which adds a nice pop to her look against the backdrop.
Meanwhile, the core group—Mike, Nancy, Eleven, and Will—are frantically trying to save Holly. It does feel a bit odd, focusing on a character who was primarily minor until now during the final season. Shouldn’t the story be about wrapping up the arcs we’ve been invested in for so long?
This focus on Holly brings to mind a similar twist in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” where a sudden character, Dawn, appeared in Season 4, and everyone acted like she’d always been there. It left viewers puzzled. In this case, though, the show insists that Holly has always been part of the story. However, the recasting and her previous small role make her prominent presence in the finale a little hard to swallow.
Stranger Things Season 5 will feature eight episodes, divided into three volumes, releasing on Netflix on November 26th, December 25th, and December 31st at 8:00 PM.
