The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler

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CHAPTER TWOThe Vanishing ofHolly Wheeler
Season	5
Episode	2
Overall	36
Release date	November 26, 2025
Runtime	57:53
Written by	The Duffer Brothers
Directed by	The Duffer Brothers
Episode Guide
Previous	"The Crawl"
Next	"The Turnbow Trap"

"Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler" is the second episode of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, and the thirty-sixth episode overall. It premiered on November 26, 2025, being the second episode of the first volume, and was directed by the Duffer Brothers.

Synopsis

After a vicious attack at the Wheeler home, Mike and Nancy confront the cost of secrecy, while El and Hopper embark on a rescue mission.

Plot

As a Demogorgon crashes through Holly Wheeler's ceiling, she flees to the bathroom where Karen Wheeler is about to take a bath. Karen tries to reassure Holly, but then notices she is bleeding as the lights begin to flicker. Karen and Holly hide underneath the bathwater as the Demogorgon breaks through the bathroom door. Having noticed the lights as well, Ted Wheeler enters the Wheeler home, shouting for Karen and Holly. The Demogorgon approaches Ted, who attempts hitting the creature with his golf club, but it just throws him through a wall. Karen and Holly try escaping the house but are cornered by the monster. Karen smashes a wine bottle and begins stabbing the Demogorgon. Having been warned by Will Byers, Nancy Wheeler and Eleven race to the house, where they find an injured and bloodied Karen. With Holly taken by the Demogorgon, Nancy urges Eleven to pursue them, and Eleven rushes through a nearby portal to the Upside Down.

In the Upside Down, Eleven runs into Jim Hopper while tracking the Demogorgon. He is frustrated at her for putting herself at risk when the military is hunting her, but she insists that she followed her instincts and believes that finding Holly will lead them to Vecna. She patches up his wound, and Hopper admits that he is afraid of losing her like he lost his daughter. They find a large, impenetrable wall, which Eleven realizes that the Demogorgon has taken Holly through. Neither is able to break through. In Hawkins, Dr. Kay and her soldiers review CCTV footage from the Wheeler house and see Eleven with Nancy, connecting her to the attack.

At Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Mike Wheeler and Nancy discuss their regrets about not telling their parents the truth sooner. Mike is confused about why Vecna has targeted Holly, but Nancy states that it matches a vision he once showed her of their parents and Holly dead. Lucas Sinclair points out that Holly's abduction is suspiciously close to the anniversary of Will's disappearance. Mike then theorizes that Mr. Whatsit, Holly's imaginary friend, might be real and may know where Holly is. Later, Lucas urges a comatose Max Mayfield to wake up as he believes the final battle for Hawkins has begun with Holly's abduction.

Elsewhere in Hawkins, Steve Harrington tells Jonathan Byers that they should go to the hospital to support Nancy. The two argue about one another's actions since Jonathan has returned from California, with Steve arguing that Nancy is unhappy in her relationship, and Jonathan arguing that Steve is continuously competing with him for Nancy's attention. Jonathan argues that they should prioritize helping Holly. The two cease arguing when an injured Dustin Henderson arrives and is berated by Steve for missing the crawl.

At the WSQK radio station, Will states that his previous vision felt as though he was in the Demogorgon's mind. He tells Joyce Byers that he believes he is still connected to the hive mind. Robin Buckley suggests using Will as a human receiver to locate Vecna and find Holly, but Joyce refuses to put Will at risk. They trick Joyce, so they can sneak out and return to the woods where Will had an earlier vision. Robin asks Will if he saw her with Vickie at the hospital, stating that they are good friends whose relationship may confuse some people. Will assures her that he didn't see anything. Will has a vision at the Hawkins Elementary School playground and realizes that his earlier visions were from Vecna's point of view as he stalked Holly. He believes that he can use the telepathic link to identify Vecna's future targets, the newest being Derek Turnbow. Mike and Nancy sneak into Karen's hospital room, where she reveals that Mr. Whatsit's real name is "Henry," the name of Vecna's human form. In the Mindscape, "Mr. Whatsit"/Henry welcomes Holly into his home, the Creel House.

Cast

Starring Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers David Harbour as Jim Hopper Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair Noah Schnapp as Will Byers Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers Joe Keery as Steve Harrington Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman (credit only) Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair (credit only) Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler Jamie Campbell Bower as Henry Creel/Vecna Also Starring Sherman Augustus as Lieutenant Colonel Sullivan Emanuel Borria as Sergeant Luis Ramirez Alex Breaux as Lieutenant Robert Akers Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler

Co-Starring Katie Bruno as Nurse Calista Craig as Mary Chantell D. Christopher as Doris Gianlucca Gazzo as Glenn Coline Mahaut as Jessica Carson Minniear as Thomas Lee Spencer as Arrogant Doctor Eden Stephens as Debbie Miller Samuel Traquina as ER Doctor Alex Viola as Candy Striper #2 Amber Watson as Candy Striper #3 Kristen Wharton as ER Nurse

Music

Soundtrack

• "Fernando" by ABBA - This song plays when Karen prepares to take a bath, only for her and Holly to get attacked by the Demogorgon.
• "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush - Lucas plays this song again as he talks to Max at the hospital, begging her to wake up.
• "Mr. Sandman" by The Chordettes - Played when the episode ends, leading into the credits.

Gallery

For this subject's gallery, see The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler/Gallery.

Notes

• The episode title is a clear callback to "The Vanishing of Will Byers".
• For November 6, 2024 (Stranger Things Day 2024), an official teaser was released revealing all of Season 5's episode titles. However, this episode's title was only partially revealed as "The Vanishing of...", in an apparent effort to conceal spoilers and provoke speculation among fans.
  • In the immediate period following the episode's release, the episode was listed on Netflix as "Chapter Two: The Vanishing of..." before being changed to the full credited title "Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler" three days later.
• This episode is the 15th episode to be named after a character, following:
  • Will Byers ("The Vanishing of Will Byers" & "Will the Wise")
  • Eleven ("The Weirdo on Maple Street" & "The Monster and the Superhero")
  • Holly Wheeler ("Holly, Jolly")
  • The Demogorgon ("The Monster")
  • Max Mayfield ("MADMAX")
  • Kali Prasad ("The Lost Sister")
  • The Mind Flayer ("The Mind Flayer")
  • Suzie Bingham ("Suzie, Do You Copy?")
  • Heather Holloway ("The Case of the Missing Lifeguard")
  • Vecna ("Vecna's Curse")
  • Billy Hargrove ("Dear Billy")
  • Martin Brenner ("Papa")
• As of this episode, Ted and Karen now know of the demogorgan that the Gen Z have been fighting since the first season.