One of the most overlooked moments in Stranger Things 5 so far is when Mike (Finn Wolfhard) goes to the elementary school to pick up Holly (Nell Fisher) in the first episode of the season. Mike finds her in the hallway reading A Wrinkle in Time while Karen (Cara Buono) speaks to Holly’s teacher about Holly’s not-so-imaginary friend, Mr. Whatsit.
Holly tells Mike that Mr. Whatsit is trying to protect her from monsters. Mike tries to reassure and tells her that she’s not just a kid; she’s Holly the Heroic. He gives her a D&D figurine that he’d been meaning to give her for a long time. He tells her that she’s a cleric with special powers like casting protection spells and opening portals into other world or dimensions.
"She's a cleric, which means she has divine powers," Mike said. "She can cast spells of protection to ward against evil spirit, and even cooler, she can cast a dimension door, which can teleport you anywhere you visualize."
Because there are so many important characters and storylines in Strangs Things, you know that the Duffers and the writers are not going to waste an epic Mike monologue. It’s going to have a big impact on the season, and it could hold the secret to saving Max (Sadie Sink) and Holly in the new season.
What is a cleric in D&D?
In D&D, a cleric is a person who taps into the divine magic of the gods. There are different kinds, and they have different powers. Some have healing abilities, while others have powers more suitable for war.
As far as we know, Holly doesn’t have any special powers. She’s not like Henry/Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), Eleven/Jane (Millie Bobby Brown), or the other kids from the Hawkins National Lab. We’ve never seen Holly exhibit any qualities like that. The weirdest thing about her is simply that she has an imaginary friend who actually happens to be Vecna up to no good.
But, there is one character who is connected to the hive mind in a similar way to Holly, and that's Will (Noah Schnapp).
Mike’s speech to Holly could be what unlocks her powers
Ahead of Stranger Things 5 episode 4, I didn’t think we would see anyone else who didn’t already have telepathic abilities be able to use powers, but then Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), fresh off a motivational speech from Robin about being herself, unlocks something in Will.
Instead of fighting who he is, Will becomes what he has been fighting, a part of the Hive Mind, a sorcerer. Will goes full Vecna on the demogorgons, saving his family and friends in the process. It’s one of the most incredible scenes in the series so far.
And, it has me thinking about the powers Holly might have.
In Vecna’s little speech at the end of the episode, he tells Will that he basically learned that Will could be so much more. Now, Vecna is making whatever vision that he has happen by taking Holly and the other kids of Hawkins into the Upside Down and infecting them the same way that Will was.
Could they have powers, too? Could Vecna be giving them capabilities when he infects them? Those are my big questions.
And, if they can, in the same way that Will finally believed in himself and became a sorcerer, could Holly actually become Holly the Heroic, with powers to protect her friends and family and a person who could open portals into other worlds?
When Mike hands Holly that figurine, it’s almost like he’s giving her permission to become who she wants to be.
Holly could be the key to saving Max from Vecna’s mind
So, how could this help Max? Well, remember that Max has been on the run, so to speak, in Vecna’s memories for a long time. She’s evaded capture, but at some point, Vecna might be able to find her.
Holly is trapped in Vecna’s mind with Max at the moment. While their physical bodies are in other places—Max in the hospital room and Holly in the Upside Down— it’s possible that Holly could be the person who opens the portal that allows them to escape the Mindscape or Upside Down, or another possible dimension. She could also be the person who casts a spell that protects Max from Vecna’s power.
Remember, Holly is already starting to lean into the confidence Mike helped nurture inside of her. She finds the map in the mailbox, and then she dresses like Holly the Heroic before going on the adventure. This is a big deal!
Maybe, this has nothing to do with Max, and eventually, Holly will wake up in the Upside Down and discover the powers to save the others who are being held captive by Vecna.
There’s still so much we don’t know about the origin of Will’s powers and how it could affect the other characters, but I have a feeling that Mike’s speech to Holly means something. It simply has to.
We’ll continue to monitor Holly’s story as Stranger Things 5 continues, but this is definitely not what we were expecting her destiny to be.