This Stranger Things episode may be the scariest one the show has ever done

Stranger Things might not be the scariest sci-fi horror series, but every once in a while, the show unleashes an episode so intense, so genuinely unnerving, that it reminds all of us just how terrifying this world can be when it wants to.

The season 4 finale is a good example. In that episode, we watched as our favorite heroes worked together to save Hawkins from a threat that felt bigger, darker, and more relentless than anything they’ve faced before. We watched as a bunch of Demobats attacked and killed one of the show's most beloved characters, and also saw another fan-favorite character die and then come back to life only to end up in a coma.

The season 4 finale easily ranks high as one of Stranger Things' most terrifying and emotionally gut-wrenching episodes. In fact, I personally had considered it to be the scariest episode the show had ever done. Well, that's until now. Stranger Things 5 part 1 has finally been released on Netflix, and there's an episode that completely takes the crown in my opinion when it comes to fear, suspense, and sheer terror.

Major spoilers from Stranger Things 5 part 1 are ahead!

Stranger Things 5 episode 4 pushes horror and tension to an unprecedented level

The fourth episode as a whole isn't that scary. It's really just the last 10 to 15 minutes of the episode that hit with full force. Will, Robin, Mike, Lucas, and Joyce manage to rescue some of the kidnapped kids from the military, but their mission goes left after the military discovers their plan. The military then captures Will, Joyce, Mike, Derek, and the other kids they recovered. Meanwhile, Lucas is stuck in the tunnels with two kids, and Robin and Murray are in a van full of the kids they rescued.

As Will, Joyce, and Mike talk to the military men outside the base, Will senses that something terrifying is about to happen. Suddenly, the lights begin to flicker, and the pounding of Demogorgons echoes through the ground. Chaos erupts as the creatures break through portals, attacking both the soldiers and anyone in their path.

This entire sequence moves really quickly, almost as if you're playing a video game. You don't have time to catch your breath or process what’s happening because the camera follows the fast Demogorgons as they brutally tear through the military forces. The tension is seriously at an all-time high, with every second feeling more chaotic and dangerous than the last.

There's one scene where a Demogorgon rises from the ground and lands directly on a soldier, instantly killing him in a shocking and gruesome moment. As the creature sets its sights on its next victim, the soldier's headless, dead body can be seen in the distance. Where the soldier's head is supposed to be is just a bloody, mangled mess. Another graphic, bloody scene occurs when Vecna opens a portal and starts wreaking havoc on the military forces as well.

While he sends most of the soldiers flying around the base, he changes his mind on one particular soldier and gives him a really gruesome death. He uses the sharp claws of one of his hands and stabs it through the soldier's face. Blood immediately starts pouring from the open wound before the dead soldier drops to the ground.

These two scenes are some of Stranger Things' most intense and visually horrifying moments to date. It's rare to see the sci-fi horror series push violence and terror to such an extreme level. Honestly, it kind of felt like I was watching a full-blown horror movie rather than an episode of Stranger Things. It makes you wonder how the rest of the season will play out. Is this just the beginning of an even more terrifying ride? If so, I'll definitely be changing my opinion. But for now, Stranger Things 5 episode 4 is the scariest installment in the show’s history.

Stranger Things 5 part 2 is set to be released on Netflix on Dec. 25.