On July 15, 2016, the Duffer Brothers, who had been denied by over 20 networks before Netflix swooped in for approval, could not predict the show’s resounding popularity. “Stranger Things,” a show bearing over 80 awards for its astounding cinematography and intricate plotlines, came to a close one decade later. In general, “Stranger Things” remains an incredible show. The stakes, the action, the bittersweet tears shed over the course of ten incredible years are too intense to ignore. It’s why this ending, this final match between the forces of the Upside Down and the formidable town of Hawkins, Indiana, has been anticipated by devoted fans since Vecna emerged as a villain. With the show releasing its seasons periodically, fandoms of viewers associate their growing up with “Stranger Things”. For such fans, an epic battle scene and an understandable send-off for their favorite characters were all they needed. Season five has been awaited with much anticipation, as the final episodes should weave together the complex storylines established throughout the seasons. Our reporters will share their thoughts, shocks, and predictions about the pinnacle season.
Q: Before watching the first release, who did you predict would die this season?
I think Eleven is a goner. Historically, characters running from the government/law enforcement end up six feet under (like Alexi and Eddie). She’s been hiding ever since her escape from the lab. Similarly, Steve has significant foreshadowing of death. His talks with Nancy about wanting to take her and their imaginary kids across the country in a van scream unfulfilled wishes. Because of the unresolved love triangle established between Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve, one of them might die for plot relief. Nancy, in particular, has consistently put herself in the line of fire, not to mention she was shown Vecna’s vision of her family dying. For that reason and the foresight Vecna appears to have, the Wheeler parents are also at risk.
Q: What pre-season theories do you have?
This season will, in some way, revolve around time travel. We see throughout the seasons the emphasis on time and clocks, and Henry learned to manipulate time. In season three, the Scoops Troop seeks sanctuary in the theater, where they watch “Back to the Future.” Steve and Robin go on a loopy tangent about the movie, and in the season five trailer, Steve is seen driving a teched-up car through a gate and into the Upside Down. Since the Upside Down is trapped on the day Will went missing, maybe they have to manipulate time and go back to an earlier time to kill Vecna/Henry. Piggybacking off of this, Eleven would most likely need her sister, Kali/08, to defeat Vecna. I also believe Will has the eye of Vecna, and Max, who is subconsciously trapped in Vecna’s mind, will launch a mental attack on him. There may be an emergence of a new villain that’s controlling Vecna. Besides this, the Duffer brothers have hinted that neither the demogorgon nor Vecna opened the door to Will’s house when he was captured in season one, and based on Vecna’s assertion to El that “All I needed was for someone to open the door. And you did that for me, didn’t you? Without even realizing it,” suggests El really was the traitor Lucas made her out to be in season one.
Q: What was your reaction to part one?
I don’t know if there’s been a show that has had me so animated as I watched. I’m intrigued about how they’ll incorporate the Russian plotline, because we’re only seeing the U.S. government enforcing the new laws; also, the Upside Down is fairly benign compared to earlier seasons.
Alas, onto the characters. Tina, like Ms. Kelly, was wearing a key necklace when Erica gave her the drugged pie (I must add, the “The Help” reference was delightfully witty comedy).
Speaking of false intentions, Mrs. Whatsit in “A Wrinkle in Time” is known to be aberrant, wearing quirky clothing; however, she turns out to be a striking, primordial power who helps save Meg’s father from the It. Sound familiar? So, what if Henry is really trying to save the kids from himself or the greater beast controlling him (the It)? Holly closely resembles Alice Creel, his sister, and “A Wrinkle in Time” is a tale of siblings. Also, Venca’s (or Mr. Whatsit’s, I should say) victims are all found wearing rainbows– including Max–, which could tie back to the children in the rainbow room. Henry was transformed after his travels to Dimension X around the same age as these children; perhaps the stage play shown to Max in Henry’s memories plays a role in understanding this.
Aside from the part one lore, El and Dustin are goners. Dustin saying, “I can’t always be there to solve your problems for you, Steve,” makes me think Dustin is 100 percent dying. A couple of minutes later, he tells the group that they “stand up for what’s right, no matter the cost”. In the same way, Hopper tells El that Sarah “stared death in the face,” fought bravely, and was expected to pull through, but died, which is scary foreshadowing for El’s own fate.
Overall, this release far surpassed my expectations.
Q: What did you think of the finale?
To put it plainly, I was very disappointed; I know, a pretty bad juxtaposition from my part one rave. It felt like the Duffer Brothers handed off the writing to a stranger on the street and said, “Here you go!” So many plot points were unfinished. Details said to have a significant meaning did not tie in. When your fandom convinces itself, there will be a secret extra episode (called conformity gate, for those unfamiliar) because of the poor writing, it’s telling of the lack of care going into the final season.
So much happened in the second release, yet nothing happened at the same time. There was no proper build-up or high stakes to make me feel sympathetic or hopeful for the characters. The end fight was much too short in comparison to the other scenes they spent time on, and the show’s plot contradicted much of its own previously established nature. Will, for example, should have died with the hive mind. Demogorgons are native to the Abyss…where were they?
The only redeeming thing about the “Stranger Things” finale was Max and Lucas’ relationship.
