After almost a decade of Stranger Things, the “All-time Top 10” Netflix show has finally wrapped up its final season, the storyline of which has divided its fanbase.
Stranger Things is a popular sci-fi horror television show, set in the 1980s Hawkins Indiana, where a group of kids undercover a secret government lab facility conducting dangerous experiments. This opens the door to a second dimension called the “Upside Down” which invaded their town and was brought about by the disappearance of Will Byers and the emergence of Eleven, a girl with powerful psychokinetic powers. Hawkins is left fractured, divided between the real world and the “Upside Down”, characters facing the consequences of choices made in earlier seasons.
Netflix’s release strategy played a major role in making Stranger Things by widening the fanbase, popularity and anticipation. Instead of airing the final season all at once, the Duffer Brothers decided to split the season into two separate volumes released weeks apart to grow the anticipation. As a result, fans spent weeks discussing theories, rewatching earlier episodes and speculating about what would happen next. The long delays between seasons frustrated viewers by making them forget the original plot, but interviews show that this annoyance also built anticipation and kept the show widely discussed.
With months, or even years, between seasons, viewers often had to rewatch earlier episodes to fully grasp the story, making it harder to follow the new plotlines. Each season takes a lot of time to write, film and edit due to the fictional aspects and large scale action scenes. Wile the wait created frustration for a few fans to keep track of the storyline, hit also created a sense of anticipation and mystery, keeping the show as a popular topic. “Personally I was disappointed that we had to wait three and a half years for one season and I think it threw me off with how old the characters looked but ultimately I think it was out of their hands but I’m still annoyed by it,” Junior Constance Coutsos said.
A common issue in the finale was the many unresolved questions, and confusion that kept the fans speculating. A common misconception was the confusion of the scene between Nancy Wheeler and Jonathon Byers because it didn’t look like a typical breakup moment when they first watched it. Jonathan pulls out an engagement ring and uses it to symbolically ask Nancy not to marry him which was meant to show how their relationship had changed. Even though they say “I love you” and share an emotional moment, the way it’s framed and the tone of the conversation left some viewers unsure whether they were still together. Another common misconception that fans speculated was. “In my opinion, the storyline around whether Eleven was dead or alive was confusing, and I think they should never have added the part where Mike claimed that she escaped. Her sacrifice felt like a meaningful ending that completed her arc as a tragic hero,” Spanish teacher Jason Colchao said. These moments from the finale showed that Mike’s theory of Eleven escaping was unnecessary since it was necessary for the story to conclude Eleven’s journey as more than just a hero but a selfless person that is willing to sacrifice herself for her friends to live a happy and safe life in Hawkins.
The final hour of the finale episode, about a year and a half passes, showing how the characters’ lives have changed since their victory over Vecna. This time period showcased the characters personal growth, illustrating how their experiences in the earlier seasons have shaped them into resilient individuals. A key example is Steve Harrington, one of the most discussed characters in the series . When we first met Steve in season one he was depicted as a typical “jock”, more concerned about his popularity than anything else. Over time though, he began developing his commitment to protecting others, especially kids from Hawkins such as Dustin and his friends. By season 5, Steve has fully embraced his role as a mentor with his job as a baseball coach reflecting how much he’s matured. “I feel like Hopper really grew and developed as a character throughout the seasons. Hopper matured by learning to open up and move past his anger and guilt from his first born death to confronting that and learning how to love again through his relationship with Eleven,” Junior Alice Abrams said. It’s important to note that through all of the trauma, monsters, and stressful situations it definitely played a crucial role in shaping the maturity in these characters.
Ultimately, the last finale episode and last season in general, regardless of all of the controversy, has shown how much time has gone by and reflects the nostalgia that accompanies the ending of a series that has been running for almost a decade. It has reflected how our society has grown alongside the characters in the show, showing the ways friendships, family and courage are timeless themes that continue to resonate no matter how much time passes.
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