Stranger Things Superfan Devastated by Netflix Series Finale After 10-year Obsession – Here’s Why!

A decade ago, I received an email from Netflix inviting me to preview their latest American production, and provide my feedback. On paper, Stranger Things was everything I loved: an homage to the 80s, a Spielberg / J.J. Abrams vibe, a group of child heroes…

It was love at first sight. When I got the opportunity to interview then-unknown Millie Bobby Brown, I didn’t hesitate. The 13-year-old seemed full of life on the phone, frequently interrupted by sips of soda and her family’s dog.

Nothing could have prepared me for the phenomenon that Stranger Things would become, nor the disappointment I would feel after the final season, a decade later.

A season five as full of holes as Swiss cheese

The season started promisingly with an intriguing Part 1. The final scene of episode 4, revealing Will’s powers, left me stunned. But not as much as Stranger Things’ season 4 revelation about Henry/001/Vecna. The creators of Stranger Things never managed to recreate that level of emotional intensity and suspense.

Part 2, released the day after Christmas, was a mess: a stagnant plot, numerous inconsistencies, no interesting lore, and a clear lack of stakes. The characterization was appalling. Netflix’s decision to split season 5 into three parts clearly did it no favors. But I still had high hopes for the 2-hour finale, touted by some as one of the best series finales ever.

On New Year’s Day, at 4 a.m., I turned off my computer after spending my final moments in Hawkins. I felt a mix of sadness, nostalgia, and anger.

I was glad that all the heroes survived, even though it was pretty obvious. I also understood the creators’ vision: Stranger Things is a tribute to youth, to the last moments of childhood spent together. The series is a real-life Dungeons and Dragons game that has come to an end, and everyone must move on. So should we.

But the series didn’t respect its fans. Season 5 was as full of holes as Swiss cheese, leaving countless questions unanswered. Here are about forty of them, compiled in the video below:

How could the Stranger Things writers, with three years (!!) to make season 5, 650 hours of footage, and a significant budget, miss so many inconsistencies? The most disappointing part is that the Duffer brothers answered some of these questions in interviews, and their answers were always unsatisfactory. For example:

Why didn’t Joyce and Hopper recognize Henry from the play? Their answer? They probably had this conversation off-screen at some point.

Where were the Demogorgons and the Demodogs during the final fight with Vecna, knowing that they originate from Dimension X? Their answer? They weren’t there because Henry was caught off guard. But that’s surprising considering he uses Will as a spy, and they’re connected. Plus, he’s been inside Hopper and Eleven’s heads, so he should have known what was coming…

Six minutes of battle and then it’s over

But the biggest inconsistency in Stranger Things is the existence of the Mind Flayer. It took two seasons for our heroes to get rid of this creature from Dimension X after inflicting significant damage in Hawkins (RIP Billy). So it’s problematic that they managed to kill it in a few minutes with shotguns and knives.

In the end, the fight against Vecna/the spider Mind Flayer only lasted six minutes. The same amount of time as Will’s coming-out scene. Considering this final sequence was supposed to be the climax of Stranger Things and justify the outrageous budget of season 5, the disappointment is palpable.

I’ll be honest: I expected better, much better. I’ve read fan theories that were better written and thought out than the end of Stranger Things. The Duffer brothers wanted to avoid a Game of Thrones situation, but they inadvertently did the same thing.

In 10 years, Stranger Things has lost the innocence and light-heartedness of the early seasons. Perhaps it was inevitable, given how much the kids grew up in the meantime. The mistake was probably the long gap between writing and shooting.

But what I’ll remember most about this wild ride is how fans embraced Stranger Things, made it their own, and turned it into a timeless, intergenerational series.

Even though I’m a bit frustrated with how it ended, I enjoyed the journey. While watching this Netflix series, I laughed, cried, theorized, paused to catch every hidden detail, and applauded the genius of the Duffer brothers. Their passion for role-playing games and 80s culture gave birth to a heartfelt tribute to a bygone era. And it did us all some good. So thank you, Stranger Things, and thank you, Netflix.

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