The never-ending story has ended — no more anticipation, conformity gate or interviews. Netflix released the final episode of “Stranger Things” on New Year’s Eve, bringing to a close the global streaming phenomenon that had spanned almost 10 years.
Despite a massive budget — speculated to be anywhere from $400-$480 million — endless hype and three years of waiting, Season 5 of “Stranger Things” is ultimately the weakest season of the show. The relationships between characters are inconsistent and the plot has glaring holes. Further, much of the success or emotional payoff was only possible because of the quality in earlier seasons.
Set in 1980s Hawkins, Indiana, “Stranger Things” follows a group of friends and outcasts who fight against supernatural forces created by classified government experiments. The fifth and final season follows the group as they fight against Henry Creel or Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), the main villain, who plans to destroy their world.
The relationships, arguably the most meaningful aspect of the show, were not adequately developed. Most notably, Max (Sadie Sink) and Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) friendship suffers. In Season 3, they became close, a touching example of female relationships. In Season 4, Eleven heroically saved Max from death and was devastated to see her in a coma. However, in Season 5, when Max escapes Vecna’s mind and wakes up, Eleven simply says, “You’re really here,” and laughs in disbelief, lacking a sense of emotion. It was an underwhelming reunion for characters with a deep history of friendship.
Wrapping up all plot lines of a monumental show in a finale is notoriously difficult, but some of the plot holes were quite jarring. Eleven’s major sacrifice is meant to prevent the military’s plans to use her to start another government program. But after her disappearance, the military leaves Hawkins with no explanation. This eliminates the need for Eleven’s — the most iconic character in the show — story to end this way. Her sacrifice is certainly emotional, but narratively, it does not make sense. Furthermore, the absence in the finale of both the Demogorgons, monsters controlled by Vecna, and Robin’s (Maya Hawke) girlfriend, Vickie (Amybeth McNulty), feels unreasonable given that they were both pivotal parts of Season 5 and earlier seasons.
Many of my critiques of Season 5 arise from unrealistic expectations because of the show’s general and consistent excellence. The release schedule of two volumes almost a month apart also heightened many fans’ expectations, and it would have been more enjoyable had it been a lower-stakes, weekly episode drop. Despite all of this, the show wraps up many of the main characters’ stories in a satisfying and heartfelt way.
While I, too, wish the show would never end, it is time to finally say goodbye to “Stranger Things” — or, personally, I think it is time for a rewatch.
