For me, @Stranger_Things Season5 just proves how braindead viewers have become (or they are just rage baiting for views on X)
1. Will being gay has been a part of the show since Season 1. Was literally the first thing mentioned between Joyce and Hopper at the police station and has been something Will has been coming to terms with the entire show. His powers have nothing to do with him being gay. But coming out in the 80s was not an easy thing to do and Vecna latches on to YOUR WORST FEAR to control you. Or maybe you all skipped the 4 kids he killed in season 4? You know that whole thing with the grandfather clock? 🤯
Robin also had a whole conversation about it with Steve to give “coming out” context. If Steve asks out a girl, no big deal. But if Robin asks out “the wrong” girl… not the same.
So Will coming out should have been something you all expected to see if you have actually been paying attention. It wasnt woke, it wasnt an agenda. It was just part of the story. Gay kids existed in the 80s, not a big deal and for the final battle Will needed to overcome his worst fear to stand a chance against Vecna.
2. Now for the people saying they “retconned” the Upside-down. Did you all just close your eyes when they finally revealed the battle between Eleven and Henry? She blasted him to a different planet that looked NOTHING like Hawkins and Henry says in that place he “became an explorer”. That’s how he found the Mind Flayer.
How were you not wondering this whole time where he was? The planet was bright with lightning everywhere. Clearly not the Upside-down.
3. Nancy & Jonathan breakup scene. “Will you unmarry me” was a pretty clear acceptance of a break-up. Tossing the ring should have been an indicator to you as well.
Was obvious in Season4 they were drifting apart and the “shared trauma” was the only thing holding them together.
In the words of the great Mr. Witwicky “HA! How long you gonna ride that scooter?”
Now all at being said:
✅ Yes #8 is annoying AF.
✅ I also thought Maxx was blind.
✅ How did Argyle leave the quarantine?
✅ Nobody cared to check on Mr. Wheeler in the hospital after demodog attack?
✅ Scott Clarke FINALLY being let in on the story was awesome.
With 1 episode left I am not sure how they are going to button up all the storylines.
But saying Season5 is “bad” is just not true.
i always think about how in max's book she takes note of how steve looks like he'd take a chunk out of the world before he'd let them get hurt and how, since then, he's done nothing but prove it. and that stuck enough for max that he's the only older teen she wrote a letter to.