Stranger Things: Was the ending really worth it?
Stranger Things is one of the most famous Netflix originals to ever emerge on the streaming service. With dedicated fans and the accumulating net worth amassing millions, the aforementioned finale of Stranger Things had many fans feel a sense of excitement, as well as bittersweetness, while saying goodbye to a show that watched many of its main actors grow. Unfortunately, many fans, instead of feeling uplifted and satisfied with the ending, felt they had been let down. Many mixed feelings arose in the community as fans stormed to the internet to talk about their own letdowns within the show.
In an article by Forbes, Erik Kain points out the numerous inconsistencies within the finale, focusing especially on the drawn-out dialogue between characters. In my observation, the main core of discontent is the characters’ dialogue, especially when the dialogue between one another was inconsistent with previous seasons of the show. One particular dialogue that is brought up is the “break-up scene” between Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). Many fans were left wondering if the couple were still together. In a video from entertainmentonight, the Duffer Brothers explained the nature of their breakup, “It feels like they had to be together in certain ways, and I think a lot of people can relate to that.” They proceeded to describe the feeling that only those two characters feel, which led them to their breakup. They also expressed that the breakup was imminent since they believed that both characters wanted to figure out what they wanted from their lives, which enforced the decision for their split. “Nat and Nancy…they have been working on it [the scene] for a very long time.” When watching the scene, I understood why many people were left speculating on the nature of their breakup. The dialogue between characters, although intimate and incredibly well done by both actors, is confusing. While the two characters accept their “un-proposals” towards each other, their affection towards each other remains imminent and real. Although they have grown apart throughout the show, there is still this respect and love that lingers on within the characters. Perhaps it is simply not a breakup, but a mere goodbye to the person they once perceived one another.
Lastly, another big inconsistency of the show is the number of plot holes in the season finale. At the end of season 4, we see the world being split apart. What bothers me is how “unreal” the reactions of the outside world are towards this armageddon of an event. It seems that the only areas that are affected by this event are Hawkins and Russia, while many of the residents in the town are rather unreactive to this event. Despite there being military intervention created by the U.S military, the only people affected by Vecna and his legions of creations are the children and a handful of adults in the show. A bitter snide that I found on the internet is in reference to the kid show, Gravity Falls, where people in the comment section expressed how Alex Hirsch (the creator of the show) created a more believable reaction of the people living in the small town. A comment said, “Alex Hirsch can create Stranger Things, but the Duffer brothers cannot create Gravity Falls”.
