Stranger Things is a 2016 sci-fi television series set in the 1980s, and it captured the hearts of many people immediately after its near-perfect first season. So, it’s surprising that the last season, deemed “dark and emotional” by the creators, fell flat for many viewers.
The two volumes of the season, which were released on Thanksgiving and Christmas respectively, started off very strong. The first volume set a very high standard for the rest of the season, and the second volume really built on that. Even the fourth and sixth chapters, titled “The Sorcerer,” and “Escape from Camazotz,” were some of the highest-rated episodes in the series. I found myself applauding at the end of certain episodes, and I had hoped that the finale would be just as mind-blowing.
How well do you know Stranger Things season 5? There was an error. Please try again. 10 Total Questions Test Complete This test has ended. Question 1/10 1. When the demogorgon breaks into the wheeler's house, who smashes a bottle on it? Correct! Incorrect Question 1/10 1. When the demogorgon breaks into the wheeler's house, who smashes a bottle on it? Your Answer
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Derek Your Answer
Lucas Your Answer
Holly Your Answer
Karen Your Answer Question 2/10 When Holly runs into the woods because of the letter from Mr. What's it, who actually wrote the letter? Correct! Incorrect Question 2/10 When Holly runs into the woods because of the letter from Mr. What's it, who actually wrote the letter? Your Answer
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Erica Your Answer
Venca Your Answer
Henry Your Answer
Max Your Answer Question 3/10 Who is Mr. What’s it? Correct! Incorrect Question 3/10 Who is Mr. What’s it? Your Answer
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Henry Your Answer
A Demorogon Your Answer
The mind flayer Your Answer
Bob Your Answer Question 4/10 How many kids does Mr. What's it (Venca) try to take? Correct! Incorrect Question 4/10 How many kids does Mr. What's it (Venca) try to take? Your Answer
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6 Your Answer
10 Your Answer
7 Your Answer
12 Your Answer Question 5/10 Who gets kidnapped by the demogorgon from Nancy and Mike's house? Correct! Incorrect Question 5/10 Who gets kidnapped by the demogorgon from Nancy and Mike's house? Your Answer
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Vicki Your Answer
Holly Your Answer
Karen Your Answer
Ted Your Answer Question 6/10 What Prank does Dustin do to scare Andy? Correct! Incorrect Question 6/10 What Prank does Dustin do to scare Andy? Your Answer
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Snake in his locker Your Answer
Firecrackers Your Answer
Fake spider Your Answer
Fake blood Your Answer Question 7/10 What helped Max almost escape the memory? Correct! Incorrect Question 7/10 What helped Max almost escape the memory? Your Answer
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Lights Your Answer
Singing Your Answer
Music Your Answer
dancing Your Answer Question 8/10 Who controls the military and the lab? Correct! Incorrect Question 8/10 Who controls the military and the lab? Your Answer
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Dr. Brenner Your Answer
Dr. Kay Your Answer
Colonel Sullivan Your Answer
Eight Your Answer Question 9/10 When Eleven goes into the soldier's mind, what does she discover? Correct! Incorrect Question 9/10 When Eleven goes into the soldier's mind, what does she discover? Your Answer
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Portal Your Answer
Child Your Answer
Another gate Your Answer
A secret metal door Your Answer Question 10/10 Where is Karen when the demogorgon comes into the house? Correct! Incorrect Question 10/10 Where is Karen when the demogorgon comes into the house? Your Answer
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Bathroom Your Answer
Kitchen Your Answer
Outside Your Answer
bedroom Your Answer
Needless to say, my heart sank as I saw the credits roll, expecting so much more from a show as critically acclaimed as this. I thought that the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things, would take a very unique spin on this show. Turns out, it was very typical for what was supposed to be an amazing ending. Everyone just sort of moved on very quickly from everything that happened in those gruelling four years the show spanned across. The giant Mind Flayer gets killed in six minutes, the main party graduated, the teens are in college and “working out adult life,” and the adults get married to each other.
Cliché ending aside, there were also way too many plot points that were never discussed again. How did Eleven recognize Will in that photo in Mike’s room? Where were the demobats and demodogs that were such a huge deal in seasons two and four? Some major plot points (like how Henry Creel even got his powers in the first place) are only discussed in the broadway show. The Duffer Brothers even said that they “went into production without having a finished script for the finale.”
With the fifth season being such an outlier from the other four, fans had compiled tons of evidence that suggests a secret “ninth episode,” which, supposedly, would release on Jan. 7 and explain the plot holes and reveal a deeper meaning behind the terrible finale. This theory was coined “conformity gate” and suggested that Vecna won and was seeping the viewers and characters into a false sense of normalcy. The evidence were things like numerology pointing specifically towards the numbers 1, 0, and 7, characters looking alike in the epilogue, visual glitches, and so much more. Unfortunately, Jan. 7 rolls around, and there is no secret episode. Just a terrible finale and millions of disappointed viewers.
