[Editor’s note: The following review contains spoilers for the “Stranger Things” finale — Season 5, Episode 8, “The Rightside Up” — including the ending.]
“We’re not afraid of you,” a white-eyed but clear-sighted Will (Noah Schnapp) says throughout the “Stranger Issues” finale’s climactic battle. Formally, he’s addressing Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), the little boy who grew as much as be the large monster that introduced a lot concern and ache to the households of Hawkins, Indiana. However Will might as effectively be talking on behalf of any character in a coming-of-age story. That’s their objective, in spite of everything: to go away the comparatively snug confines of childhood and embrace their unsure, oft-terrifying future as adults. They’re not afraid to develop up. Not anymore.
For all of the discuss round who would die and what was actually happening with the Upside Down, rising up was at all times Matt and Ross Duffer’s final endgame. From the beginning, “Stranger Issues” was a coming-of-age story. Even the grownup leads, like Hopper (David Harbour), had been combating some type of arrested growth. All of them wanted to discover ways to depart the previous behind, whereas holding on to what mattered.
In order the finale performs out beat by predictable beat — making ready for the decisive showdown (climb these ladders, children!), struggling an surprising, seemingly insurmountable setback (Hopper actually ought to’ve identified higher than to fall for Vecna’s tips), then rallying to trounce the villain (with teamwork!) earlier than returning dwelling for a fast peek at the place everybody finally ends up (Coach Steve!) — the familiarity doesn’t flip stifling. That doesn’t make it stunning — removed from it — and the frustrations don’t cease with getting precisely what’s anticipated. However there’s success to be present in a narrative resolving because it ought to, even when which means it lacks the sting to be remembered within the days, weeks, and years to return.
Let’s begin with what doesn’t work. Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) being the one main dying isn’t an issue (though I’m certain it will likely be for viewers with a stronger bloodlust), however her arc in Season 5 remains to be an unforced error. To be sincere, I didn’t even keep in mind who Kali was when she reappeared on the finish of Episode 4 (“Sorcerer”), and even those that did probably weren’t excited to see her. Then she’s saddled with the noxious job of attempting to persuade Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) to kill herself for the larger good, solely to reverse course on the final second and save her?
It didn’t need to go down like this. Why carry again a personality inextricably tied to a shunned plot line, solely to kill her off? Have been her powers so distinctive one other character couldn’t have helped Eleven pretend her personal dying? Was Kali so reviled that she needed to be revived, slapped with a torturous backstory to fill within the gaps since she left, after which shot by a loathsome soldier? It’s simply not a great look, and worse but, it’s emotionally hole (except you rely anger over somewhat brown lady being sacrificed so as to save somewhat white lady).
Elsewhere, the finale misplaced its footing when Vecna meets his final finish. After toying with the concept that Henry was simply the Thoughts Flayer’s sufferer all alongside — poisoned by a mysterious rock he discovered after killing the scientist as a boy — Vecna rejects Will’s pleas to modify sides after which promptly will get his ass kicked. This half-hearted nod to a tragic origin story feels prefer it’s solely included to make individuals who forked over a whole lot of {dollars} to see the Broadway present really feel higher about their selections, but it surely’s not the place Episode 8 goes wonky.
“Stranger Issues” isn’t averse to the F-word. Per the Reddit boards, Will stated it again in Season 3, and varied different characters have dropped a muted or bleeped “fuck” or two. However Joyce (Winona Ryder) strolling as much as Vecna’s crucified physique and quipping, “You fucked with the mistaken household” nonetheless feels compelled — and that’s earlier than she proceeds to hack away at his thick, vine-y neck till his head thumps to the bottom.
I get it. Vecna’s dying wanted to be indeniable, particularly when Eleven’s dying was merely a fake-out. However my god, man. That was simply ugly. Joyce might as effectively have curb-stomped Vecna, Derek Vinyard-style — it will’ve had the identical appalling impact and lasted half as lengthy. With out the fast cuts to all of the previous anguish Vecna triggered everybody unfortunate sufficient to watch Joyce’s butchery, I might’ve assumed they had been disgusted by her over-the-top assault. However hey, possibly that’s simply me — once more, I’m not watching “Stranger Issues” with Drowning Pool cued up, ready for the our bodies to start out dropping.
If something, I used to be ready for the coda. Figuring out (or assuming to know) “Stranger Issues” wouldn’t finish in a massacre, what occurs after the boss battle turns into essentially the most compelling query. How a lot closure would every character get? What’s of their instant future, and would the sequence bounce forward to inform us, say, simply what number of children Steve has, or whether or not Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) get married? Fortunately, “Stranger Issues” abstained from getting too granular in its epilogue — generally it’s higher to think about whether or not Jonathan’s (Charlie Heaton) movie desires pan out (“The Shopper” sounds horrible, however most pupil movies do), or if Rockin’ Robin (Maya Hawke) has a future in radio. (For her sake, I hope she averted media research at Smith School.)
The spotlight, although, is Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and his valedictorian speech. Invoking misplaced childhoods to an in-world viewers who simply suffered by way of an enormous “earthquake” and an ensuing navy occupation in addition to an at-home viewers who simply suffered by way of COVID and… an ensuing navy occupation lent Dustin’s speech simply sufficient additional heft to miss the deliberately imperfect analogy. “Stranger Issues” just isn’t a part of the resistance, I’m sorry, we already mentioned this, however that doesn’t make what he says any much less efficient. (“While you get to know people who find themselves totally different than you, you start to be taught extra about your self” is an effective line.) And his basic demeanor (aka Matarazzo’s efficiency) struck the correct chord between youthful revolt and full-grown assertiveness. (It wasn’t a lot of a “Belushi factor,” however I might imagine John Hughes would’ve appreciated it effectively sufficient.) Dustin deserves his pleased ending, and his closing speech definitely landed extra on the aspect of “chaotic good” than unhealthy.
From there, the older children get all weepy on the roof of the radio station, and simply whenever you assume the flash-forwards are over, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) wraps up their final D&D recreation with a number of extra — together with the large reveal about Eleven, who does NOT die, and as a substitute finds a magical village overlooking two waterfalls to reside out the remainder of her days in peaceable solitude…
OK, probably not. No means. As a lot as I appreciated the “Stranger Issues” finale’s try to offer closure with out going overboard, the one affordable approach to learn Eleven’s destiny is a tease. Who does she know there? What does she do for work? How lengthy till the sound of roaring waterfalls loses its white-noise attract? As for Mike, certain, he might simply “settle for” her alternative, as Hopper suggests, and depart Eleven alone for the remainder of his life… or he might go discover her, which I assume he’ll need to do when the Thoughts Flayer returns in no matter sequel Netflix cooks up in 5 years or so. Heck, if Mike advised Hopper his idea, you understand the unhappy dad could be on the following flight to Iceland! He solely gave that recommendation as a result of he thought Eleven was as useless as his actual daughter!
No, regardless of actually ending on Mike closing the door to his basement, the Duffer brothers depart the door huge open for future installments. That’s a bit irritating, but it surely’s one more facet of the ending that aligned with expectations. “Stranger Issues” was by no means an ideal present; it was a restricted sequence, undone by its personal recognition. With the intention to survive, the Duffers quickly resolved their nostalgia-fest needed to be larger than it was daring. Greater worlds, larger battles, larger feelings. That didn’t at all times work out (see: Season 4 and most of Season 5), but it surely works effectively sufficient for an ending that encourages everybody to simply accept saying goodbye to the issues they as soon as beloved.
When Mike sees Holly (Nell Fisher) take over his D&D desk, his instinctual protectiveness, even jealousy, quickly fades to pleasure. He’s pleased his little sister and her associates can get pleasure from the identical recreation he did with Dustin, Will, Max, and Lucas. Relatively than bounce again in and begin one other quest, he’s able to allow them to have their flip. He’s prepared to maneuver on.
“Stranger Issues” took its time getting there, however finally, it had the braveness to develop up.
Grade: C+
“Stranger Issues” is on the market on Netflix.
