After almost a decade of Demogorgons, friendship, amazing soundtracks and Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, Stranger Things has reached its end. I remember binging season three during the pandemic; it was something all of us could relate to in a time of disconnection. Season five brought us back there one last time, setting the stakes higher than before while making the real world and the upside down go hand in hand. With our longtime favorite characters facing new, crazy challenges, fans all hoped for a satisfying finale. Did this season deliver what fans were hoping for?
Season five followed a very explosive Season four; Hawkins is literally torn apart, and the Upside Down begins to merge with the real world. Stranger Things season five clearly begins with a darker tone and theme; it’s much more intense than fans are used to. Main themes towards the beginning of this new season are loss, sacrifice and getting older, as the children graduate in the final episode. The characters are forced to face the consequences of everything they’ve experienced so far. The main conflict of the season is finally finishing Vecna, while Hawkins is at risk of being destroyed. Multiple plot lines are being followed while characters risk their lives to save Hawkins. Characters battle against trauma and the many mysteries surrounding the Upside Down. To summarize the season, it’s about survival, and more than just a villain.
Some of my favorite parts from Stranger Things season five are: the storytelling skills, the new/growing characters, the acting skills and the music soundtracks. The storytelling is clearly very intentional and very emotional as the writers work towards a final ending. The season does an amazing job of balancing action, but also incorporating small character relationship moments. This helps the season feel intense, but by including these moments, the story keeps its sentimental meaning of friendship, the reason I started watching it originally. New characters are introduced to add dynamics and move the plot forward until the final episode. The acting is another stand-out aspect, so many performances feel raw, mature and emotional as our characters grow up, something we weren’t used to in earlier seasons. To complement all these amazing parts, the Duffer Brothers gave their audience an equally amazing soundtrack to dance to as the team escapes the Upside Down. The nostalgic 1980s pieces create so much tension and emotion in those tough moments, making them feel more meaningful.
Despite many key details that made this season so meaningful, the season is not without flaws. It felt a bit overcrowded; with so many new characters coming in over these five seasons, it’s difficult to give everyone a well-written closure. It felt very rushed, with a lot of big moments crammed into just five minutes. It definitely left some plot holes for series fans to question. A few of my very favorite characters received much less screen time, making their ending feel flawed and incomplete. This season was so intense that it took away from light-hearted humor moments, and the few that were included were just cringy. There was so much going on, it felt heavy and overwhelming, almost too hard to stay engaged. It’s a bit depressing.
After the finale came out, viewers were distraught. Many influencers posted about how the ending was rushed, and some went out of their way to write their own ending. This series is nostalgic to our generation, with many West students saying they’ve been fans since the show came out. A lot of West students were frustrated with the finale, specifically the characters that the Duffer Brothers chose to kill off.
Student Anna Nieman says, “It didn’t make sense, and they shouldn’t have killed off El.” Other students say they found the sacrifice devastating, but also have respect for that choice. Season three seems to be the most popular, with moments like Robin coming out, the russian plotline and the newfound relationships. A lot of students say that season five could have lived up to that, but fell short of things that make Stranger Things, Stranger Things. Before watching the new season, Junior Alayah Jones said, “I think the final season has a lot of pressure on it, but I’m hopeful. I want it to be emotional, answer the big questions, and give the characters real closure—not just shock value. If they focus on friendship and sacrifice, I think it’ll be strong.” While there are mixed opinions, I personally believe that the ending was missing the nostalgia that I knew since the show came out. Maybe all the kids just grew up, and it ruined that factor of the show. As their crew continues to grow, it feels less friendship and character-related. I believe it was hard to be able to focus on each characters story-line, making some characters feel lost, and making the show feel overall rushed. It’s hard to end something so huge, and something so loved by sci-fi geeks everywhere, but I believe the Duffer Brothers absolutely could’ve executed this finale better.
In the end, Stranger Things season five is powerful, with its flaws. It pushes characters to new brinks and reminds viewers of how friendships grow and change. While the tone and rushed finale upset viewers, the season still represents growth; the show has progressed so much from just four twelve-year-olds riding bikes. That nostalgic magic can’t be recreated, but the message remains: friendship, sacrafice and what it means to grow up. The finale didn’t meet expectations, but it left behind a legacy for our generation, the show that pushed us through COVID.
