Warning: This article contains spoilers for Stranger Things
Speculation about the hit series Stranger Things has been rampant online, but a cast member has recently addressed what many fans are convinced is a major secret from Netflix.
Following the release of the second volume of the show’s fifth and final season on Christmas Day, social media was abuzz with rumors about deleted scenes, hidden storylines, and even a supposed ‘extended cut’.
The theories gained so much traction that over 300,000 fans signed a viral petition asking the streaming service to release what they believe is a trove of unseen footage from the show’s concluding season.
The petition, titled ‘We want the unseen footage of Stranger Things’, claims that key character developments were either hastily concluded or entirely omitted. Fans argue that several plotlines seemed to be building towards significant conclusions, only for those moments to mysteriously disappear in the aired episodes.
As the rumors escalated, fans began gathering what they believed to be evidence, which included Google Docs outlining supposed missing plotlines and comparisons between cast interviews before the season and the content that was actually aired.
For many, this only strengthened the suspicion that Netflix might have cut hours of content before releasing Volume Two.
However, not everyone associated with the show agrees, and one of the series’ stars has been vocal about his stance.
Randy Havens, who portrays the popular science teacher Scott Clarke, addressed the rumors directly, rejecting the notion that any secret version of the show exists.
Addressing the online frenzy, Havens remarked, “There is no Snyder Cut of the show, please don’t believe everything some random a** tells you on the internet.”
Many viewers were already discontented due to certain scenes in Volume Two, particularly one involving Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, which led to confusion.
This scene left fans divided over whether the couple had broken up or secretly gotten engaged, leading the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, to clarify the plot.
“That’s a breakup,” the Duffer brothers told People, adding, “They have broken up.
“It’s hard to recall when exactly that idea came, but I think us – and the writers – all felt that Nancy needed to end up on her own and be independent and have an opportunity to find herself.”
Instead of resolving the debate, this clarification only added to fans’ dissatisfaction.
Despite Havens’ firm denial, speculation persists. For now, viewers will have to wait until New Year’s Day (January 1) for the extended Stranger Things season five finale to air.