Fans of the series “Stranger Things” have found themselves struggling to fully engage with the fictional town of Hawkins, noting what they perceive as inconsistencies in the plot.
Three years after the conclusion of the show’s fourth season, the fifth season debuted on Netflix on November 26, creating a buzz on the internet.
This season is divided into three segments, with the first four episodes currently available, and another three set to release around Christmas.
The finale is expected on New Year’s Eve, potentially offering a positive start to the New Year.
While viewers globally have enjoyed returning to the 80s-themed thriller, some have expressed disappointment over perceived plot gaps that they feel disrupt their engagement with the story.
One Reddit user commented: “I love Stranger Things but for me all of these things took me out of it a bit. What do you guys think? Am I missing something with these? Any others you can think of? Hopefully it comes together in the end!”
**WARNING: Spoilers ahead**
If you’ve watched “Volume 1” of the fifth season, you might have noticed the same issues pointed out by Reddit users, who feel like some scenes are incomplete.
Currently, characters Will, Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Eleven, Jonathan, Nancy, Steve, Robin, Hopper, and Joyce Byers are devising another plan to venture into the Upside Down. This follows a major lockdown enforced by the US government after the havoc caused by Vecna in the Right-side Up during the previous season.
Nevertheless, chaos ensues when the military kidnaps children to draw Eleven back to base, leading to Demogorgon outbreaks, Mike’s sister being captured by Vecna, a failed rescue attempt, and a generally bleak outlook for the Hawkins crew.
A particular point of contention is Vecna’s sudden conversation with Will at the end of the volume after being inactive for four episodes, which many found disappointing.
A user rationalized it by saying: “The humans had beaten the demogorgons with fire, and they were all writhing in pain across the hive mind. Chances are, Vecna was also in severe pain. He came to turn the tide back.”
Another Redditor questioned: “In the Turnbow Trap, Steve grabs a chainsaw and acts badass only to end up being in the car and not using it at all?”
Some believe that Steve used the chainsaw to cut a hole through the house during the search and subsequent attack on the Upside Down military base.
One user noted: “Steve took chainsaw to make that hole in the living room I guess.”
Questions were also raised about the fate of the Turnbow family, with a user asking: “Did they really just leave the parents and sister in that barn? Lmao.”
This scenario refers to when Vecna targeted Derek Turnbow, leading the gang to execute the Turnbow Trap, where they drugged and detained the family as bait for the Demogorgons to find Holly.
After locking the family in, it seems they left them there once their task was completed.
However, one commenter suggested they may have ‘cut’ the family loose in the barn post-mission, allowing them to flee upon waking.
The user also expressed confusion over a hospital scene where ‘Mike and Nancy come up with a plan for him to keep the nurse distracted while Nancy goes up to talk to her mom.’
Yet, in the subsequent scene, the two confront the doctor directly, asking if they can speak with their mom.
Ultimately, the initial plan seemed unnecessary as they opted for direct communication.
Another person suggested talking to the doctor was perhaps the simplest approach, and ‘worth a shot’ before resorting to subterfuge if it failed.
Regarding Volume 2, fans have started speculating about potential character deaths, considering the Duffer brothers’ history of targeting new characters.
This speculation suggests that Dr. Kay, Derek Turnbow, and Holly Wheeler might be in danger.
Since this season is the last, there’s potential for a “Game of Thrones” scenario, where major characters could be killed despite previous promises.
Matt Duffer mentioned that eliminating a central character would significantly alter the show.
As reported by Cosmopolitan, he stated: “Hopper at the end of season three. I think death grazed him.”
He further explained to Entertainment Weekly: “There was a version where he perished at the end of three. It’s been a while since we had those discussions, but I feel like he came the closest to dying.”
Fortunately, that didn’t occur, but fans speculate that Lucas, Steve, and Hopper might not survive the series finale, hoping especially that Steve remains unharmed.