MovieChat Forums > Stranger Things (2016) Discussion > The finale episode was an endurance test...

The finale episode was an endurance test...

posted 3 years ago by LetoAtreides (573)
13 replies | jump to latest

2:30 hours? What the hell where they thinking?

Way too many characters and plotlines going on at the same time. Russian scenes are still completely disconnected from rest of the story. Everything was so predictable. And in the end none of what the characters did mattered. Hawkins is turning into the upside down as Vecna planned. Even Will's neck is still itching. Whoop dee do.

Also, why are they still maintaining this schtick where the entire town of Hawkins remains blissfully unaware of what is really going on? There are huge glowing red scars across the town center and 2 days later people are bringing goods to a relief center and smiling while making sandwiches? They should all be running away.

Bigger is not always better. They've turned a nice little 80s themed monster show with kids into a bloated mess. I wouldn't be surprised with they end up fighting the upside down in mech suits next season.

[–] Leodicaprio (6426) 3 years ago

I do agree. none of their "distractions" or multi pronged effort really mattered.

[–] VonFisch (354) 3 years ago

I don't know where they're going with this. Is El going to put Hawkins back together with her powers?

I can see some scenario where she trades all her powers for closing off the Upside Down forever, like whatever she does it will drain her completely, never to return back.

I still think turning a human into a monster as in Vecna is less explainable, even if this is a fantasy series.

I'd like to know what was that black swirling behind the glass in the Russian prison where the other Demogorgon developing fetuses were. Was that a piece of the Mind Flayer? Did they "kill" that along with the Demogorgons? So, the Mind Flayer is the highest order of these Upside Down creatures since apparently it transformed Henry?

[–] KCurmudgeon (264) 3 years ago

The black swirling mass is an Obscurius. Didn't you watch the Fantastic Beasts movies? :^DDDD

[–] not_a_virus.exe (1267) 3 years ago

The mindflayer was rendered pointless since it was no different than that swirling cloud in Russia. It was the exact same matter, it was just harnessed by vecna to look like a spider. Were supposed to believe that vecna was the true puppeteer of that thing from the beginning of the show. So all the buildup of the mindflayer from season 2 onwards is basically null and void. What a disappointment.

[–] VonFisch (354) 3 years ago

Now, I'm confused. From what I understand, Henry/One/Vecna was telling his story of what happened when El sent him to the Upside Down and he found what looks to be the Mind Flayer and he became more powerful by having the Mind Flayer enhance him in some way. Right? But then again, I think it was El who said to Vecna, "it was you the whole time". I don't understand now.

But that swirly thing in the Russian prison behind glass looked like part of the Mind Flayer, like who swirled and got inside of Will a couple seasons back. So, I wondered if Hopper et.al. destroyed that, too, along with the Demogorgons.

I never played D&D but it seems they played out what happens according to their gaming. Starting back when Will disappeared, the demogorgons arrived and such. Then the last game, they brought out Vecna, apparently, that conjured up this former human being turned monster.

[–] not_a_virus.exe (1267) 3 years ago

She said that to him, because the show revealed that he was the one controlling the mindflayer. The mindflayer was never the sentient deity they alluded to in the past, it was just a conjuration from Henry. I know its stupid. They ruined the story.

[–] VonFisch (354) 3 years ago

I'm going to have to rewatch that part again. I thought Henry came upon the Mind Flayer in the Upside Down early in his arrival, it was its own entity.

[–] not_a_virus.exe (1267) 3 years ago

It wasn't the mindflayer when he came upon it is what I'm saying. He arrived in the upside down, saw the big swirly dust cloud that was caged in Russia, and then decided to make it into a giant spider. That was it. All of the "powers" that we thought were thanks to the mindflayer, were really Vecna in control. The Mindflayer was rendered completely meaningless this whole time.

[–] VonFisch (354) 3 years ago

Actually, I looked around and found a reddit sub about Stranger Things that has a thread from a vintage D&D player who seems to have explained a lot about Vecna, and including the Mind Flayer. From what I understand, they are separate entities but seemingly in traditional D&D, Vecna makes "deals". From what I gather, the Duffer Bros incorporated a lot of D&D into the story.

Here's a link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/StrangerThings/comments/vq51ka/im_a_dd_expert_with_some_insight_on_season_4s/

[–] spurtle467 (1553) 3 years ago

I would have been happy for the series to end on that note and I actually didn't realise there was a 5th season coming. The idea that there is always something more going on in this town and they close the show that way. I'm thinking this might be preferable to how they really will end it, which is likely to be some happy ending. Five seasons of Upside Down world is seriously dragging it out.

I agree as well about the complete obliviousness these towns people seem to be in about the strange occurrences, when Hawkins has had enough history now to suggest they open their eyes to what is going on. Does it even make geological sense there would be a massive earthquake in this part of the world?

[–] PF4Eva (293) 3 years ago

I also went into Season 4 thinking this was it. Then I started hearing talk of a season 5. I have no idea how they're gonna top this, and I don't know if my emotions can take it, lol. Throughout the season, I became so scared that either Eleven or Max was gonna die and they started baiting us with it. In fact, I needed to take an emotional break after watching "Dear Billy."

Strangely, I was fine enough after "Papa" to proceed to "Piggyback." "Piggyback," on the other hand, it wasn't until the wee hours of Sunday that my emotions/nerves finally started to calm.

A buddy of mine on Discord suggested that Season 5 should be de-escalated and intimate. But the Duffers already shot that down back in May. Essentially, you can't put the genie back in the bottle.

I know Eleven is way too popular to die, and I hope it stays that way. The show just wouldn't be the same without her. (FWIW, I watched the first few episodes of Season 1 back in 2019, but was a little too busy until now to catch up. So I already recovered from the previous Eleven fakeout, which I knew she had to be in the Upside Down.) I'm hoping Max pulls through.

(I am going back to the first season, and I can't believe how little I remember from three years ago. Then again, I watched it on my desktop monitor with poor sound. Now I'm watching it on my TV via PC/HDMI, Netflix app instead of using Firefox, and with my AV receiver.)

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Just watched it and, yup, I rapidly lost interest and was just waiting for it to end. Vecna turned out to be like the cliche Bond villain... the one who can't shut up about his plans and his back story before getting on with his villainy. Meanwhile the rest of the cast concoct this overly complicated plot that is just a flimsy excuse to up the emotional stakes. Vecna and El takes turns tossing each other around with dramatic hand gestures... rinse and repeat.

Frankly, the whole season was an endurance test. Sometimes less really is more.

Sidebar: I used to love 'Running Up that Hill' but they just flogged that song to death this season. It was grating on my nerves by the final ep.

The prospect of another round of Upside Down stuff leaves me feeling 'meh'.

[–] SteveG (1370) 3 years ago

I agree, I felt the same way.