Stranger things finale dropped a few days ago and I have simmered my ideas long enough. Now Tumblr must hear my rants.
First of all volume 1 was good TV. Interesting, kept me watching, introduced new characters it felt like Stranger things in the best possible way.
Volume 2, after much consideration and reading, was not a disappointment but it felt different. The pace slowed and it was overall weaker than part one. The stakes seemed to be raised with the exotic matter and impending collision but there was no sacrifice or consequences.
What the heck was the deal with Nancy and Jonathan? That unproposal scene was so freaking confusing that the duffers had to come out and explain it!! That's not good writing. Now I have never been a fan of Nancy or Jonathan so I am biased but I think one of them should have died. I think there should have been sacrifices this season. Maybe Nancy died to save Jonathan in the melty room. Or Jonathan die and Nancy sacrifice herself to kill the mind flayer.
The finale was good but i personally don't think it was long enough. I think nine episodes would have suited it better. Episode 8 could have ended with a cliff hanger if El's sacrifice and episode 9 could have been the graduation and after stuff. Squishing it all in one felt....weird.
Also how dumb do the duffers think we are? I like Mike having the theory of El's sacrifice being an illusion but if they had left that theory just within the writers room, the fandom would have come up with it eventually. Then the duffers could have confirmed and made us feel good. A treat after the pain of not giving us canon byler. Yeah, twice Destiel'd....
I'm just....not even gonna go there. The memes are killing me though.
There was so much build for the final boss that was the mind flayers physical form (which was really cool looking) and it was defeated in what, ten....fifteen minutes? Now Will helping defeat him was amazing! I mean jaw dropping I was yelling, but it still seemed almost too easy.
Also, can someone please sharpen Joyce's ax? Girl was struggling. But maybe I've just been watching too much SPN and TWD. I think if everyone had gotten a swing at Vecna it would have been really sweet. But the flashbacks with each impactful swing was also good.
I also think there were not enough stakes in the finale. No demos no nothing in the abyss? Come on now. I mean the upside down seemed like a chill place, re watching season 4 while watching 5 really just showed me how much we lowered the stakes. Where were all the demos, the bats? They were there in volume 1 but the finale? We chilling.
Now for something me and my sister noticed immediately, where did Vickie go? I liked her character and she just *poof* disappeared.
Now for the real soap box opinion that I've been stewing on and got backed by my sister and coworker who also watches stranger things.....I think purple rain was not a great choice. It's an incredible song don't get me wrong, i have loved it longer than I have stranger things, which is why my opinion is so strong. I like purple rain but it was not as awesome as intended, it felt just like a needle drop to me. Not meaningful. I think for the explosion record, in order to go full circle and pay homage to season one and all it brought forth I think the song should have been 'Should i stay or should i go' by the clash. Think about it. Perfect full circle and El was battling internally if she should stay with her family if go and sacrifice herself........ Perfect. I understand it might have changed the tone of the scene with Mike and El where she explained why she has to sacrifice herself and we wouldn't have gotten the emotional flashbacks but.......the song would have fit more than just a needle drop. I think we still could have gotten purple rain, I think it could have been the song for Robin's squak monologue after the sacrifice. Reorganize a little bit and cut landslide because that song felt very cheesy and out of place.
Ok, I think I'm done, no wait!! I just realized.....where did the horror in this horror show go?? Each season escalated the terror and gore until season 5 where we just....didn't. it could be I have dived deeper into the horror genre and stretched my wings and gotten my feet wet, but it could also be that this season didn't it have the horror that season 4 did.
Now there were many things I like, don't get me wrong. I loved the exotic matter melty stuff. The fight and make up scenes with Steve and Dustin had me bawling!! Every Lumax scene made me cry. I love Erica and Holly was such a great addition, I really loved when mAx told her, I've been to your house!! Because in season 4 we literally see them at the kitchen table drawing together and I thought that was a cool underated parallel. I freaking loved Dustin valedictorian speech honoring Eddie. I also thought the way Gaten portrayed Dustin's grief was so impactful. I loved Tiffany being Holly's song. I loved karen wheeler kicking demo butt. I loved the way she had scars from the attack. That detail was very special to me. I loved that max learned to play dnd. And as much as I couldn't stand the character, I live that they brought kali back. I loved the end credits and I loved stranger things. I am sad to see it end but I am glad it happened. I am glad a few years ago when 'Chrissy wake up' took over the internet and i had some sick time to binge the whole thing.
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