#the mindflayer

[weeeezey]

HOW THE FUCK

[cardiaclab]

I think people are heavily misreading this whole scene and assuming that Henry's always been evil. It is very clear that Henry is lying and being manipulated, here.

Will even pointing it out himself.

The main scene I want to talk about and bring up some parallels is this one in particular.

You know what this reminds me of?

Max and Holly.

Specifically the same issues they've both faced with their own trauma, how both of them believed that they could've done something different. When there was nothing they could've done.

Which is the exact same for Henry. Only Henry couldn't accept that.

Because he was eight years old, he didn't ask for this nor did he want this. He was just as much of a Victim as Will.

I fully believe that when Henry says he chose this, he's blaming himself , because deep down he believes that he chose this. By even going into the cave he feels responsible for all of this.

It is so painfully clear that Henry's being controlled and I'm so glad the show outright acknowledged it, but I need people to know that who Will got through to was someone who was just a kid.

None of what happened was Henry's fault, he was just a tragic victim of circumstance.

I am very drunk while writing this but I pray this makes sense and you guys see the parallels.

Henry Creel I will defend you until I die. I wish they could've saved you. Thank you for coming to my Creel Talk.

[thelostsisters]

the mind flayer in the first shadow vs the mind flayer in season 5

[oatmealdiva]

dr. kay: it hates heat, but thrives in the cold 😌

hopper:

[nancystaystrappedwheeler]

things to never say to someone who just came out: Stranger Things edition

[henrycreeltm]

[thewisewill80sbyers]

Vecna + Upside Down creatures & settings in the new teaser for ST5

[0aurelion-sol0]

I think Will's coming out scene which wasn't just a coming out but also a reveal at his biggest fears, supposedly, would've been better & be saved if it prompted the other characters to do the same.

What if Dustin finally said what happened to him to everyone right after that exposing his own grief about Eddie and his own feelings as an outcast both in the group and outside the group ?

Or why Lucas wanted to explore basket-ball because he wanted to fit in because what his racial identity represents in the 80's where he probably got attacked by the brother of his girlfriend for it ?

Or Joyce's overprotectiveness of Will and neglect of Jonathan exists because she is a single mom with deep mental health problems that haven't been properly adressed & that almost lost everything ?

Or Steve still feeling some hurt in that part of his jaw because he got tortured 2 years before and endures pain to protect the others because that's the only thing he values about himself ? Maybe talking about how he had a hard time moving on from Nancy because that's what people expected for him, having a girlfriend and settle down ?

Or Robin being the one who likes girls and Vickie's her date and Will is not alone in this, we exist and we are many ?

Or Jonathan saying he doesn't want to become his father and he is scared that his every actions or relationships will turn out to be like him ?

Or Nancy being traumatized and stuck because of Barb's death and that Vecna's vision plus that her parents almost dying & Holly vanishing reinforced that because she wasn't there yet again to stop it and she doesn't know how to stop that feeling ? Which would lead us to Mike who could finally break his barriers about that ?

And El talking about how she doesn't really know who she is outside of her powers or the fights or what her future will be like but she hopes that there's maybe something on the other end of this for herself which would click with Kali in that moment that you can hope for more, and reflecting on all the loss she suffered, that doesn't mean there isn't more for her in some way ?

Even Murray talking about losing Alexei, losing his job and family because he pursued all of this madness because he needed to prove what's behind the curtain and what the truth really is about to everyone because of that ?

Finishing with Max revealing the things she also hid from everyone last season such as desiring that Billy died and she's relieved that he died because he made her life f*cking living hell but still understands why he behaved the way he behaved because of the things that happened to him ?

Which maybe would put them on the fact that Henry has a traumatic memory that he can't face and that he too maybe has a reason for why he's been the way he's been all this time ? Actually bringing it back to the plot and doing character work at the same time!

Not only would this make up for the "straight-passing & owing us a reveal about your sexuality & fears* but it would prove also that he didn't need to do that and he's not alone in hiding things that he's afraid to tell others because everyone else has their own problems, plus we would finally explore what was repressed and it would prove that Vecna, The Mind Flayer is wrong & that you can be different and accepted by other people and that they will root for you. It won't be able to use their insecurities and traumas against them, leaving our group united & ready to face the final battle.

That would've been phenomenal and monumental for the story. But no, we end up with something very clunky & dissapointing instead because we need the approval of "that" audience... *sigh*

ADD ON: I joked that the episode would've been a 9.7 easily. X) It's true it would've been and made up for the dumb Murray jokes here and there.