stranger things 5: the consistent storytelling of losing the plot
you better believe it - the tragic loss of the show's overarching themes is not accidental or a real happy ending. the show has always used radios/signals allegorically, but in the fifth season this was pumped up to the maximum.
the radio symbolism is there to tell us everything that the plot isn't: the downward spiral isn't due to bad or inconsistent writing - it's because the true story is lost in interference to the signal.
to see how everything truly does tie together, we need to understand these things: what the overarching theme is, how the sci-fi/horror storyline reflects it, and what this whole radio allegory is telling us. i'll do my best attempt to explain by analyzing robin's wsqk broadcast in the opening scene ->
the overarching theme: conformity vs truth
season 5 establishes its theme at the very beginning of its first episode. it's not rocket-science; you only have to sharpen your ears a tiny bit to be able to catch it. and, to keep track of the theme throughout the season, we rely heavily on the symbolic radio.
robin's broadcast: the viewer's table of contents
this post by @walkablepurse50 gives a well-structured analysis on how robin is (unintentionally) helping vecna move his plan ahead. based on that, i think it makes sense to view her radio broadcast in ep1 as a reflection of vecna's vision. but not only that, the broadcast also reflects that we're already in it from the start, where we end off in the "epilogue" and, crucially, where it will actually go.
alright. just put aside robin's apparent sarcasm for now and have a closer look at the actual words being said:
1: quarantine = compliance
hawkins is in quarantine. a quarantine is "the restriction of movement or separation of people, (..) exposed to a contagious disease to prevent further spread". what robin says is that she "couldn't be happier" with the arrangement of being 'restricted' and 'separated from the outside world. is she happy being restricted? obviously not, but nevertheless, that is the message she gives to the people: comply and be happy.
then she asks the question that we should all still be pondering: could something be wrong with them after inhaling the UD particles? the answer is yes. something is indeed very wrong. like many have pointed out, what's wrong with them is that they (and we, too) have been 'spellbound' into compliance with vecna's version of the story.
2: the band aid = hiding the truth
a "natural phenomenon" that's been covered up by a band-aid, she says. what vague phrasing - there's definitely subtext at play here. and please stay with me, because i had a lottt to say about this point :D this is the creme de la creme of the broadcast; the narrative's saving grace
we all know you can't heal a stab wound with a band-aid, and that's the case here, too - the gates are very much still gaping open beneath those metal plates. the military does not like people playing on the band-aid, hunting down those who do and forcing them to scatter. we can understand why, they don't want people getting so close to the gates - but why make a point of telling us? because the people of hawkins already (sort of) know what's underneath the metal band-aid, and they don't care enough to keep distance.
let's try rephrasing it a little; the military don't want people getting so close to the band-aid, because they would be getting too close to what's hiding underneath. wait, could there be more to what is beneath the band-aid? well, yes, there most certainly is more to it! because, see, hawkins believes the metal band-aid is covering up simple cracks in the earth, nothing scary. but we (the viewers) know very well that what's under there are certainly not cracks. there's an allegory in here.
the clue to what that allegory is, is in a parallel. this scene is not the show's first mention of a band-aid, and here's where the food gets truly delicious. it's will who first says it in st4 when he gives "the heart" painting and his cloaked love confession to mike.
will believes he's going to lose mike (because of his love for mike), so he'd rather get it over with quick, like "ripping off a band aid" ('being mean' or pushing mike away). st5 is, in fact, building onto that same band-aid metaphor, which is obvious if you know what to look for:
because we actually see the moment will is about to lose mike, in every sense of the word - and what actually prevents it from happening is will.
the metal band-aid rips away, and from beneath it comes a demogorgon to kill mike. mike being in danger (bc of the monster that comes from what the band-aid is covering) is going to bring will's fear (of losing him) to reality. will's love (for mike) triggers him to find his inner strength (powers) and save mike's life.
so, what this is telling us is that will got it wrong in st4; the metaphor is not: 'ripping off the band-aid makes will lose mike quick'. this is what the actual metaphor is: ripping off the band aid prevents will from losing mike. the allegorical 'natural phenomenon' that's been covered up by a band-aid is will's love for mike.
the x is above will's heart is not random. "the x" symbolizes will's heart <- read my previous analysis on that. the metal band-aid is covering up the x-shaped gate, meaning... well, i'm sure you understand what i'm getting at.
but hold up! there's actually a bit more to it. and i rly need the meaning to be super clear: the metaphorical band-aid symbolizes will hiding his love for mike. ripping the metaphorical band-aid off symbolizes will revealing his feelings for mike. are we on the same page? ok, good - now, keep holding onto that real tight going forward.
see, here's the thing: what initially happens after the metal band-aid gets ripped off, is that a monster climbs from the gate beneath and mike's life is endangered. it's only after the fact that will's love gives him the strength to siphon the powers to save mike (& friends). why should that mean anything, you ask?
because also see the moment will rips off the metaphorical band-aid, but something about the metaphorical wound it reveals isn't quite right. season 5 makes it unquestionably clear that will is (still) in love with mike, but when he rips off the band-aid, he calls his feelings for mike 'a crush' he 'had'. confused? very much so! but we really shouldn't be; remember, this confession doesn't come at will's own volition, but from necessity, after henry went into will's mind and turned his own fears against him.
now, what did vecna show will would happen if he came out to his friends and family? he would lose them. why did will tell them anyway? if kept secret, vecna can use it to hurt him. and what integral part of will's confession doesn't add up with what we know? that mike is just a past crush. hold up. why would will suddenly switch up about his feelings for mike? (is it the fault of bad writing with cruel intent, brushing over the depth of will's feelings and not giving the queer main character the love story he deserves after 5 seasons of build-up? no. not at all. or, well, cruel intent is at fault, but not that of the writers.)
post-st5, noah schnapp (will) posted this pic with a repositioned line up of the party's d&d binders posted on ig. finn wolfhard (mike) shared the same one to his ig story.
will didn't have a change of heart, will lied. but then, if the reason for him confessing is so vecna can't use his fears against him, why would will still lie about his feelings for mike? because henry has made will go back to believing in the wrong metaphor!!!!! will believes that his feelings for mike will lead to losing him, and he doesn't want that to happen at all. after california will knows what it feels like to be without mike ("felt so lost without you"), and he never wants to be again. he would no longer prefer to "make it quick, like ripping off a band-aid", because he needs mike. this is literally telling us that will's worst fear is losing mike in particular.
alright, so. this is the deal: the metal band-aid ripped off, first revealing a monster. when the metaphorical band-aid rips off it reveals a lie about will's true feelings. the monster's threatens mike's life and will draws strength from his love for mike and saves him. but the lie is never shown to pose any threat and never negates the need to reveal the truth... seemingly. as i mentioned, will's hidden fears can be used to hurt him, because he hasn't had them disproved yet. so, as for the metaphor's equivalent to the "monster", the lie also poses a threat to mike. so, we should all be certain of two things after ep 7: henry still has leverage to weaken will and break him (bc his worst fear is losing mike) and the lie leads to mike's endangerment (he's is in camazots, also a lie).
a quick rundown: the x -> will's heart will's heart -> in love with mike the band-aid -> hides will's heart ripping off the band-aid -> reveal will's love for mike the monster -> will's lie about his love the consequence -> losing mike the power to save mike -> will's love
to sum up this convoluted mess, what robin is saying is: don't touch the band-aid, the men with guns don't like it. in regards to will and mike's story arcs, meaning: don't reveal your queer love, the people in power (the mindflayer = the conforming majority) don't like it.
-> tiny additional point: the writers having robin say 'the men with guns' don't like it when you get too close to the band aid, and pointedly never give mike a gun. they also have lucas point out that nancy didn't give mike a gun, but a flare, in ep8. and in the doc the writers were vocally against mike ever having a gun. they're making a point of it: men with guns dont like you getting close to the band-aid, but mike is not one of them!!!
3: mac-z = enforcing the lie of conformity
ok this is actually kinda funny and i cant believe i never noticed it before, but robin's phrasing here actually contradicts itself: "things not to do" -> "steer clear of the mac-z". lmao right, right.... we'll have to make sure we look extra closely next time.
but first, what exactly is the mac-z? it's a military base, and the military is about as conforming as it gets; wear the uniform, don't ask questions and do as you're told. the mac-z is the base to the soldiers working on containing the ud from spreading, experimenting on it and hiding the truth about it from the outside world.
robin is telling us "they'd like you to stay away" - 'they' being the military, aka conformity. conformity does not want us to know what's in there. as she's saying this, the camera focuses on the library, which is the building that the gate goes through, and the very center of both the mac-z base and the x-shaped gate splitting hawkins open (remember, the x that is covered up by the metal band-aid).
in the same analysis of mine that i referred to above, i also go through this part of the broadcast and my thoughts on the meaning of the library based on what robin says. what's certain is this: something is being kept from us. the military/conformity is heavily guarding the center of the x-shaped gate, and going off the band-aid metaphor, it's easy to draw a between it and here: conformity is keeping the core of will's heart locked up.
but let's not gloss over the implications of that first shot! i actually think that one is particularly important. going back to what i first pointed out, notice that as robin is saying "speaking of things not to do", we get a shot of mike, holly and will biking right past the entrance gates to the mac-z, right before it zooms out to a full view of the base and robin continues to say, "please steer clear of the mac-z". bc, like, hello,,, the visual foreshadowing is going crazy: the thing that mike, holly and will should not do, is steer past the center of the x.
which is very telling, considering that holly is mike's mirror character, meaning they're supposed to reflect each other in the storyline. as we've already seen, holly's arc this season is about facing her fears and the truths about herself. but the problem is that although holly did do that, she still couldn't save herself! and remember, will had a very similar arc; accepting himself/his sexuality, and facing his fears by coming out and revealing his feelings for mike... except that he didn't actually do that last part - he didn't reveal his feelings for mike! do you get it?
allow me to rephrase: holly, mike and will bike right past the x that they should not steer clear of. holly's arc of believing in herself was fulfilled, but ultimately "pointless" because she still did not escape vecna's captivity. and will's arc is similar to hers, only will actually "won" the battle - but will didn't reveal what was really underneath the metaphorical band-aid: his love for mike, aka his heart, aka he steered past the center of "the x". and mike's arc should be the same as holly's, but we dont see him go through much of a change or growth at all. so wtf is going on? well, it's exactly what this scene shows us: the three of them went right past "the x" that they should not steer clear of.
remember: x is a lie. and the meaning goes beyond will's lie about his feelings to mike. the x is a lie, currently, but it actually symbolizes the truth; the truth of will's heart is that he's in love with mike. conformity wants us to steer clear of the truth - but it's not just the military guarding said truth.
and this is how the failure of holly's arc is actually telling us what went wrong with mike's: he did go through all the same motions as her; facing the truth about himself and his battling his fears. and then things went to shit anyway, because mike steered clear of "the x" too. and what was it that happened to holly after finding her strength and bravery? vecna got her and placed her back in camazots as his prisoner. meaning, that what also happened to "arcless" mike was, in fact... yep.
and this is where it's relevant to mention @upsidedownlurker's brilliant theory on how season 5 is actually vecna's version of the story. scenes have been reconstructed by henry to further the outcome he wants and prevent the one he doesn't. and henry does not want mike be able to reach through to will.
4: signal / static = love / loss
alright, i'll try to not dig too deep into this part, bc this post is getting ridiculously long, and after all the above points, i think this part sort of speaks for itself anyway.
robin's broadcast ends on an equally telling note as she dedicates a love song to vickie - a declaration of love, if you will. but of course, this is the very moment the radio signal cuts off, so vickie doesn't hear the song, just static. is it just for the lols? no, babes, there's nothing funny about it.
there are many clues telling us that robin is meant to parallel will and that vickie parallels mike (i dont have a compilation at hand, sorry). if we add that on top of the clear symbolism of the band-aid and the x, and the added allegory of the mac-z busting their asses to keep both of them locked up.... well, the metaphorical 'cutting off the radio signal delivering the love song robin dedicated to vickie', seems to get a very distinct second meaning, don't you agree?
-> vecna interferes will's love declaration, causing mike to pick up a jumbled signal and not receive the full message.
and that happens to be very fitting, because we have been shown that mike is indeed dealing with jumbled signals that make his struggle to hear the full transmission.
yep. and robin's helping him decode the words between the static? well doesn't that seem right, seeing as robin knows will is gay? butttt. i don't necessarily think this means she will be the one who's going to help mike out with picking up will's signal.
i think that is what this is foreshadowing, as a sort of parallel to the guidance robin gives will. her advice about mike's choice of record is vague, which could mean that robin might help mike out in accepting his sexuality and reading the signals, but i'm not sure she will be able to guide him in the right direction in regards to will. because as far as robin knows, mike is just will's "tammy". which she got totally wrong, obviously, but that's just because she does not know the extent of them yet. thankfully, there is someone who does!
mr jonathan byers did not get front row tickets to the mike&will show for nothing! as a long time audience member, he is already in the know that will is in love with mike. and sitting up close, he does not miss a thing - including mike's googly eyes. anyway.
this conversation, theee heart-to-heart to ever be hearted, is never to be forgotten. jonathan even says the same thing to make sure the point sticks with will - but also with the audience. so, isn't it a little strange that will and jonathan go on to barely interact, like, at all, in season 5? yes, it is actually very strange that the one person will knows he can go to for anything, has drifted into the background of his periphery.
again, very telling. another one of the people most important to will is erased from the narrative.. methinks jonathan is also a victim to vecna's scene reconstruction. but worry not, he will get his time to shine in the real deal!
and why do i think it is jonathan that will help mike? well, a big reason is that charlie heaton said his character "sees something his brother wants, and helps him get it" (do forgive me if i'm paraphrasing here). but my main reason is in the narrative; if i'm assuming correctly, will is now out for the count after losing himself to the hive mind (bc vecna could still use his love for mike against him). and that means someone else has to help mike pull his head out of his own ass, because it will be necessary to save will. and the only one who knows how will truly feels is jonathan. simple maths.
anyway. the final clue in the broadcasts, that also happens to tell us why mike isn't picking up the signals, is the song robin dedicated to vickie. remember: vickie parallels mike.
"lives in the place in the side of our lives where nothing is ever put straight", then "loses herself in her dreaming and sleep". yeah. as we've been through, the reason mike is not picking up any signals from will, is because he's not watching the real scenes. and neither are we. we're watching vecna's reconstructions - versions that he conjured up in his mind, y'know, like in a dream. and you know, someone under vecna's trance just so happen to look like they're just sleeping.
conclusion
yea i don't even feel like i need to write one, it all just lines up so clearly. i wanna shout out robin with her narratively psychic abilities and for laying it all for us out so neatly!
oh, alright then. so, the quarantine of hawkins symbolizes the characters, by extension also the audience, being in compliance with the false narrative; conformity. the big, metal band-aid symbolizes hiding the truth. the mac-z and its accompanying military symbolizes the majority (and vecna/the mindflayer) enforcing the hiding of the truth -> enforcing the lie -> enforcing conformity. the radio signals symbolize the communication that bridges the gap between the lie and the truth.
i might have to come back and analyze the much kookier broadcast robin does in the epilogue, but for now - thank you for reading !! :-D
