After a nine year run time, the Netflix hit show “Stranger Things” has finally come to an end. On New Year’s Eve, the last episode dropped to viewers who, for the most part, seem disappointed in the writing. Many plot holes and unfinished story lines leave fans wondering: Was that it?
The final season was released in three volumes. The first four episodes came out on Thanksgiving, the penultimate volume consisted of three episodes that were released on Christmas, and the finale debuted on New Year’s Eve. Many stole away from the festivities to stream the show. Senior Lydia Lasater said she watched most episodes as soon as they came out.
Due to the show’s long run time, the actors have grown up on screen, and the viewers have grown with them. The concept of a “hive mind” is prevalent in the show, not only through the actions of the demagorgons, but also the characters, in the sense that one person’s actions affects everyone else’s. Lasater said she enjoyed these aspects of the show.
“I really liked seeing the kids grow up and seeing them find their place and how they still stayed friends,” Lasater said. “I also really liked the hive mind idea and how that works with the characters too, how they can all be in different places and still affect each other.”
A main criticism of “Stranger Things” is the multitude of characters. The final end credit scene alone displays 18 actors, many of which viewers argued should have been killed off. Despite this, English teacher Jennifer Perone said she enjoyed the connection between the characters and how they developed.
“I really like Robin and Will’s relationship and their connection. I do like all of the different dynamics of friendships and relationships and couples and how those characters are developing so I like how they’re trying to connect towards a finale,” Perone said.
Fans have been theorizing about “Stranger Things” since the first season, but now that the show is officially over, viewers can’t help but speculate. A popular conspiracy theory has been named “Conformity Gate” online. Believers thought that the ending was fake and Vecna was still controlling the characters. In addition, they thought an additional ninth episode would be released on Jan. 7.
Lasater said that she believes Vecna is in control and the show creators, the Duffer brothers, have more to say.
“I do think that Vecna is controlling everything. I do think he is controlling us, [the viewer] because I do think that the Duffer brothers are smart and I think that they have more to tell,” Lasater said. “Whether they’re conspiring behind our backs, [or] maybe [they] got lazy [or] ran out of time [to not make another episode]. But I do think that Vecna has something to do with it.”
On the other hand, junior JJ Smith does not believe the conspiracy theories. He said he believes the show is over and the writers aren’t going to add to the show.
“I heard a popular theory that they are [still] trapped like it’s not actually [the] real ending, but I don’t really think so. They already ended the show and I don’t think they would do anything extra,” Smith said.
