The popularity of original shows that made Netflix the streaming giant it is today.
The show's fourth and most ambitious season finished airing, introducing a variety of new characters including a new villain that has taken the fandom by storm, and also raised as many questions as it answered. As usual, fans have taken to social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter to express their myriad of opinions, whether good or bad.
Eddie's Death Could Have Been Better
Side characters have died in Stranger Things since the very first season, and it goes to show exactly how high the stakes are for the main characters. Eddie was given a likable personality and quickly became a fan favorite despite being a fairly new character, and his death in the finale has understandably saddened many fans.
But there are also those with the opinion that the character's ending should have been handled better, that it was lazy and predictable, as Redditor AgreeableInterview71 expresses their frustration by saying to them "it's the cheapest death ever."
The Russia Storyline Was Poorly Executed
Following the tradition of past seasons, season 4 followed the adventures of multiple groups simultaneously, and this time around one of the most vital arcs involved Joyce journeying to Russia to rescue Jim. The arc takes up a significant amount of screen time, as the group not only breaks into a high-security prison but breaks in again, and also introduces two of the best new characters in season 4.
Many fans are of the opinion that it was unnecessary in length, and Redditor segomon is far from the only one expressing this sentiment, as they say, "This whole season would've been so much better w/o any of the Russian subplot."
Nancy And Steve Should Stay Friends
Nancy and Steve are great friends and care for each other deeply, but their romantic relationship ended in season 2, after which Nancy started dating Jonathan Byers. But as season 4 establishes early on, the two have drifted apart since season 3 as the Byers family moved to a different state. Steve and Nancy are pushed to work together again due to the events of S4, and there are many clear hints that they might still have feelings for each other.
A lot of fans are intrigued by the idea of the old couple getting back together but a few are against it. That includes Capital_Rich_9362, who said, "steve and nancy dialogue and storyline was pointless."
The Satisfying Death Of A Despicable Villain
The show doesn't take long to establish that under the handsome looks and charm of Jason Carver lies an inexplicably hateful persona, and he quickly becomes one of the best antagonists in Stranger Things. Towards the end of the finale, as giant cracks start to appear in Hawkins, he is one of the first victims of the incident, being brutally torn in half in an easy-to-miss moment.
As explicit as the scene is, some fans are finding it hard not to enjoy it considering how dislikable the character was, as Redditor PumpedUpMatic puts it, "Best part of Episode 9: Jason died."
The Ending Doesn't Make Much Sense
In his final act before being defeated, Vecna opens massive tears throughout Hawkins that supposedly lead straight to the Upside Down, a drastic move bound to leave permanent consequences. And yet the show quickly skips two days ahead where the residents of the town have been convinced that it was apparently just an earthquake, a rather difficult to believe scenario.
The ending also suffers from the age-old problem of being left on a cliffhanger, as airborne particles from the Upside Downstart blowing into the real world. The "2 Days Later" part does the finale no favors, as Redditor IntelligentLibrary52 puts it, " Everything after 'two days later' just felt a little off tonally."
A Disappointing Final Battle
Season 4 spends hours of screentime on Eleven and One (Vecna) and their history together to establish exactly how closely they are connected, obviously leading to a big battle between the two in the finale. But the highly anticipated fight ended up being not only criminally short and filled with monologuing but also arguably inconsequential as Eleven is unable to stop Vecna from destroying Hawkins.
The actual final battle is perhaps going to take place in the next season, but for now, Redditor Wiki1727's "I think we all can agree that Vecna vs El final showdown is just so disappointing" complaint is valid.
Amazing Performance By The Cast
One of the things fans love most about Stranger Things is the superb acting skills of the main cast, and season 4 lets the young actors unleash their prowess even further.
The characters Max Mayfield and Lucas Sinclair take the spotlight many times in S4, most notably in the final moments of the last episode when Vecna almost kills Max. The scene is as horrifying as it is emotional, and fans can't praise the two actors enough for nailing it perfectly, such as Already-asleep who says, as a compliment, "Lucas and Max kill me."
No Serious Deaths
No one likes to see their favorite fictional character die, but often times it needs to happen to demonstrate exactly how dangerous the circumstances are. Although many have died throughout the course of the show's four seasons, the fact that the main characters are all alive and well is odd. Hopper was shown to be killed in season three but then quickly brought back, and a similar thing happened with Max.
The inability of the show to let go of the main characters has not escaped the eyes of fans, as Redditor bubblebass280 says "Honestly the fakeout deaths are starting the get repetitive and hinder the show."
Underused Characters
With a cast as huge as that of Stranger Things, it's not easy to focus on all characters equally, and that leaves many characters occasionally sidelined, something fans are quick to point out. Besides giving some obvious hints about the fact that he might be gay, season 4 doesn't give him a very useful role, and Redditor Xenochimp argues that "It seems like that unless Will's life is in danger they don't know what to do with him."
The finale teases a possibly bigger role for him in the next season, with him being able to sense Vecna, but for now, he is still one of the most underrated characters in Stranger Things.
Season 4 Should Have Been The Final One
The list of shows that outstayed their welcome is longer than it should be, and it is better to end while things are good than drag the story on for so long that the legacy of the show is ruined. That is exactly what Difficult_Permit2082 is worried about, as they say that they hope the showrunners "don’t ruin it with the last season."
The Duffer Brothers have more than proved their competence with their handling of the story so far, but only time will tell whether season 5 will be one of the worst or one of the best series finales ever.