Stranger Things

[SeventyOne]

For all the talk about how they didn’t “Game of Thrones” it up, y’all sure are continually making it sound like that’s indeed what happened.

Full disclosure: I have not actually seen the final season yet and will probably get around to it once Percy Jackson has wrapped up.

The actual ST final episode picks up the pace and has enough emotional heft that it works in the moment--it's only 10 minutes after that the plot holes and dangling threads become obvious.

Sort of a Pirates of the Caribbean 3 situation, if you're old enough to remember walking out of the theater with your friends all proclaiming it the best one yet. A month later, opinions had shifted.

I don't follow game of thrones but this fandom moment, this ending reminds me of the ending of season 8 of Dexter, not on the plot, but how everyone had so many fan theories of the ending and everyone was looking for clues everywhere in the entire season and nothing cool or interesting from the speculation happened lol

Speaking of theories, went down the Conformity Gate rabbit hole, and wow, the fans show way more creativity than the Duffers. (If episode 9 actually drops tomorrow, I'll take it all back and hail them as geniuses.)

 

[Freak]

Everyone on social media is expecting “Conformity Gate” to drop, but I think we’re gonna see a lot of Stranger Things fans storm the capitol of Netflix tomorrow on January 7th rejecting the results of the finale.

 

[Tbad556]

Ah desperation theories of a surprise bonus finale. Always a healthy sign of a well-wrapped finale lmao.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Ah desperation theories of a surprise bonus finale. Always a healthy sign of a well-wrapped finale lmao.

the same thing happened with peacemaker

 

[TheGentTrent]

Ah desperation theories of a surprise bonus finale. Always a healthy sign of a well-wrapped finale lmao.

Hey, it worked for Aqua Teen Hunger Force…

 

[Legacy]

I have a couple of simple questions regarding the Conformity Gate theory -

Spoiler

Why would Vecna separate Eleven from Mike and Hopper when leaving them together would prevent any emotional turmoil? And could Vecna create two false realities—one for Eleven and one everyone else—each fully populated by hundreds of people?

I think it’s all an epic amount of cope.

 

[Frogki]

Here's the thing, I just don't see how, if it were legit, there's no leaks whatsoever. Someone would have said something somewhere, I'm positive.

With that said, it's kind of a fun scenario to entertain. Someone put out the theory that the documentary coming out the 12th is actually the episode and that they're pulling a reference to Nightmare on Elm Street and honestly that would be mind blowing. Do I believe in it? No. Would it be incredible for a misdirection of this magnitude? Absolutely and I'll be here for it if a miracle of improbabilities allows it.
I also don't think they'd have

Spoiler

done the whole heartfelt 45 minute epilogue for that kind of fake out stunt...

 

[Lucky Planet]

the only thing I'm sure about is that vecna and the mind flayer

Spoiler

are out there still existing for any future spin offs. or at least copies of them. we saw the smoke coming out of the kids, that dimension still exists, and either a clone or something of vecna will return just because of the nature of their relationship being connected and all.

 

[MikePat]

Y'all, this Conformity Gate theory totally checks out. Netflix would definitely spend a secret $50 / 60 million on a hidden ninth episode, drop a fake finale in theaters, and charge people to see it… all while risking audience trust and potential legal trouble for deceptive advertising. Totally makes sense...

 

[TheCodeMan95]

I think the entire theory is 100% cope, but I did see something on reddit months ago that caught my attention while watching.

Spoiler

Someone posted a picture of filming taking place on a beach - I can't remember which characters they were, but I have to assume it was Hopper and Joyce with how things ended. When this scene didn't happen, it kinda threw me off.

I know there was talk of there being a "Duffer cut" - which is the most I could ever see us getting.

 

[jseal777]

Not as bad as the How I Met Your Mother finale/final few episodes.

I do think it would be funny if Vecna started being used as a verb like Flanders.

"They totally Vecna'd that character" -made him useless and powerless and uncharacteristically stupid after years of building him up to be a world ender.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I think the entire theory is 100% cope, but I did see something on reddit months ago that caught my attention while watching.

Spoiler

Someone posted a picture of filming taking place on a beach - I can't remember which characters they were, but I have to assume it was Hopper and Joyce with how things ended. When this scene didn't happen, it kinda threw me off.

I know there was talk of there being a "Duffer cut" - which is the most I could ever see us getting.

even if there's no new episode, and if their story is fully finished, they definitely wrote it in a way that makes it feel like something changed in their universe. like if they became an alternate universe or something

Spoiler

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

even if there's no new episode, and if their story is fully finished, they definitely wrote it in a way that makes it feel like something changed in their universe. like if they became an alternate universe or something

Spoiler

Sitting what way at graduation? Like a regular freaking person? What do people expect them to do, wave their arms around like lunatics the entire scene? This is getting ridiculous. Henry Creel did not CREATE holding your hands folded.

They were not included in the finale because they weren't important - hate to break it to anyone loving those characters - but during a finale you need to move at a breakneck speed and cover a lot of ground so naturally some things obviously fall wayside like exhibit B - unimportant side characters that never truly mattered. With this logic VECNA never would have known who CHRISSY or any of the kids from season 4 were, or EDDIE -in the first place- like... what's going on? Why is this happening. This is soooooo dumb.

 

[Tbad556]

even if there's no new episode, and if their story is fully finished, they definitely wrote it in a way that makes it feel like something changed in their universe. like if they became an alternate universe or something

Spoiler

Spoiler

I adore the sitting one because it's a basic extras stance for a scene like that and there are multiple people in those screenshots specifically not sitting like that lol. There's a guy in white touching his head, a woman in blue touching her chin, someone kinda slumped over with both arms fully at their sides, someone holding up a video camera in one arm, someone adjusting their graduation cap, etc. And then the Duffers already explained in interviews that they "left the fate of Vickie and Robin ambiguous intentionally". It's just mediocre writing, not some big crazy mystery.

I'm sorry. The whole theory and obsessive fan reaction just bums me out.

 

[Frogki]

^I understand this feeling, however, the Duffer Brothers encouraged people to get obsessive and overanalyze things for this series long ago and that's part of what fueled this IMO.

They have had a ton of fun games and hidden message type promotions since Season 2 and this season was no different except... Well, it was the last one. The reception has been super mixed but overall poor, and combine that with some fans who aren't ready to let go... It makes sense even if it's a nonsensical theory.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Sitting what way at graduation? Like a regular freaking person? What do people expect them to do, wave their arms around like lunatics the entire scene? This is getting ridiculous. Henry Creel did not CREATE holding your hands folded.

They were not included in the finale because they weren't important - hate to break it to anyone loving those characters - but during a finale you need to move at a breakneck speed and cover a lot of ground so naturally some things obviously fall wayside like exhibit B - unimportant side characters that never truly mattered. With this logic VECNA never would have known who CHRISSY or any of the kids from season 4 were, or EDDIE -in the first place- like... what's going on? Why is this happening. This is soooooo dumb.

Spoiler

I adore the sitting one because it's a basic extras stance for a scene like that and there are multiple people in those screenshots specifically not sitting like that lol. There's a guy in white touching his head, a woman in blue touching her chin, someone kinda slumped over with both arms fully at their sides, someone holding up a video camera in one arm, someone adjusting their graduation cap, etc. And then the Duffers already explained in interviews that they "left the fate of Vickie and Robin ambiguous intentionally". It's just mediocre writing, not some big crazy mystery.

I'm sorry. The whole theory and obsessive fan reaction just bums me out.

the theory keeps bringing up a bunch of little details even set design details and outright lies from some of the characters.

my only personal explanation for some of these is just alternate universe, this is starting to feel like some kind of "Mandela effect" inside the Stranger things universe lol
I fully believe all of these little elements will play out in the spin off. there has to be an answer for all these little changes, something caused by the wormhole

how can they change so many little things even on set without having any meaning? it's just TOO many small hints and clues that something is off
it's just so many elements.
no I do NOT believe in a secret episode lol.

( I know that everyone wants to blame the bad writing, but these feel like little clues for a game or something, or a possible future book or something)

I feel like the brothers or the writers added all.these little Easter eggs and clues for a future endeavor. this definitely feels like some kind of viral marketing or a scavenger hunt for a new project they have in mind.

it's even continuity problems on set

Spoiler

 

[JohnHammondsCane]

the theory keeps bringing up a bunch of little details even set design details and outright lies from some of the characters.
my only personal explanation for some of these is just alternate universe, this is starting to feel like some kind of "Mandela effect" inside the Stranger things universe lol
how can they change so many little things even on set without having any meaning?
it's just so many elements. no I do NOT believe in a secret episode lol. and the happy ending everyone got is the ending,

but I fully believe all of these little elements will play out in the spin off. there has to be an answer for all these little changes, they changed their reality somehow. like I said, this is starting to look exactly like "Mandela effect"stuff.
( I know that everyone wants to blame the bad writing, but these feel like little clues for a game or something, or a possible future book or something)

I feel like the brothers or the writers added all.these little Easter eggs and clues for a future endeavor. this definitely feels like some kind of viral marketing or a scavenger hunt for a new project they have in mind. I'm sure

Spoiler

This isn't directed at you, but the Stranger Things fandom needs to chillout.

Maybe this is just what we're in for, going forward, as people can rewatch and post on Reddit/X, about every small detail in shows. Most of what I've seen on X/Reddit are small coincidences that people have picked up by rewatching the show multiple times.

The Duffers/Netflix only have X amount of time to tell their story, and using considerable time on Vicky/Barb/Dustin's GF is just not worth putting on screen.

 

[Lucky Planet]

This isn't directed at you, but the Stranger Things fandom needs to chillout.

Maybe this is just what we're in for, going forward, as people can rewatch and post on Reddit/X, about every small detail in shows. Most of what I've seen on X/Reddit are small coincidences that people have picked up by rewatching the show multiple times.

The Duffers/Netflix only have X amount of time to tell their story, and using considerable time on Vicky/Barb/Dustin's GF is just not worth putting on screen.

if people didn't care as much about the show or were so disappointed in the finale then it wouldn't have been such a problem lol

I, mildy care.... midly lol, but I do love fan theories in general and I love fan speculation. I also love how creative some people get. I remember the fan theories for Dexter, walking dead, even breaking bad, it's always fun.
since stranger things deals with paranormal stuff and psychic abilities then the theories become even bigger.

for me it's just interesting and fun. connecting the dots. but if the writers and the brothers did not plan ANY of these hints then they just did not care at all about the final season. like I was saying, it's TOO much little things it becomes in purpose.

 

[Freak]

Everyone, it’s time to pack it up and go home. The shows over. Time to go home and move on with your lives.The show’s ending was mid, and we need to accept it.

I’m convinced that Tik Tok is some mass psychosis tool convincing people there would be a fireworks show on the Brooklyn Bridge on NYE and that there would be a secret ninth episode of ST.

 

[Tbad556]

^I understand this feeling, however, the Duffer Brothers encouraged people to get obsessive and overanalyze things for this series long ago and that's part of what fueled this IMO.

They have had a ton of fun games and hidden message type promotions since Season 2 and this season was no different except... Well, it was the last one. The reception has been super mixed but overall poor, and combine that with some fans who aren't ready to let go... It makes sense even if it's a nonsensical theory.

I mean, I get fan theories and stuff like that. That can be fun. This has blown way beyond that into some genuinely unhinged behavior on social media (not calling anyone here out). It's genuinely concerning to watch.

Like do we also think the several instances of them forgetting to edit out the actors’ Under Armour is a grand conspiracy? Or is there a chance that it’s just a show riddled with continuity errors? And a shop selling milkshakes in a time when it was more period accurate and not selling them in the ‘80s is… normal? A character that wasn’t present at all in the season (Suzie) not being in the epilogue is expected?

Every single thing presented has been kinda nothingness. I honestly don’t even get what could possibly be presented in one episode that can both be this massive twist people want while also being able to still end the series.