Netflix's huge hit show bids farewell amid controversy

BarcelonaWhen Stranger Things The show, which premiered on Netflix, starred a group of innocent-faced children. When the series concludes this Thursday, its stars have grown into adults, far removed from that initial naiveté (some have even married and started families, as is the case with Millie Bobby Brown). Stranger ThingsSet in the 1980s, Hawkins has been one of the platform's biggest hits, and precisely for that reason, there's a lot of anticipation for the final episode, which is supposed to resolve all the mysteries surrounding the paranormal world of Hawkins. The series creators, the Duffer Brothers, have taken their time to tie up loose ends: the final episode will run for 125 minutes, or two hours and five minutes. Strategically, the episode premieres on New Year's Eve, a holiday for many viewers, making it a great family outing.

Reaching the final episode has been a slow, agonizing experience, as Netflix has split the season into three parts. The first four episodes premiered at the end of November, while the following three were released around Boxing Day. However, this strategy of delaying the release isn't working very well on the platform, and the final season is receiving numerous criticisms, some justified and others the result of a campaign. antiwoke Encouraged by Elon Musk, among others.

One of the main controversies of the season concerns the penultimate episode of the series, titled The BridgeIn this episode, one of the main characters, Will (Noah Schnapp), reveals to his family and friends that he is gay, information that viewers have known for several seasons. In many episodes, it has been hinted that Will is gay and that he feels unrequited attraction to his friend Mike, but this conflict hadn't been explicitly addressed until the final season. Although Will's coming out is consistent with the plot—his lack of acceptance is what has made him vulnerable to the series' biggest monster, Vecna—it has been poorly received by conservative fans and viewers, who have taken the opportunity to give the episode low ratings on specialized websites. For example, on IMDb The Bridge It has become the lowest-rated episode of the entire series, with a 5.4. "Fans of Stranger Things They're criticizing a character for coming out as gay in the last season, saying it's completely unnecessary to the plot. "Culture is changing," user Antunes, who is close to far-right views and has 95,000 followers, told X. Elon Musk immediately responded to the post with the following message: "It's completely unnecessary and forced on viewers who just want to enjoy basic science fiction." While intentional, the scene has also been criticized for being poorly executed, as it's a rather lengthy monologue that takes place when the characters are about to go out and fight to stop the apocalypse. USA Today

Who will die in 'Stranger Things'?

Putting all these criticisms aside, the latest episode of Stranger Things It faces several challenges. On the one hand, satisfactorily explaining all the paranormal details of the series. On the other, delivering an ending that is emotionally resonant enough for viewers who have been following the show for nine years. "This is not Game of ThunderWe're not in the west. I like it a lot. Game of Thunder But it's a very different kind of show. There won't be any situation like the Red Wedding. I think some of the things that happen at the end are very surprising, but we're not trying to shock or upset anyone. I hope that when people get to the very end, they'll feel that what happens is inevitable, and that it's not painful but satisfying," explained Matt Duffer, one of the creators, in The Hollywood Reporter

One of the things that could happen at the end, although the creators haven't confirmed it, is the death of some of the main characters. There are several names on the list of possible candidates. From Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who could sacrifice herself to defeat Vecna, to her adoptive father, former police officer Jim Hopper, who has also shown signs of being willing to sacrifice himself for the town and his daughter. To find out if any character will meet a tragic end, we'll have to wait until New Year's Eve.