Stranger Things has been a steady constant for Gen Z. From its original debut in 2016 to its finale airing this past New Year’s, the show (and its cast) has grown up with today’s teenagers and young adults. This, along with its widespread popularity, has resulted in high expectations from fans, especially for a show’s finale. However, many were left disappointed. 

“[The finale] wasn’t amazing for a show like Stranger Things. I expected more because of the show’s concept,” Jonathan Sermon (9) said.

Fans were so disappointed with the real ending that the internet exploded with conspiracy theories, one of the more prevalent being another “real” final episode being released on January 9th. This phenomenon was called “Conformity Gate” (CGT).

“People got their expectations too high and convinced themselves there would be another episode. I [didn’t] think the Duffer Brothers or Netflix would do something like that [though],” Sermon said.

The finale was released for viewers in thousands of theaters across the country. For this reason, many Conformity Gate doubters found the theory to be unlikely. 

“It would make no sense. People were kind of delusional about it,” Matthew Court (11) said.

The Stranger Things fandom split over popular theories, making the finale controversial. However, criticism towards the finale went far beyond just fan speculation; some fans pointed out storytelling issues and unresolved plotlines, leaving many fans wanting more.

“I think there’s a mass dislike because people expected something that was never going to happen, and the hive mind just became overly negative,” Court said. “The final fight could have been different, and there were a lot of character storylines that weren’t wrapped up. There were corners of the story that they didn’t go to that they should have. Overall, I think the season could have been written better.”

The majority of the students at Grandview agree with Court’s analysis. Watchers point out issues such as unresolved plotlines, such as Hawkins merging with the Upside Down. Ultimately, when Volume 1was released, viewers were disappointed to see the creators completely blow over the event and not add more to the story. Despite all of the criticism, some fans, including Court, believed that even though the ending had many flaws, it was still an ending that many fans could appreciate.

“The ending wasn’t perfect and had countless flaws, but Stranger Things is still a show I’ll always carry with me, one that left me with so many memories I didn’t realize I’d miss until they were already gone.” Aisa Morales said.