‘Stranger Things’ fans name the tiniest moments that ended up having a massive impact

Netflix’s smash hit science-fiction extravaganza Stranger Things awaits its fifth and final season after dropping its fourth chapter in two separate volumes.

On May 27, 2022, the world returned to the sleepy town of Hawkins, where another monstrosity from the Upside Down, Vecna, wreaks havoc on the unsuspecting townsfolk, even going as far as to target one of the group’s core members, Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink). Stranger Things 4 follows the divided Hawkins troop across Indiana, California, and Russia as they all attempt to reunite and unravel Vecna’s master plan: to eradicate the barrier between Hawkins and the Upside Down, merging the two dimensions into one hellish underworld overrun by hostile otherworldly creatures.

For example, if the Demogorgon hadn’t targeted Will Byers, we never would have met the Mind Flayer, who attempts to destroy Eleven and her friends, all of Hawkins and all humanity. Since this is the most obvious example, it doesn’t necessarily apply here, but it just goes to show that Stranger Things wouldn’t have existed without Will battling the Mind Flayer. However, there are also minuscule moments that are infinitely important to the overarching Stranger Things storyline which are often overlooked in favor of the most impactful events.

Reddit has compiled a few memorable and influential moments from Stranger Things that might not have been world-altering, but definitely made a significant ripple in continuity. Let’s dive right in with some thought-provoking suggestions from the Stranger Things fanbase.

For these kinds of occurrences, we can refer to the butterfly effect — the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. For example, a butterfly beating its wings could start a hurricane years from now. It all depends on wind trajectory, speed, strength, etc.

Think about it, if you hadn’t visited that coffee shop on a Saturday in July, you never would have met your best friend. Maybe that analogy isn’t entirely accurate, but you get the point. If it still isn’t completely clear, check out Supermassive Games’ hit horror game Until Dawn — which implements the butterfly effect mechanic — and that will explain everything.

There are countless examples of where “what ifs” make us reconsider our whole life, so Stranger Things remains very realistic in that department, which is a lot to ask for a Netflix series about monsters and superpowers. In the grand scheme of things, if these small incidents hadn’t happened, Stranger Things could have been a very different show — and that applies in real life as well.

All seasons of Stranger Things are currently streaming on Netflix.