‘Stranger Things’ supporters have their issues with episode 9’s ending

Warning: Spoiler for Stranger Things season four to follow.

Season four of Stranger Things came to an exhilarating close yesterday, teeing up the fifth and final season while leaving viewers with misty eyes, shaky breathing, and, for some, escalating blood pressure.  

Following the aftermath of the heroes’ plan to kill Vecna, which we find out they were only half-successful at, we’re greeted with a two-day timeskip in which the many scattered protagonists reunite in Hawkins, which has been devastated by the opening of the largest Upside Down gate to date. With hugs and kisses exchanged, everyone got their two seconds of bliss before gazing at an ominous cloud above Hawkins, indicating that the Upside Down has entered their world.

But not everyone was happy with the ending of season four; some of its detractors took to r/StrangerThings to air their frustrations at the timeskip, which many believe brought the film’s emotional tension to a screeching halt.

A hefty amount of responders were disappointed that we didn’t see many characters mourn the loss of Eddie, who sacrificed himself during the assault on Vecna. Even some who spent relatively more time around Eddie than others, such as Steve, Nancy, and Robin, seemed to have forgotten about him after the timeskip.

Some responders countered this, however, pointing out that mourning Eddie was an emotional beat that could be accomplished by Dustin alone, whereas many other plotlines of season four needed more attention for their closure.

Another user was irritated about Max’s death being reversed, noting how it took away from the impactful moment shared between Max and Lucas prior to the timeskip.

Whatever vexations you may have with the ending, it’s a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things; with season four, the Duffer Brothers dropped over 13 hours of some of the best entertainment to ever hit Netflix. And even if the ending did fall flat, the following season that was ultimately set up by it will almost certainly make up for it.

Stranger Things season four is currently available to stream on Netflix.