Bam Smack Pow
Fansided

4 most common Stranger Things complaints that don’t matter (and 3 that do)

By Bryce Olin

STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, and Joe Keery as Steve Harrington in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, and Joe Keery as Steve Harrington in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next
Vecna - Stranger Things
STRANGER THINGS. Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022 /

Vecna is Stranger Things’ big bad and has been the whole time

One common complaint about Stranger Things season 4 was about Vecna and how it appears Vecna has been pulling the strings from afar on everything that happened for three seasons. I hate that this is the direction the show went in season 4.

Why it matters: As we all know, it was revealed that Henry Creel aka One aka Vecna has been the “Big Bad” of the series the whole time. Vecna has been pulling the strings of the Shadow Monster, aka Mind Flayer, the Demogorgon, and other Upside Down creatures for three seasons before entering the frey himself in season 4.

We learn Eleven’s history with One and how Eleven is responsible for sending him into the Upside Down. I guess? We still don’t understand everything about Vecna and the Upside Down, but season 4 seemed clear that Vecna has been behind all of this suffering for so long.

This criticism is valid, and while I don’t know if I agree that Vecna has been behind everything, it sure felt like the Duffers and creative team were trying to connect the dots and tie everything together with that Vecna reveal. I don’t think it was necessary, even if they planned it from the beginning. It was too heavy-handed in a show that had a lot of success playing in the margins, if that makes sense. I understand the allure of trying to make it all fit together, but this show doesn’t have to. Things can happen, and the kids, parents, and cop with issues can save the day, and that can be it. We can all go home. It doesn’t all have to fit this perfect puzzle, but that looks like the path we’re on in season 5 and beyond in the world of Stranger Things. 

Home/TV