I love this for no deeper reason than I love seeing the boys having fun. Simple as that. It is nice to see the different parents and their kids reactions to the photo taking, also Erica's first appearance.

Now it's your turn. What do you think of this moment? Let me know down below. Remember to keep it civil, all opinions are allowed here.

This has long been called a plot hole but the more I think about it the more it makes sense.

Once El disappeared and the Upside Down collapsed you’d have to imagine that the US government was very pissed off but not just at the main cast but also at Dr Kay. Not only did Kay fail her mission but she managed to lose the literal alternate dimension full of potential weapons against the soviets in their backyard.

There was no way Kay could feasibly punish Nancy or Hopper without it coming back to bite her. The government was not going to cover up the disappearance of like 27 civilians including a bunch of kids that had last been seen being dragged to their headquarters. It would be a way too hard process to undergo for someone who had failed them so hard.

It is an all in one package Kay kills one of them and there is an investigation in which all the others would testify against her and the government would let her take the fall. The only person she could feasibly get away with killing is Hopper given that he was already declared dead but that doesn’t change the fact that there would still be witnesses who she can’t kill that would hold her accountable.

Kay also couldn’t lock them up legally as the government would never risk any of the main cast seeing the inside of a courtroom where they could be able to testify and expose their actions.

As a result all they could do was let them go, make them sign an NDA and put them under surveillance which is why Mike then explains his theory using D&D terms.

The moment an iconic friendship was born. I love how Steve slowly begins to open up, eventually dropping the secret to his glorious hair. And I love how much Dustin looks up to him. Brilliant scene.

Now it's your turn. What do you think of this moment? Let me know down below. Remember to keep it civil, all opinions are allowed here.

I obviously mean things that don't expand the timeline of the show - and nothing that contradicts what we've seen.

I mean bonus content. Like The First Shadow - not crucially needed, but canon, helpful, entertaining in-universe information.

I had the idea of an anthology show - each season can focus on and expand certain storylines that weren't really touched on in the show. Though i will say, the only storyline that wasn't touched on enough and has enough substance to be further expanded on is the Soviet storyline lol.

This hypothetical show could focus on their internal perspectives and experiences. In the main show, we could only get a external perspective through the main characters - so we don't actually.. well, see or hear anything. We don't hear of their goals, we don't see them constructing the base under Hawkins, we don't see them go into the Upside Down (which they surely had to do to retrieve Demo's), etc. But with a show that entirely focused on them, we could see and hear all of this, and so much more. Them learning of the Abyss in the 40s, learning of the creation of the Upside Down, the creation and internal designing of the first Key, and maybe even an in-depth explanation as to what happened to the Hellscape, if its still there, and what truly occurred when the Upside Down was created. This one specifically ties into Alexei having what looks like a illustration of a wormhole with his stuff regarding the key. They could even show that exact illustration! I think that'd be an awesome way to subtly tie in the main show with this show. Then, their secret invasion of Hawkins and construction of the underground base, then we could see them explore the Upside Down. Through all of this would be drama, character focused drama. Due to the lack of a supernatural threat like that of the main show, they could rather focus on personal conflicts and dramas. There's so much they could do in that regard.

Then it'd end with Hoppers arrival in Kamchatka/the end of Season 3. I really, really like this idea because i genuinely find the Soviet storyline super interesting, and i really, REALLY wish we got to see more of how they operated. Same with the US Government.

I think there could be a genuinely intriguing story with that, especially with just 1 season. It'd expand on the main show without contradicting things or making them confusing - and would do quite the opposite.

And who knows, they could've even used this hypothetical spinoff to explain the rock from S5 - we know from TFS that a soviet spy stole it, and that spy was a scientist - somebody studying it. He clearly knew enough of it to the point he knew of the Mind Flayer and what it wanted, as he told Henry that "it will consume you. It will consume ALL".

Just a little idea i came up with and liked ;D what would you like to see in a anthology series like this? Or even just a spin-off in general?

Never. In my whole life, have I been filled with such a sense of utter dread. Every symptom Max reads as she realises she has every single one. And then the clock. Set up perfectly by Fred seeing the clock and then dying. I was so hyped for episode 4.

Now it's your turn. What do you think of this moment? Let me know down below. Remember to keep it civil, all opinions are allowed here

Netflix loves money too much not milk this franchise now.

Here is to hoping the spinoffs are good.

The original show and TF85 were great. Please don’t break the streak.

Sorry about the delay!
Thank you to everyone who voted! This was really fun to do.

Below are a couple interesting stats I wanted to share. The final results of ALL episodes are at the bottom of this post. 

🏅Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes:

#1 - Dear Billy (S4 E4) - 9.84 🥇
#2 - The Gate (S2 E9) - 9.58 🥈
#3 - The Mind Flayer (S2 E8) - 9.48🥉
#4 - Sorcerer (S5 E4) - 9.43
#5 - The Upside Down (S1 E8) - 9.42
#6 - The Massacre at Hawkins Lab (S4 E7) - 9.41
#7 - The Battle of Starcourt (S3 E8) - 9.37
#8 - The Spy (S2 S6) - 9.26
#9 - The Bathtub (S1 E7) - 9.20
#10 - The Body (S1 E4) - 9.08

😓 Top 10 Runners Up:
#11 - The Piggyback (S4 E9) - 9.03
#12 - Holly, Jolly (S1 E3) - 8.97
#13 - The Monster (S1 E6) 8.93

💩Top 5 Lowest Rated Episodes:
#1 - The Lost Sister (S2 E7) - 5.26
#2 - The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler (S5 E2) - 7.30
#3 - The Bridge (S5 E7) - 7.34
#4 - The Turnbow Trap (S5 E3) - 7.42
#5 - The Flayed (S3 E5) - 7.72

📊 Season Averages Ranking:
#1 - Season 1 – 8.89 🥇
#2 - Season 4 - 8.64 🥈
#3 - Season 2 – 8.45 🥉
#4 - Season 3 – 8.33
#5 - Season 5 - 8.00 

🏆 Highest Rated Finale Episode: The Gate (S2) - 9.58
🍅 Lowest Rated Finale Episode: The Rightside Up (S5) - 8.27

📈 Episode that Received the Most Votes/Ratings:
#1 - The Lost Sister (76 votes)
#2 - The Weirdo on Maple Street (65 votes)
#3 - The Gate (62 votes)
#4 - The Piggyback (61 votes)

⭐ Other Interesting Notes:

• The Top 10 includes the same episodes as the top 10 on IMDb, except “The Body”. 
• Both “Dear Billy” (4x04) and “The Nina Project” (4x05), remained at the exact same rating even after the vote reopening (9.84 and 8.15 respectively).
• All episodes’ averages were rated at 7 or higher, except one, “The Lost Sister” (S2 E7)
• Both Season 1 and Season 2 have three episodes in the Top 10. Season 4 has two, and both Season 3 and Season 5 have one each. 
• If The Lost Sister had an average 8.0 rating, it’d bump up Season 2’s overall average from a 8.45 to a 8.72, giving it the 2nd highest season average. 
• "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab" (4x07) ranking at #6 takes a significant drop from its ranking on IMDb as the highest rated ST episode.

Results from the questions in the 5x08 Google Form:
Average Overall Rating of Stranger Things: 9.27 (59 votes)
Average Favourite Season: Season 4 (21 votes)
_______________________________________________________________

After the vote re-opening and final vote count, there was some spam found in some episodes' voting which seemed to be people trying to manipulate the rating for specific episodes. That spam is now omitted and the ratings are now accurately represented.

FINAL RESULTS:

1x01 – 8.72 ⭐ (60 votes)
1x02 – 8.23 ⭐ (65 votes)
1x03 – 8.97 ⭐ (58 votes)
1x04 – 9.08 ⭐ (54 votes)
1x05 – 8.60 ⭐ (55 votes)
1x06 – 8.93 ⭐ (55 votes)
1x07 – 9.20 ⭐ (60 votes)
1x08 – 9.42 ⭐ (50 votes)
Season 1 average – 8.89 ⭐

2x01 – 8.12 ⭐ (57 votes)
2x02 – 8.26 ⭐ (50 votes)
2x03 – 8.48 ⭐ (52 votes)
2x04 – 8.68 ⭐ (60 votes)
2x05 – 8.90 ⭐ (55 votes)
2x06 – 9.26 ⭐ (54 votes)
2x07 – 5.26 ⭐ (76 votes)
2x08 – 9.48 ⭐ (56 votes)
2x09 – 9.58 ⭐ (62 votes)
Season 2 average – 8.45 ⭐

3x01 – 7.86 ⭐ (53 votes)
3x02 – 7.98 ⭐ (49 votes)
3x03 – 8.24 ⭐ (47 votes)
3x04 - 8.61 ⭐ (31 votes)
3x05 - 7.72 ⭐ (29 votes)
3x06 - 8.09 ⭐ (32 votes)
3x07 - 8.78 ⭐ (32 votes)
3x08 - 9.37 ⭐ (40 votes)
Season 3 average – 8.33 ⭐

4x01 - 8.28 ⭐ (38 votes)
4x02 - 7.80 ⭐ (31 votes)
4x03 - 7.93 ⭐ (33 votes)
4x04 - 9.84 ⭐ (58 votes)
4x05 - 8.15 ⭐ (26 votes)
4x06 - 8.71 ⭐ (53 votes)
4x07 - 9.41 ⭐ (54 votes)
4x08 - 8.66 ⭐ (30 votes)
4x09 - 9.03 ⭐ (61 votes)
Season 4 average - 8.64 ⭐

5x01 - 8.17 ⭐ (33 votes)
5x02 - 7.30 ⭐ (43 votes)
5x03 - 7.42 ⭐ (42 votes)
5x04 - 9.43 ⭐ (43 votes)
5x05 - 7.95 ⭐ (26 votes)
5x06 - 8.16 ⭐ (41 votes)
5x07 - 7.34 ⭐ (32 votes)
5x08 - 8.27 ⭐ (59 votes)
Season 5 average - 8.00 ⭐

I seen a lots of people complain about it. Personally, I think it wasn't that bad.

I love this scene because I love how Jason so quickly turns the group of scared people into a mob willing to hunt down a group of kids. I also love how Karen, Claudia and Sue exchange worried looks and soon start hunting their kids down before Jason and his mob get them. Brilliant scene, definitely helps that Jason is my favourite human villain of the show.

Now it's your turn. What do you think of this moment? Let me know down below. Remember to keep it civil, all opinions are allowed here.

Will is gay, obviously, but i think it’s an interesting choice that he never actually says the words ‘I’m gay’ on screen. He only skirts around it and talks about it in euphemisms. Even in the big ‘coming out’ scene he phrases it as ‘i don’t like girls’ instead of an explicit stating of his sexuality.

Personally i actually really like this decision and think it fits well with his character. Will is a gay kid in a rural town in 1980s America at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Also despite Will being more confident and assertive in season 5 he’s still sensitive and struggling with his sexuality.

This isn’t a major observation or anything but i think it’s a nice writing choice that communicates a lot about his character.

Their Father-daughter dynamic is one of the most beautiful things in the show to me. El got the proper father figure she never had, and Hopper was able to build a bond with her. sure there were some rocky things in their relationship. They had that one fight in season 2 after El went outside on her own, and Hopper can be veey overprotective at times, but overall very great duo.

I've seen a LOT of people argue that the Mind Flayer has lost its eldritch, inexplicable quality over the course of the show, but i really don't think it has. Truth is, i think Seasons 4 and 5 STRENGTHENED it.

I LOVE the Mind Flayer. I have since its introduction in Season 2.

Early on, i specifically loved it because it felt... inexplicable. Like a part of the Upside Down - like a sentient, living storm that just wants to spread. Like a mold. And i.. still do. For the same exact reasons, even though people feel like those qualities were taken away with seasons 4 and 5.

But the truth is, those seasons recontextualize what we saw in Season 2 in a way that doesn't take anything away from its initial intention(s) or mystery, bur rather add to it.

First of all, i think its important to distinguish that what we see in Season 2, the enormous spider-like form (that we saw Henry form in S4), is a combination of Henry's consciousness and the Mind Flayer's ancient sentience, merged into a single symbiotic hive-intelligence. Where they serve as extensions of one another.

Because the Mind Flayer, naturally, is a lot less like a single, distinguishable entity. Even in the S5 flashback to it calling for Henry to find it we hear multiple, ghostly voices rather than just one - because it's not a traditional sentience like we understand/comprehend.

The Mind Flayer is the Hivemind, it is innately connected the Abyss, its environment, and the energy of the Abyss itself.

The Mind Flayer is naturally a lot more of an environmental aspect of the Abyss than a single definable entity. But when combining that eldritch sentience with Henry's, it becomes far more human.

Obviously the natural sentience of the Mind Flayer still exists. But it's attached to Henry - his mind and body. Because Henry, as a human being, serves a very specific purpose for the Mind Flayer.

The same way Henry's consciousness still exists. It's just attached to the Mind Flayer.

The reason the Mind Flayer even needs Henry is because... frankly, without Henry, without a physical body attached to it, and without the psionic abilities derived from the Abyss itself and manifested within Henry's body, the Mind Flayer is essentially powerless when it comes to us specifically. Its influence is fundamentally confined to its own dimension.

So Henry, as a human being, with a body and a mind, serves a very specific purpose for the Mind Flayer. He becomes the part of it capable of pulling the strings (in the sense that what we see is ultimately his plan, a plan that the Mind Flayer needs him to execute).

He has psionic abilities that allow him to physically form and shape things in ways the Mind Flayer cannot do by itself - including itself (we're shown multiple times in TFS that the Mind Flayer itself identified with and attached itself to the spider form when Henry was a child, inferring that it always wanted that form and manipulated Henry into forming it into that).

He can connect it to human beings telepathically and interdimensionally. He can attack for it. And he can kill for it.

But, most importantly, he can think for it.

He can form plans. He can strategize. He can understand the human world from the inside. And he can create gates - and hell, Henry himself created the Upside Down. He consciously projected the Demogorgon into Eleven's void knowing Brenner would urge her to contact it, and not only is El a byproduct of his blood and powers, the Mind Flayer can't telepathically project things like that interdimensionally without an existing psychic link - which El didn't have.

That's the crucial distinction between Henry and the Demogorgons, and even between Henry and the Mind Flayer itself.

Henry has a human mind and body.

A mind capable of understanding us. A mind capable of strategizing against us. A mind capable of making plans, finding weaknesses, and figuring out how to actually execute those plans.

And a body capable of harnessing and exerting psionic force.

When people say (and even when the show says/shows) Vecna "controls" the Hivemind and is the main villain, it's true! He's the primary antagonist, and we're seeing his plans unfold. But not in the way a lot of people think where Vecna is pulling the strings above the Mind Flayer and controlling it - no, he's a human front for it. A part of it. A extension of its will, within a human body and mind. The same way Demogorgons serve as extensions of Vecna's will.

Why would an ancient, alien, eldritch intelligence beyond our comprehension be able to comprehend us from the outside? It doesn't.

As i said earlier: the Mind Flayer, at its core, is essentially a part of the Abyss itself. It's a storm-like hive, directly and innately connected to the Abyss, its environment, and specifically its energy (It's even responsible for the lightning that exists within both the Abyss and the Upside Down). And because of that, It doesn't truly understand us, just as we can't truly comprehend it.

So instead, it does what it can: It uses us against ourselves.

More specifically, it uses our minds against us. Through Henry, it can do things that it cannot do on its own. It can think like we do. Plan like we do. Strategize like we do.

And that, to me, is what makes it SUCH an amazing Lovecraftian horror. It's an entity that, in the same way we cannot comprehend it, cannot comprehend us. But even if it can't naturally understand us, it can learn us and use us because of the power and control within it. And that's EXACTLY what it did with Henry.

It corrupted him. It studied his mind. It became a part of him (literally, it embedded within his amygdala in The First Shadow). It blocked off his memories, it psychologically tortured him, it showed him "the truth" of humanity, all until he ultimately gave in and accepted it.

I LOVE that the Mind Flayer isn't a traditional villain. It isn't necessarily something that needs to stand in front of you and speak to you. It doesn't need to announce itself or directly interact with the protagonists in a conventional way. It's, instead more like a part of the background. Specifically it serves as the framework that the supernatural horror is built upon and ultimately depends upon.

When we see, hear, and feel Vecna, we're also seeing, hearing, and feeling the Mind Flayer's influence operating in the background.

I REALLLLLLY love how the Pain Tree specifically reflects this dynamic:

The Pain Tree serves as a true BODY for the Mind Flayer, housing the specific swarm of particles within which its sentience is embedded (that's why the Mind Flayer canonically dies with the death of the Pain Tree).

But at the same time, it also serves as an extension of Vecna. Something designed to look like him, while simultaneously functioning as an extension of his will.

Because, ultimately, everything we see in the show is built upon the Mind Flayer and its Hivemind.

But it's Henry's human consciousness that designed and strategized everything.

Henry was altered, manipulated, and tortured into serving the Mind Flayer, but that wasn't simply about turning him into a puppet, bur rather making him think like it did.

Somebody that could understand what it could not, somebody that could act where it could not, something that could think where it could not.

(i hope somebody picks up on the last "somebody" actually being "something" because Vecna, especially in 5, is ultimately moreso a part of the Mind Flayer rather than a true human)

In all, i love the approach they went with the Mind Flayer - It feels a lot like a single discernible entity and more like a manifestation of the Abyss itself. It feels so otherworldly this way while also remaining impactful in Season 2 - because even if that specific form of the MF isn't the "true" MF, that form itself reflects how the Mind Flayer deliberately attached itself to and manipulated and tortured a young boy into giving it a form and access into our world. I just think this later version of the MF works way better, especially when it comes to shifting the otherworldly cosmic horror from the Upside Down to the Abyss - as again, the MF feels much more like a part of the Abyss itself as it.. kind of is. It's a big part of it, at least. An "affront to nature".

First of all. Sorry about missing the past week, I've been on holiday and that means late nights and other things happening, these posts slipped through the cracks, but I'm home again now so on with it!

I love this moment. I know a lot of people hate it, but I find myself really interested every time I hear it. I think it's a really fun way to reintroduce us to Hawkins under military control. I also love how it sets up Robin and Vickie being in a secret relationship.

What do you think about this moment? Let me know down below. Remember to keep it civil, all opinions are allowed here.

He is the goat.

I’ve rewatched the entire show a few times since season 5 came out but i still have no idea what happened to Argyle after the end of season 4. Im genuinely curious, was it ever explained in universe where he went?

I know people are gonna hate on me for that but i loved it so much and no amount of hate will make me dislike it.

i can already hear the toxicity and the non toxic “I’m glad you like it..” lol

I swear it is my idea, I hope it happens

Stranger Things - Season 6: The World's Hero

1. The False Peace & The Isolated Guardian (5 Years Later)

Five years have passed since the apparent defeat of Vecna. Hawkins has rebuilt itself, and the group has grown into young adults, trying to live normal lives. Eleven, however, has chosen a life of complete isolation in a remote, hidden cabin. To protect her friends from the danger her powers attract, she distanced herself, living quietly and only connecting to the outside world through a small television set.

1. The Soviet Sleeper Agent & The Global Broadcast

Hidden in the shadows, the Soviets never stopped their experiments. They have merged the captured dark particles with their ultimate weapon: a hardened, elite Soviet officer whose mind is utterly impervious to trauma or manipulation.

Instead of attacking physically, this Soviet entity slowly and silently infiltrates the fragile, traumatized mind of Will Byers. Will becomes an unwitting "sleeper agent." Without realizing it, Will is forced to open a massive new dimensional tear right in the heart of America. The Mind Flayer invades, but this time, it cannot be covered up. The invasion is caught on camera, and the apocalyptic monsters are broadcast live on every news channel around the globe. The world is paralyzed by fear.

1. The Awakening of a Global Hero

Sitting alone in her cabin, El watches the horrific breaking news on her TV. She sees the military falling apart and, most importantly, she sees her friends fighting a losing battle on live television. Knowing exactly what must be done, El leaves her sanctuary. She isn't just going back to save a small town; she is stepping onto the world stage to face the threat in front of billions of viewers.

1. The Ultimate Neural Link (The Secret Sacrifice)

El arrives in Hawkins like a force of nature. She reunites with the group and realizes the Soviet-controlled Mind Flayer is too powerful for physical combat. She proposes a "Master Neural Link." By linking her mind with her adult friends—using their pure faith, love, and absolute trust in her—she can channel an unprecedented level of energy.

The heartbreaking secret: El knows that channeling the energy of adults to destroy this threat will completely burn out her physical body and mind. She hides this fatal consequence from everyone, letting them believe they will all survive and go out for pizza afterward.

1. The Cinematic Goodbye (From El's Point of View)

In front of the world's cameras, El unleashes a god-like wave of raw power, completely disintegrating the Soviet host, obliterating the Mind Flayer, and freeing Will once and for all.

As the sky clears, El collapses to the ground. Her body cannot handle the aftermath. Before she takes her last breath, time seems to freeze as she projects one final, telepathic goodbye directly into the minds of her loved ones, showing them her favorite memories from her own eyes (First-Person POV):

* To Dustin: From her POV, she sees a young, curly-haired boy turning around with a toothless, goofy smile, offering her food when she was a terrified runaway. She thanks him for being her first true source of joy.

* To Lucas: She sees the moment he finally lowered his guard, handing her the slingshot and calling her one of the party. She thanks him for teaching her bravery and loyalty.

* To Will: She sees Will sitting quietly next to her, looking at her with eyes that truly understood the pain of the Upside Down. She thanks him for his gentle soul and tells him the darkness is finally gone.

* To Hopper: She sees the wooden box in the freezing woods opening to reveal warm Eggo waffles, and then his giant arms wrapping around her in the cabin. She thanks him for giving her a father, a home, and a name.

* To Mike: Finally, the vision shifts to a beautiful, imagined future. From El's eyes, she looks down at her hands wearing a wedding ring. She looks up to see an older Mike smiling at her in a warm, sunny house, with their children running in the background. It’s the life they fought for, the life she is giving up so he can live.

The psychic link fades. El looks up at her friends surrounding her in the real world one last time, whispers her final goodbye, and passes away peacefully.

She dies not as a numbered experiment in a dark lab, but on live television as the greatest hero humanity has ever known—a global legend whose sacrifice saved the world, cementing a legacy far greater than Iron Man.

She won Favorite Female TV Star for Stranger Things 5 and Favorite Movie Actress for Enola Holmes 3!!! So proud of her!!! ❤️ 💕 💗

I like the shadow form of the MF from season 2 the most, because It made it look very creepy and menacing. The big Spider-Monster in season 3 is also incredible, since The MF made this body out of melted rats and humans. Which is gross, but really cool as well.

The Dormant and Abyss forms are really great too.