⚠︎ S5 FINALE SPOILERS AHEAD !! ⚠︎ s5 was good but not rewatchable, at least for me. the ending was ok and most plot lines were tied up nicely. i like the older group's ending in particular and el's as well! will's felt very.. not really rushed per say, just not too much thought put into it, but it wasn't as bad as it could've been ig. upset that his epilogue bf was yet another undeveloped character made solely for the purpose of inserting a queer relationship (he didn't even have a name..) and kinda annoyed that vicky wasn't mentioned ONCE in the epilogue. oh and they never brought up the painting. and there was a HUGE lack of just an actual heart to heart between will and mike. BUT. i love the byler fandom so much and i can't wait to read future fanfics since we now know the ending!! lol. fyi i didn't think byler was endgame after vol 2 :c also. my family and i's reactions to a lot of stuff was js laughter- like the finale wasn't super.. emotionally affecting? the epilogue was though (at least more so). and i liked henry's arc with the mind flayer, and him actually being more of a victim! that was interesting. i thought it was dumb that they introduced kali just to have someone to kill, though lowk.. also the end credits being an advertisement pmo ^^" it proved to me more than anything how like- while st started out as a wee little show that was only planned to last a season.. it's now insanely popular among basically EVERYONE and makes a few people a crap ton of money. meh. popularity isn't so good for a show about outcasts and freaks imo, especially not for the character arcs of those who are different (like will). anyways thx for reading all this! i might add to this or post smth else if i forgot anything. feel free to comment here i'll probably reply!! <3 i like owm *thumbs up* the fandom scares me though ☠️
edit 1/1/26 so i changed my mind after thinking about it. i lowk hate s5. there are SO many plot holes left untouched and SO much that was just glossed over or ignored completely- for example, the painting, which mike has hanging in his room now-?? it's taunting me. and the fact that noah schnapp had to ASK the duffers to add the ladder scene between him and mike. that is awful. if he hadn't done that there would be NO CLOSURE. and still, there's barely any. never trusting 2 straight guys to write queer characters again ^^" plus the fact that they NEVER EXPLAINED why henry needed 12 children-??? hello? that's like.. THE major plot line. and yk, that on top of every queer character being done SO DIRTY i can't. aughhh so yeah.