Stranger Things fans online are demanding to see cut scenes, claiming the new Season 5 episodes contain plot holes. The only problem? Most of their questions have already been answered, and the finale hasn't dropped yet.
Volume 2 of Stranger Things' fifth and final season was released on Christmas Day, and the series finale is set to be released on New Year's Eve. There are many complaints about the latest three episodes that are, quite frankly, baffling.
Many fans seemed to have missed things that were spelled out for them, while others are upset that the fan fictions they made up in their heads didn't come true. There are certainly valid criticisms to be had—it's rare to create a truly perfect show—but it's hard not to speculate that the loudest people on the Internet just weren't paying attention.
It's worth noting that you can't say there are "plot holes" when a show hasn't even ended. There are still two hours and eight minutes of information coming. So what exactly are people complaining about?
Are there cut scenes from Stranger Things season 5?
There's a document circulating on social media from a supposed reliable source that lists all the things that have been cut from Season 5. There's no actual evidence that this list is real. It's a Google document that could have been written by anyone and reads as a wishlist.
However, even if it is real, scenes have been cut from movies and TV shows since the beginning of the medium. Projects go through multiple drafts, which means pretty much everything you have ever watched has changed during the writing process. It's a completely normal practice.
There are likely some deleted scenes out there, but it's unlikely they fill any "plot holes." There was a time when fans were treated to deleted scenes thanks to physical media. Unfortunately, Netflix doesn't typically release projects on DVD, so even if there are cut scenes out there, fans probably won't get to see them. You can see the list that's circulating below, with a spoiler warning:
These claims have resulted in a Change.org petition demanding, "We want the unseen footage of Stranger Things," with 326,000 signatures at the time of this story's publishing.
Randy Havens, who plays Mr. Clarke on Stranger Things, is the only person from the show who has debunked the idea that there's another version of Season 5 out there. “There is no Snyder Cut of the show, please don’t believe everything some random ass tells you on the internet," he wrote on his Instagram stories.
However, it hasn't stopped fans from discussing the possibility of longer episodes that never made it to streaming. Here are some posts from people who are upset over the unconfirmed cuts:
Wait, what are fans complaining about?
There are people online claiming "everyone hated" the episodes that were released on Christmas, which is simply not true. Many fans loved that the episodes took time to focus on character development and emotional moments. It seems as though some fans were hoping for a bloodbath, while others are referring to the episodes as "filler."
Below, an X user claims a scene from the trailer was cut. It wasn't.
Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) had a conversation in this exact spot in those exact outfits in "Chapter Six: Escape From Camazotz." They don't show them from the angle screenshoted below, which means the scene could have been trimmed. However, that doesn't mean the scene was cut. We've seen it! Either way, trailer footage that's not in the final product is not uncommon. Just ask any MCU fan.
There are also complaints about Will's (Noah Schnapp) coming-out scene, with some claiming it was unnecessary or too long. First, the show has been teasing Will's sexuality since the very first episode. Second, it is explained in the scene that Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) showed Will what he feared most, which was losing his friends for being gay.
By coming out and being accepted, it's one less card Vecna can play against the party. And for the record, the scene was about five minutes long.
Are fans paying attention?
It seems as though some people just might not be paying attention. For that, we can blame Netflix for pushing the "second screen experience" narrative. That's clearly not how Stranger Things is meant to be watched, but it's happening anyway.
Now, this is a fair question.
Another fair question. What about the literal hole?
A hole in the Upside Down sucked everything nearby (RIP Steve's BMW) into an abyss, and some fans are wondering why that's not a bigger issue. It can be inferred that it stabilized just as the building around Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) was melting. It's leading to a bigger conversation on Reddit, which is a more understandable debate than the cut-scene complaints.
Where are the Turnbows? Last time we saw Derek's (Jake Connelly) family, they were still tied up in the barn. Not showing what happened to them isn't exactly a plot hole, but many people are understandably curious about their current whereabouts.
An unsatisfying reunion? Some fans are disappointed that Max (Sadie Sink) and Eleven didn't have a more powerful reunion. While they do have a sweet little interaction at the beginning of "Chapter Seven: The Bridge," it's understandable that people wanted to see more. This is an example of a normal, justified complaint.
Great question.
Is the filler in the room with us?
Ultimately, there is still one episode left! Save your complaints.
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