Stranger Things returns for the season five finale on New Year’s Day in the UK as fans launch a petition calling for unseen footage to be released
Stranger Things makes its return for the fifth and final season finale on New Year’s Day in the UK, with devoted fans bracing themselves for the poignant conclusion as the curtain falls on this beloved era. The finale, spanning just over two hours, will reveal whether Eleven (portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and their companions managed to vanquish Vecna for good.
The second volume of the concluding season, comprising three episodes that sparked criticism from audiences, packed in substantial amounts of plot development with numerous significant revelations for viewers to digest. Among these was the discovery that the Upside Down was essentially a ‘wormhole’ connecting two dimensions, with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) scheming to unite these realms.
The group devised an ingenious strategy, though Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) appears to have convinced Eleven to make the ultimate sacrifice for the collective benefit. Prior to the final instalment, fans flocked to Change.org to establish a petition, urging Netflix to unveil any deleted scenes that didn’t survive the editing process.
The petition stated: “This has been a long 10-year process and this is what we get. They must have cut out a lot of scenes from volume two and from our loved characters. I believe we as fans should stand up and take the initiative to get the footage and make the decision.” It continued: “I believe the fans should have a say in how the series should go. This is why so many of us are disappointed because it didn’t live up to the expectations.”
Stranger Things fans have slammed the final episodes(Image: Netflix )One supporter wrote on the petition: “It’s genuinely disappointing to see how this final season is turning out. Ever since I was 10 this show has meant so much to me, especially because of the representation that makes me feel seen. Now it just feels soulless and we deserve to see how this story was truly supposed to end, with all of our beloved characters.”
The petition has already amassed 282,594 signatures since its launch, with numbers steadily climbing. Supporters have also been sharing a document which reportedly contains specifics of “entire plot lines and character arcs which have been edited out/changed mid-filming for various reasons.” Audiences also alleged that the original episode durations were extended compared to the broadcast versions.
Whilst numerous supporters backed the petition, others flocked to Reddit to brand the campaign “nonsense”. Autographz remarked: “So we have a verified list of 230,000+ delusional fans then who can’t grasp that deleted scenes (confirmed or unconfirmed) are a staple of let’s see… nearly every single show or movie ever made? WTF is this nonsense.”
They continued: “I’ve seen the ‘I invested ten years’ comment a few times and it’s like… you haven’t. It’s been what, 3/4 years since season 4? How much investing was being done then? I know I’m being pedantic here. The real issue is people developing parasocial relationships with TV characters because their life is devoid of human interaction.”
The Duffer Brothers discussed their dual roles as writers and directors of the series, looking back on their modest origins as indie filmmakers. As the programme evolved into a worldwide sensation, the obstacles they faced grew exponentially larger.
Vecna initiated the first stage of his plan (Image: Netflix )Speaking to Creative Screenwriting about a particularly complex season five sequence involving massive choreography, action sequences and visual effects, they explained: “When you’re writing it, you don’t have to think about how painful it is going to be to execute some of this stuff. And when you’re starting to get to the point of prepping something, you’re asking, ‘What were we thinking?’ Because this is kind of a nightmare. It’s a big action sequence. It’s at night. It involves an insane amount of stunts. And it has children in it.”
The concluding season of Stranger Things comprises eight episodes and was divided into three segments. Volume three contains only a single episode, yet it functions almost like a feature-length film with its runtime of two hours and five minutes. With the entire series due to conclude in merely two hours, fans are anxiously awaiting the climactic finale.
The previous episode witnessed Vecna utilising the youngsters he had abducted, including Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher), as components of his scheme to fuse the two dimensions. Meanwhile, Eleven and her companions had ventured into the Upside Down as the initial stage of their mission to thwart him. The second volume also featured Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) awakening from her coma after successfully breaking free from “Camazotz”, leaving fans tearful during her heartfelt reunion with Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin).
Volume two showcased Will’s courageous and moving declaration as he revealed his sexuality to his mates and family – a plot development that sparked both overwhelming support and criticism from audiences. Both producer Shawn Levy and Netflix have been approached for comment regarding the petition.
Stranger Things returns for the season 5 finale on January 1 in the UK
