Watch ‘Stranger Things’ finale in theaters: Biggest fan reaction

Hopper (David Harbour) and Carly (Linnea Bertelsen) have been at odds throughout season five, arguing over their respective approaches to how Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) should use her powers. During a tense chase from the military, when both Carly and Eleven are paralyzed, Hopper initially only rescues Eleven, but when he returns for Carly, it affirms his heroism and deserves strong applause from the audience.

Shortly after Hopper rescues Carly, the two are captured and taken hostage by this season’s antagonist, Lt. Robert Akers (Alex Breaux). The Akers have proven to be a troublesome force throughout the season, and it was a cathartic reaction when Eleven releases them by having Akers point a gun at himself. Credit also goes to Murray (Brett Gelman), who blows up the helicopter outside to disrupt the situation and enliven the climactic sequence.

The finale of “Stranger Things” suffers from a bit of “Return of the King” syndrome (i.e., several final farewell scenes seem to take place in sequence), as it concludes its huge ensemble story. Fortunately, all the farewells are heartfelt, but it was Hopper and Joyce’s (Winona Ryder) final scene together that resonated the most. After the kids all graduate from high school, Hopper takes Joyce to a fancy restaurant and floats the idea of ​​them leaving Hawkins and going to Montauk (a nod to the setting proposed at the beginning of the show). But that reaction came not from this subtle Easter egg, but from the moment Hopper got down on one knee, presented Joyce with a ring, and asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.

The audience did not cheer during this scene, but sniffles could be heard in the theater. Hopper has long protected Eleven, but her refusal to sacrifice herself for the world comes from the pain she felt when she lost her daughter Sara. In this emotional scene, Eleven gently explains that even though Hopper has proven to be a loving father figure to her, she is not Sarah. She then gives him back the hair tie that once belonged to Sarah, assuaging his guilt. There was hardly a dry eye in the house.

If Eleven’s emotional moment with Hopper had tear-stained eyes and sniffles, her final scene with Mike had audible sobs. When Eleven decides to remain on the Upside Down when the bomb goes off, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) rushes to save her, but she keeps him in mind and explains what must be done. All the while, they tearfully embraced while listening to Prince’s “Purple Rain.” It was beautiful and tragic, and the audience was devastated by the characters.

There are some cathartic moments as the ensemble defeats Vecna ​​(Jamie Campbell Bower), but Joyce delivers the final blow when she is impaled by the spike in the Mind Flayer’s heart, decapitating her with an axe. She said with fire in her eyes before beheading him. “You fucked up with the wrong family.” It was an “I am Iron Man” moment in the finale, and the audience totally ate it up.

There are some heroic moments as Vecna ​​succumbs to the mind flayer and begins attacking the heroes of the Abyss. There was another round of applause when Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) saved Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) from being crushed, and again when Nancy (Natalia Dyer) was baited. However, the biggest applause came when it was revealed that Eleven had successfully re-entered the Abyss via a shortcut, distracting Freya by hitting her with a rock on the head. Then she charged headlong at it, punched a hole in its chest, and dove in like a superhero to a superheroic ovation.

Derek Turnbow, played by Jake Connelly, is one of the best additions to Stranger Things 5, and perhaps the most entertaining character in the entire series. So it’s no wonder he drew some of the biggest laughs in the theater, from his unexpected hug with Steve (Joe Keery) to his awkward wave to Mike. But his brightest moment in the finale is when he helps Holly (Nell Fisher) escape from Vecna’s clutches as she enters the cave. He pulls her in and saves her, and once they’re both safe, he flips Vecna ​​over and says his signature line: “Suck my fat dick.” Dipshit Derek was definitely a crowd-pleaser with that song.

In this scene, when Hopper is tricked by Vecna ​​and fires a gun at a ghost, the audience can hear gasps. The bullet hit the tank in which Eleven was submerged. A shock was heard in the theater as he pulled back the metal to reveal blood flowing from Eleven’s body. The person behind me also blurted out, “Shut up!” Surprised. Fortunately, Eleven’s injuries are as fake as the ghost itself, but Hopper’s panicked decision to free her from the tank takes an unexpected turn in the plan. We also hear his villainous voice for the first time in the finale, when Vecna ​​toys with Hopper’s heart. The vibrations reverberated through the theater, sending a very eerie sound through the Egyptian cinema sound system.

The whole scene where Eleven tries to align the falling Abyss with the radio tower in Upside Down was thrilling to see on the big screen. Everyone was on the edge of their seats as the seconds counted down and the characters faced disadvantage in three different areas. But when the screen went black, as if Steve were about to fall to his death, the audience cried. Cries of despair turned to cheers of victory when it was revealed that Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve’s rival throughout the series, had saved him. This is an early moment in the episode that tests the audience’s fears about the fate of all the characters. Fortunately, this piece ended on a cathartic note. Also, as a bonus, Joe Keery’s name received the loudest applause during the end credits.

If Joyce telling Vecna ​​that she “fucked up the wrong family” was the finale’s “I Am Iron Man” moment, it was Mjolnir-wielding Captain America as Will (Noah Schnapp) embodies Vecna ​​and saves Eleven, giving way to defeat. Just when Vecna ​​seems to have the upper hand in the final battle with Eleven, Will takes control and the heroes end up with the upper hand. It’s a satisfying moment that affirms the fate of the villain and the full potential of the hero.