This finale was fantastic. The duffer brothers went all out, but it seems like they are scared to kill off main characters. I was starting to ball my eyes out when max was about to die, but then eleven decided to revive max and all that emotional weight and build up led to her just being in a coma...they need to take more risks in order to make this show more memorable. Other than that it was a very good finale and I'm excited to see where they take the final season.
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prestonweb1 July 2022
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First of all I want to say, someone needs to give the sound department a raise. Wow, the music, and the sound design in this episode were beautiful. The set design was amazing as well.
I really love the way the story was going, and I was interested pretty much the entire runtime. They kind of lost me toward the end though. I was so disappointed when they killed Eddie. I should have seen it coming, since the writers love to introduce expendable characters. *cough bob cough*. Of course all of our main cast have plot armor though, nothing new there. Please... if you're going to put main characters in life threatening situations...actually have there be a threat sometimes. It kind of kills the suspense when I know, for a fact, that nobody is going to die.
Nancy, Steve, and robin were being choked by the vines for like 30 minutes. Lucas got lucky that he was born with a chin that would make Tyson cry. Not to mention the guy who tried to shoot him, doesn't know how to move his arms down, and just lets him duck the easiest shot of his life. As for Max, how did her surviving make any sense? Makes me think Vecna didn't even need to kill her. It actually kind of made me mad that eleven just... can bring people back to life now. I was like "dang that sucks, but at least there's real stakes now". Then immediately followed by "really? Grow a pair, and kill you're characters instead of constantly pretending to". Seriously though, they did the same thing with hopper in season 3, and eleven in season 1. Stop with the fake outs. It's a cheap tactic meant to get an emotional response, without actually following through. You can't keep having it both ways. If you keep doing that, nobody is going to react when you kill someone for real. I'll stop ranting now, because I DID like this episode. I just hate it when writers pull that crap.
At the end of the day, I really enjoyed this episode, and season. Definitely up there with season 1. Also, much better than season 2 and 3. Felt a lot more real than last season. -
sebasandrespf1 July 2022I was talking to friends of mine and we all agreed that the Duffer Brothers are afraid of killing main characters. I know, Bob died, Billy died, Eddie died. But they all died the same season they were introduced. With Max being the center of attention this season, it would've been a great closure to her character to leave her dead. It would make the audience scared for other characters since it's possible that "any main characters could die" Other than that, great episode, great season.
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glenhammond2 July 2022I'm a big fan of the show & overall really enjoyed season 4. The reveal of Vecna in chapter 7 & the ties into Els backstory - fantastic TV.
Final episode of season 4 was great viewing bar these issues
1. Are our set of hero characters ever really in danger? It doesn't feel like it. Bringing back Max from the dead feels like an odd writing choice. It means El can do this for nearly any character right? It lessens the tension from threatening situations. Game of Thrones truly put main characters in harms way and killed more than a few off. It made for some incredible moments. Stranger Things is an epic show, but it also is moving towards fake danger. It should be bolder and have killed off at least Max.
2. It felt like every character had to have their "moment". Eddies drawn out battle and death scene felt superfluous. Max's memory section where El was walking through them could've been sped up. Cutting between so many "moments" made the pace drag at points. -
Max has been my favorite character of the season by far. The scene when she induces Vecna into her, and when Lucas becomes Vecna gave me absolute chills and the overall acting was absolutely jaw dropping.
However, when she "died", I felt like the show had really grown because it killed an actual main character and I was really impressed by the writers' choice. When Eleven later brought her back to life into a coma, I was actually so disappointed, because the show still doesn't dare to kill a major character making things pretty unrealistic.
For the rest, however, the episode's plot was amazing, and, as always so was the soundtrack, the cinematography, the acting, and the pacing.
And now I'm really looking forward to season 5. -
This was everything any fan of Stranger Things could ask for for a finale. Epic in scope, stellar in music, beautiful in cinematography, excellently acted; the list goes on. This is the finale for this season that everybody wanted, and it's the one we got. Spectacular. This is the best season of Stranger Things that we've ever gotten, and I'm so proud of everyone involved for making this season come to fruition. Passion and love went into this season, and it shows. Incredible.
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joeysehn2 July 2022I think this was a near perfect ending for the season, and an even better set up for the final season of Stranger Things. I see a lot of people complaining that they didn't kill of Max's character, but that is not the fatal flaw with this episode IMO. Because Max's story has been sending a message throughout this season, especially within Dear Billy.
It was sending the message that despite all your self-hatred, regrets, and doubts, there are still people in this world that care about you, and they can bring you out of that darkness. Yea sure, it's cheesy to say "the power of love is stronger then the power of evil," but are Vecna's lines really any less cheesy then that?
With Max's story being a metaphor for depression, I actually think that it coming back to haunt her again this episode nearly worked, but seeing so many people say they wished it killed her leaves a bad taste in my mouth. My main problem is that Vecna fully defeating Max takes away from the beauty of Dear Billy, in a way that will affect my future enjoyment of what was the best episode in the series, for me.
I understand the point of stakes and I understand people complaining that this show doesn't kill off main characters enough; while I agree with this sentiment, killing Max to open the gateway to the upside down, ultimately allowing the demons to enter and consume our world: What is that saying? If Max's story is a metaphor for depression and how your relationships with others can help you overcome it, her death should be reflective of that theme. The way they decided to write it treaded a thin line between respectful and downright awful.
Time for a weird transition!
This season set up the death of Steve's character incredibly well. It would've been perfectly in theme, in line with his long running redemption arc, and would put Nancy in a very interesting place emotionally, if he died to save her. Instead, season 4 opted to set up a love triangle between Nancy, Steve, and Johnathan for season 5. It felt like none of these season 1 characters were touchable, even in a fake out death sense. So, instead, they decided to "kill" the character whose arc has been about resisting the urge to end her life.
Technically, if this is truly what they wanted to do with her character, they could have. I don't understand what they'd be saying with it, or what themes would be displayed through that kind of writing. I just see it as hopeless. Especially when comparing it to how Eddie died this season, or how Hopper "died" in season 3. Not every death can be a hero's sacrifice death, I get that. But not every characters survival is a metaphor for overcoming self hatred.
Genuinely, the fact that Eddie's sacrifice was well written, and the fact that they gave Max a bit of hope near the end, greatly raised my ranking of this episode. Because a stories themes matter far more then it's tension. Max's character has been dealing with some very sensitive themes, so I'm moving through the rest of her character arc with caution, in season 5. But I truly hope that others can see why killing her off permanently would do damage to the message of hope this show usually seems quite committed to sending. -
vinfrisone6 July 2022One of the single greatest moments of television I have ever seen was Eddie shredding to Metallica. I will forever miss him. What an amazing episode to end the season. Made me wanting more and had me feeling every emotion. Cannot wait to see what season 5 brings.
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dfloro10 July 2022While all the "Stranger Things" actors have their respective moments in this super-sized fourth season (with all nine episodes more than an hour long, and the ninth well over two hours), it's really Sadie Sink in her role as Max (Maxine) that stands out the most. That role has been kinda tricky from the start, but has gotten even more complicated/conflicted since the previous-season demise of the character of her hate-able stepbrother, Billy. Now the wild super-villain of this season, played by Jamie Campbell Bower (whose character's name may be Peter, Vecna or just "One," take your pick) is all in pursuing Max, with El (Eleven) running interference not far behind. As you may have heard, Max's favorite song ("Running Up that Hill (A Deal With God)" from Kate Bush's equally epic "Hounds of Love" album) plays an important role in the pursuit. And the character of Eddie, falsely blamed for leading a satanic cult in Hawkins, IN, gets to shred a little on Metallica's "Master of Puppets." So there's a lot to digest and absorb here. But it's worth the considerable investment in time and attention. I give ep. 9 a star rating of 9/10.
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jacobnoble-025241 July 2022Honestly some of the best tv i've watched in a long time. Acting was top notch, the cinematography was great and the story was intense and emotional. Thoroughly enjoyed season 4's darker tone, and this finale continued that and adds a lot of emotion. One of the best episode of this show so far for me. Episode 7 still takes top spot.
One small issue- I think it was unnecessary to bring Max back alive. Her 'death' had me in tears, and I like Max don't get me wrong but eleven bringing her back in a way kind of ruined that whole sad emotional montage of her dying moments before. Felt a bit unoriginal and the typical main characters can't die mindset. Max had near death several times this season just to be saved and saved again, it became tedious seeing her being saved once again. Max was the main focus this season and it would've ended her story arc perfectly.
But I can forgive it, because everything else was perfectly done. RIP eddie, and dustin's breakdown over his body was hard to watch. Still deserves a 10, just think Max's death would've left more of an impact on season 4's greatness. -
copperrd4 July 2022This will be one of the few reviews that states this finale was emotionally satisfying from all ends. The characters, from the ones that made it to the end and the ones that sadly did not, all met the fates they were destined to meet.
I'll start with the most controversial character's ending, Max's. This whole season we as an audience knew she was Vecna's end game. She was his prey throughout the season, and her constant Kate Bush muffled in the background did not let us forget he was always in her shadow. She died, yes, and the fourth gate opened. However, Vecna was interupted and did not fully complete all the motions like he did all his other victims, and Vecna is still lurking at the end of the episode, giving Max just a tiny sliver of hope. Vecna's mission felt incomplete, therefore, Max was not fully lost and gave enough for Eleven to pull whatever was left of her back. To me, this was not the writers being afraid of killing off a main character, it was them leaving pieces to an extraordinary puzzle waiting to be hashed out in the final season, or rather, the final battle.
Eddie. A character Hawkins would never understand. It was not his time, and he knew it. He gave his life for the town, and he was still far from a martyr in their eyes. No one but the select few would know or even comprehend what he did, as almost the entire town was blind to the reality that cursed their town to begin with. His death was no where near justifiable, but that's exactly what I believe the writers wanted. He was either to live the rest of his life in hiding, or he had the chance to do something totally epic and die a hero in his friends' eyes.
I could continue but those were the main points I wanted to add to the mix of reviews here. Overall, this was a emotionally challenging but satisfying ending. The episode built up just enough to leave us wanting a truly epic final season. I truly hope the last battle between Eleven, her friends, and Vecna will be one of the greatest series finales in TV history. -
miahn1 July 2022It was a really good finale, beautiful acting, music, graphics, very emotional, and it had me on the tip of my toes constantly - but!! It's almost like the tension build up to nothing.. Eddies death just plain out felt stupid.. he didn't even die in some epic sacrifice, he basically just decided not to run and just die instead? Why not try to safe himself? Didn't exactly make him a hero that he just wanted to prove a point. That was disappointing, his character deserved to much more respect than that.. and then they just skip two days forward?? Felt like a weird skip in time, no real reactions from anyone that Eddie just died.. I had somehow expected a lot more action, and a lot more deaths. All the tension led up to nothing really, it felt like. The max / Lucas death seen was amaaazing, I super cried, but it kinda took away everything when she then survived. I don't know, the finale lacked something for me, like it felt a little flat. I was left with the feeling of "that was it?" Felt unsatisfying. Happy Steve didn't die tho!!! <3<3<3.
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C0SSTY2 July 2022I feel like a broken record, but the only things I notice in current movies and TV shows are plot holes or characters without a brain.
I have seen/read so many things where friendship or love triumphs all evil, that I think I have enough for the rest of my life.
Although this season had several fantastic elements, the narrative and dialogues, which were the most crucial, were terrible.
When three people are walking together, one frequently pulls ahead.
This is ridiculous on its own, but writers do it so the other two may chat privately.
I immediately rolled my eyes every time I saw that, since I knew I would have to sit through some dreadful, frustrating exchanges.
Some events don't make any sense to me.
Eddie died for nothing. People being choked by tentacles for ±20 minutes and so on. (Edit: It was 31m.)
Important characters are immortal in this show.
I don't need them to make this GoT, but sometimes they should just let some people stay dead. Wasn't this 3rd character that "died", just to magically survive? (Edit: It was 4th.) Not to mention that 11 is Jesus now and can resurrect people. I guess the next season will be without stakes at all. Or they magically take that ability away from her. "It was just one time thing."
One more thing. I can't take Will seriously (even in an emotional scene). He looks like an oversized baby with his bowl cut. I have seen my fair share of movies from the 70s and 80s, but I don't think I saw that haircut on people older than 10. -
I love this show, loved this season. This finale just felt a little to safe in my opinion. If they took a little more risks, the punch would've landed a lot harder. It could've also set up for disaster for next season but now I just feel like they're never going to kill off any main characters.
They always kill the new extremely likable characters which just feels a little expected now. Wish they committed and killed off someone from season 1 but sadly not yet. We're still not ready for that it seems... I hope they take more risks with the final season! -
To just summarize without going into too much detail this finale has some obvious flaws. But it is definitely entertaining as hell. The actors deliver outstanding performances (in my opinion). The production is off the charts. The music all fits together and I loved it. Definitely a fun ride. But when you start to think about what just happened there's a lot of that ... wait... how does that actually work? Or oh...I didn't know that was possible... moments.
There's also just a lot of feeling like ok we have to tie up this, finish that, bring this together. Its almost too neat. I was hoping for a sloppy mess of a finale. With characters dieing that make you wonder what the hell is going to happen in season 5? With things happening that you wouldn't be able to guess.
This finale episode is unfortunately both predictable and also somewhat unsatisfying, but still has a lot of that stranger things magic that makes it fun to watch. -
emteou5 July 2022One of the best episodes and finales I've seen in YEARS. Haven't been that drawn in since Avengers: End Game, Breaking Bad etc.
Disagree with what other reviewers are saying about the writers "playing it too safe".
I'm totally done with boring overused plot devices inspired from Game of Thrones where "no character" is safe.
Also done with cheesy themes of "love" and "friendship" being disregarded. Nothing wrong with Mike saying he loves El for example, and that giving her the courage to fight on. Can't young men love anymore? Do they need to be machiavellian and "hard" to be taken seriously? Why can't superheroes be encouraged by the belief they receive from their loved ones and friends?
So anyway thank you to the Duffel Brothers for getting the balance right and going against the cultural grain right now and producing some great TV with lovely themes and the right balance of shock, action and camaraderie. -
loganmilne-6805223 August 2022I love this episode,it's one of the best of the best season,and I love the cliff hanger when the upside down starts leaking into the real world,I'm excited for season 5.
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d-con-503-6086763 July 2022We couldn't take our eyes off the screen, amazingly directed, and an amazing finish to the season. Having a finale that is 2.5 hours long with each minute a piece of art is incredible.!
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christyccoker1 July 2022Overall, this was an excellent episode, not the absolute best but definitely near the top.
As for those of you who are unhappy about the status of Max, I have more faith in the Duffers. She isn't exactly dead, but she isn't exactly alive. Throughout this series, this limbo state is very integral to the plot line, more so figuratively than literally. Will she and Will serve as the polar conduits for the continued life of Vecna and his creation, the mindflayer? Based on the multitude of storyline arcs that can branch off of previous ST episodes, it "ain't over 'til it's over."
There is dead death and there is living death. With multi-dimensional plots, there is both.
Don't assume. I'm pretty sure the Duffers weren't too scared to kill off a major character. I just don't think this character has served her full purpose yet. I also wouldn't be surprised if Eddie doesn't reappear in the Upside Down.
It's their story, one they've had in mind for a long time. Let them tell it their way. Be patient.
I, for one, trust there is more to this, yet to be revealed.
A salute to the Duffers.
I BELIEVE. -
sjstobo221 July 2022I had to pause multiple times to wrap my head around all of it. WOW!!! I am so stumped and now I have to wait for more, this is by far one of the best tv shows out there. Acting is phenomenal from everyone, the one that surprised me the most and he's been one of two of my favourites was Gaten. My god he made me an emotional mess. Absolutely amazing ending but damn you Duffer Brothers!! As much as I love LOVE this show we have to wait a couple of years till the 5th season!!
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aarongnr1 July 2022Comparing this season to what we've gotten recently with other high profile shows from Star Wars or Marvel, it's honestly so obvious that the quality differences - in terms of storytelling, writing and visual effects - are absolutely insane. The way The Duffer Brothers absolutely seemlessly manage to combine humor, hear, beautiful cinematography and a thrilling story with high stakes is extraordinary.
This season was the best season of Stranger Things by a huge margin. They actually managed to make the cliffhanger ending NOT feel annoying, because the story of season for was over, and absolutely immensly satisfying.
I cannot imagine what they plan on doing in this final season, by right now, out of all the running shows, season 5 of ST is my most anticipated project (not counting some that are yet to premiere).
What a wonderful time. You won't want to miss it. -
ShaanChaudhry2 July 2022This episode would have been a 10/10 for me but I really feel like the writers totally botched it with that cheap death reversal of Max. This Gotcha-they-aren't-really-dead move is tired and played out. The scene of Max dying was so powerful and emotional and it was stripped by all of it. No centralized characters die on this show except new/intermediate ones.
I feel like the Duffer brothers make Eleven too disproportionately powerful in these finales and they all pretty much end a step below sailing off into the sunset. Where are the ultra dramatic shocks and bleak endings? We haven't really had one. Where is our GOT-esque Jon Snow moment where he is getting his ass kicked by the Night King and sails off while the Night King stares him down and raises the dead? Eleven hears a voice from Mike saying he loves her and then does a 180 and sends Vecna into near oblivion? Psst...
Two days later and everyone is unusually jolly and smiling for the most part as if insane level of chaos didn't just take place. At least Dustin showed some emotion for Eddie. Good season overall, great production, well paced finale but I feel like they really botched the ending. Urgh. -
W011y4m51 July 2022Brings me no joy to say this but unfortunately, I absolutely hated the S4 finale. Literally loathed it entirely. An overly long / sentimental mess that drags & diminishes the stakes of its storytelling by refusing to apply any emotional consequences. A total & utter, complete cop-out & lacklustre end to what was mostly a great season.
The sad thing is the Duffer Bros have created a truly extraordinary villain in the form of Vecna... But it's become so obvious that main protagonists are exempt from the inevitability which haunts his other victims so there's really no threat presented to anyone we're invested in - despite his intimidating visage / fascinating backstory. Hence, it generally feels very superficial & disappointing as his potential as an antagonist's squandered. -
burkmon11 July 2022Just to quote Dio.
This. Was. Awesome. Please give us more!
Wasn't expecting an ending like this. Keep it up, and keep up the quality writing of this show. This show alone is the reason I keep Netflix. -
aselland-396353 July 2022I will say I don't think every single aspect of this finale was perfect but this show just continues to amaze me. People are so mad that they aren't killing main characters but I think people need to stop comparing this to GOT or Marvel. It is a stand alone show that can take whatever path it wants. I think the 5 week gap allowed insane fans to read WAY too many theories. I include myself in that but I still went in with an open mind.
Sadie, Caleb and Millie deliver outstanding performances in every way possible. I know it may seem like some of the conversations were unnecessary but one unique thing about this show is the sci-fi horror mixed with deep emotional relationships and character development.
I was happy to see the Russian crew be able to help the kids, I was happy to see Mike finally say he loves El and I loved all the friendships this season. Dustin and Eddie, so heartbreaking. I think there are alot of characters but that's okay. They all serve a purpose even if they don't always have alot of lines.
Regardless all that to say this episode is beautiful and rich. VFX are amazing and I loved the idea of El piggybacking into Max's mind. So cool. When she laid in Lucas's arms I lost it. Cried so much.
I will say the flash forward to two days later was jarring. I didn't mind it but I do wish they would've shown about 5-7 extra minutes of them getting out of the upside down being distraught and El waking up and telling them what happened. That's my only real critique.
Otherwise I have ZERO issues with "main" characters not dying. It's not needed. The stakes are high without it because now Hawkins is literally becoming one with the upside down... I think everyone has become way too much of a critic and also a lot of people just cannot stand that it's not going how they expected.
I love this show. Always have always will. The colors, the VFX, the music, the acting, the relationships, the 80s. It's just gold and I thoroughly enjoyed this season.