So, I finally finished Stranger Things, Season 5. I know, I'm a bit behind the times. But now I do understand why the right wing mediaspace flipped out over it.
First, a disclaimer: I am not a media critic, so there are probably nuances I've missed. Also: Spoilers.
If you'd listened to the cesspool, Season 5 of Stranger Things was worse than the final season of Game of Thrones. But given the right's stunning lack of media literacy (Imagine being a conservative fan of RATM, or thinking that Stephen Colbert is actually a right-wing journalist ), I wasn't discouraged.
The main point that the bots were retweeting is the usual crap about "fOrCeD DiVERsItY" and Will Byers being made into a homo out of nowhere. But that's the only talking point they had to cling to. Bringing up the other stuff they hated would have forced them into thinking about the other elements which made their teeth grind. We'll get to Will's sexuality (and the points that you'd have to miss for it to come as a surprise).
Capable Women
The series had no shortage of capable women, and this is more prominent here.
- Joyce was ready to storm the Upside-down after being force-tossed by Vecna earlier. His message was clear: You're not significant enough to kill. Later: she got to brutally decapitate her family's tormenter. I'm not sure if that was the same axe she got out of the shed to confront the Demogorgon in the first season, but I believe that was implied. Definitely the same axe used to fend off the Demo who was sent after Derek Turnbow, though.
- Karen Wheeler in an impressive action debut: dealing with the Demo that came after Holly.
Could you deal with a terrifying extradimensional horror so readily? And slaughtering the Demodoggos was unexpected, though I don't think an O2 cylinder would do that. Whatever. "rule of cool" is fine occasionally.
- Holly helping to steal away Vecna's brat pack. How dare she be brave despite being terrified?
- Props to Derek as well. Actual change from a bully: who knew?
- Nancy channeling John Rambo while assaulting Vecna's fortress
- Max, of course: Oh, you'll kill me and trap my mind in yours? I'll scour every memory I can find for clues on how to bring you down. Without Max understanding how the mind prison worked, none of the kids would have gotten out.
Emotional Vulnerability
This is what really set teeth grinding for the emotionally stunted mouthbreathers. This season was packed to the brim with emotional expression that wasn't anger. EVERYWHERE. And what really got the rightoids' goat was the Aryan superman villain (seriously, he is!) crying. I wish I had the time to write so much more for this section and give the actors and writers their due.
No One-Man-Army Rugged Individualists
The main right-wing power fantasy was not found here. Vecna and his pet spider-monstrosity were brought low by the "little guys" working together (as they were in Season 3 at Starcourt). Everyone brought something to the table. No hulking, gun-toting, one-liner-slinging action heroes required.
Epilogue
That's my analysis. It'd kind of sad that most of the people who ground their teeth over this (realized or not) will never understand why it was they hated it. Sure, there are legit reasons to critique some elements of the story and how it ended, but these would require media literacy :)