Spoilers Stranger Things Season 5 - SPOILERS

[HatWearingFool]

Well, that was a real doozy!

I think the happy endings dragged on for a bit too long maybe, but overall, I'd say the Duffer Bros stuck the landing there.


As an aside, were public school 10 year-olds really that foul-mouthed back in the 80s? I started school in 1986, but I went to a private Christian school, so maybe I just wasn't exposed to as much swearing when I was growing up? My children complained about their peers swearing at school when they were 10 years old, so it's certainly the case now!

Also, were St Markovia and Vallaki part of the Ravenloft world in 1989 or did the Duffers mess up the timeline again?

Agreed. It was never going to live up to all the hype and expectations. I think they played it a bit safe but it was solid and way better than it could have been if they tried something Fancy.

But the next show will be about vampires and dread/Ravenloft right? I mean that couldn’t have been a throwaway.

This was Vecna and the abyss and now into Strahd and Dread… I’m guessing anyways.

Although Ravenloft has come up a few times over the seasons this seemed like a big “hint” or at least push for the next project.

 

[Ryujin]

Well, that was a real doozy!

I think the happy endings dragged on for a bit too long maybe, but overall, I'd say the Duffer Bros stuck the landing there.


As an aside, were public school 10 year-olds really that foul-mouthed back in the 80s? I started school in 1986, but I went to a private Christian school, so maybe I just wasn't exposed to as much swearing when I was growing up? My children complained about their peers swearing at school when they were 10 years old, so it's certainly the case now!

Yes. Very much so. Worse even.

Also, were St Markovia and Vallaki part of the Ravenloft world in 1989 or did the Duffers mess up the timeline again?

I was thinking more about the Chief of Police. Of Montauk, NY. If that doesn't ring a bell then a quick Google search will clear it up. Hint: "Montauk" was the working title for "Stranger Things", before the name was finalized.

 

[HatWearingFool]

As an aside, were public school 10 year-olds really that foul-mouthed back in the 80s? I started school in 1986, but I went to a private Christian school, so maybe I just wasn't exposed to as much swearing when I was growing up? My children complained about their peers swearing at school when they were 10 years old, so it's certainly the case now!

My experience of the time had the swearing way worse in reality than portrayed here. This was a very wholesome (as nostalgia often is) view of school in the 80’s for teenagers.

The valedictorian speech was total 80’s movie, as stated in show it was basically the breakfast club.

Ah nostalgia for my childhood…

 

[pukunui]

Yes. Very much so. Worse even.

OK. I figured maybe I must have had a more sheltered school experience.

I was thinking more about the Chief of Police. Of Montauk, NY. If that doesn't ring a bell then a quick Google search will clear it up. Hint: "Montauk" was the working title for "Stranger Things", before the name was finalized.

Huh. Little Easter egg there, I guess. I see Montauk is way out at the tip of Long Island.

I was just wondering when St Markovia and Vallaki were first introduced to Ravenloft. The Duffers have played a bit fast and loose with the D&D timeline already, so I wouldn't be surprised if these things wouldn't have come up in Mike's final campaign if it had actually taken place in 1989.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I just watched it with some friends. I think they missed an opportunity at the very end. It was 1989. When 2nd edition came out. When Holly and her friends ran downstairs to play, the “2nd generation” of kids, it would have been fitting to see them use the 2nd edition of the game. IMO anyway.

 

[Ryujin]

OK. I figured maybe I must have had a more sheltered school experience.

Huh. Little Easter egg there, I guess. I see Montauk is way out at the tip of Long Island.

"The Montauk Project" is a big thing among the UFO types and conspiracy nuts. If I remember correctly it also inspired Stephen King's "The Mist", though he also relocated the town.

I was just wondering when St Markovia and Vallaki were first introduced to Ravenloft. The Duffers have played a bit fast and loose with the D&D timeline already, so I wouldn't be surprised if these things wouldn't have come up in Mike's final campaign if it had actually taken place in 1989.

A quick search shows that Saint Markovia doesn't show up until 2006 in "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft." I can't personally confirm, as I've done barely any Ravenloft play.

 

[Vael]

I liked the finale, it wrapped up the series in a satisfying way. I'm guessing we're just going to skip or gloss over the legal ramifications, because the gang racked up an impressive body count on Kay's seemingly endless supply of soldiers.

It's funny, in discussions, a lot of my friends were predicting a much higher death count, but I was right to assume almost everyone was going to get out of the series alive and get their happy ending. I love that Steve became a coach, though I assumed more schooling was necessary before teacher, but ... still happy for him.

 

[M.L. Martin]

A quick search shows that Saint Markovia doesn't show up until 2006 in "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft." I can't personally confirm, as I've done barely any Ravenloft play.

Correct, although a domain named "Markovia" showed up in the 1990 Realm of Terror boxed set. Said boxed set is also where Vallaki was introduced to Barovia.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I do think it’s funny how when they released the first few episodes, the internet erupted with “sorcerers didn’t exist in 1e” and “Yes they did, as a name level magic user, that’s what they meant”. And the whole time the Duffer bros were probably like “Um, wait until they see the second set of episodes…”. Lol


They sure doubled down on the whole 3e sorcerer class in those subsequent episodes

 

[mearls]

I have one huge gripe with the finale - Mike undermined his players' agency by having an NPC finish off Strahd! Yes, they had to remember a poem to summon her, so it's not a terrible move, but it still left his players watching someone else win the fight!

The anachronisms around D&D don't bother me. For something like that, getting a resonant reference to D&D as people play it today was probably a lot more important than getting the details right. The Demogorgon miniature from season 1 was not available IRL at that time, so it's something the show has always played with.

Overall, a good send off to the series. Easily the best part for me was the second half of the episode, where we got to say goodbye to everyone and see them get their happily ever after.