Netizens react strongly to Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2, call it a 'big let down and rushed'

Netizens react strongly to Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2, call it a 'big let down and ushed'

• Stranger Things S5 Vol. 2 released on Netflix, fans have mixed reactions.
• Some viewers criticized the rushed ending and incomplete emotional arcs
• Others praised the emotional farewell and tension, calling the finale "unreal"

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The wait is finally over for fans in India as Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 dropped on Netflix, and the internet has been anything but quiet. Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things Season 5 is the final chapter of one of streaming’s biggest success stories. The cast, led by Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin, returns for a high-stakes farewell that promised answers, sacrifices, and closure. Volume 2, which includes three episodes, arrived on December 26 at 6:30 am IST, immediately triggering a flood of reactions on X (formerly Twitter).

A significant section of viewers felt let down by the execution. One user, @Mrversatyle_, called the ending “rushed,” adding that Eleven’s emotional arc felt incomplete for a character who has been the heart of the show since season one. Another fan, @itsreeljames, pointed out pacing issues, saying that even by Episode 5, the story felt overloaded with exposition at a time when the series should have been sprinting toward its conclusion.

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Some reactions were far harsher. X user @KevinIsADingus slammed the writing of Episode 6’s climax, calling the final 20 minutes “lazy” and accusing the creators of playing it too safe when bold storytelling was expected. For these fans, the complaint wasn’t about spectacle but about courage and consequence.

Yet, the other side of the fandom had a very different emotional response. One widely shared post described Volume 2 not just as a finale, but as “a goodbye to Hawkins, to childhood, and to the friends we grew up with,” arguing that the emotional weight mattered more than narrative perfection. Another fan, @Mnilax, praised Episode 7 for its tension and twists, admitting frustration over the long-teased character deaths that never quite materialised, but still calling the experience “unreal.”

Adding to the mixed discourse, The Guardian awarded Season 5 Volume 2 a respectable three-star rating. Its review highlighted the show’s strengths, from operatic emotions and nostalgia to large-scale action set pieces, while subtly acknowledging that ambition sometimes outpaced restraint.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 is available in India in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. With the final episode set to premiere on January 1 in India, the debate is far from over. Love it or hate it, Stranger Things has ensured that its farewell remains a conversation starter until the very last frame.

After nearly a decade of monsters, mysteries and middle-school friendships turned life-and-death bonds, the beloved series has entered its endgame. The verdict so far? Divisive, emotional, and loud.