#tbtl

Or at least, almost everyone, RIP Kali. Oh, I choose to believe Eleven is alive and well, just cause the alternative is tragic and awful.

On the topic of Eleven, something I was thinking before watching this was that she had zero fun or happy times this whole season. She was just miserable, focused on ending Vecna and nothing else. I'm wondering what TPTB were thinking... like, seriously? Not a single moment of joy to give her something to fight for? She didn't even reunite with Max properly... I do wonder why her chemistry with Mike is literally minus 1267641678, like, it just didn't work at all, so I couldn't picture her fighting for that waterfall life at all. Even their last moment... I'm not sure why but I know I'm not alone here, they just didn't work at all as a couple and to have her say that Mike understood her??? When??? They didn't work like that at all, that's not what we've seen, in fact, we've seen the opposite. She didn't kiss him when she left the truck and he didn't say he loved her back as she was saying her finally goodbye!!! So her fighting motivation being either Mike or Hop... please, she obviously needed more! It was honestly hard to watch but I was really moved by Hopper's speech though when she gave him back Sarah's bracelet, I figured she'd do whatever she thought was necessary cause that felt like a goodbye. So yeah, I'm gonna pretend she's fine cause otherwise her whole life was just pure sadness and that simply won't do.

Mike... oh, Mike. I'm honestly completely puzzled by what they've done, or not done, with his character. I know he's TPTB self-insert, which only make it worse. He used to be a proper character but, like Eleven, he's sorta just been there, not doing much, not showing many emotions, just going with the flow. I thought we'd finally get something interesting, some explanation for all of it but... nope. Just the way TPTB decided to write his character, I guess? Just completely emotionally stunted, paired with Finn's, uhm, I'm gonna call them "acting choices" because he can act. I mean, he's been good sometimes, but... the most emotional bits of the finale had him front and center and he did not deliver. It was painful to watch, honestly. And, not to be a Byler about it, but he had insane chemistry when sharing the screen with Noah so I'm at a loss. Were he and Millie simply not connecting at all? Was he not all invested in their relationship? Was he having an off day when they filmed the last... three seasons and he had to act opposite her? The whole goodbye scene, even just, ugh. I'm not happy to be criticizing this, but it really affected the way I reacted to the scene because he was just not good at all. The fact that his Vecna damage flashback was when El disappeared was laughable. Everyone's been traumatized for real and he had scraps, they could've added something more, seeing Will ~dead, his suffering in season 2, Billy's attack, his mom at the hospital, just something else to make it a bit more decent. Mike's their self-insert and was given so little, it's crazy. But, okay, beyond that, of course Mike ended up writing stories and doing so with Will's painting right next to him... I liked that for him. He wanted to be a writer after all.

Will. My baby. He deserved the world and I think he should've gotten more to do in general but I still loved that he got to fight. He showed how compassionate he is too, but once Henry said he was one with the MF, Wil didn't hesitate. That was great. I loved him playing D&D, and I'm gonna go on with my Byler heart cause like... even from across the freaking table they had more chemistry than whatever else the show was trying to sell us on. It was insane, for real, and so I'm not gonna give up on them. It's open ended enough, and even if it wasn't, we get to imagine their future as we please. So, that's what I'm gonna do. Just imagine them always being friends until one day Mike stops lying to himself and they get together and it's wonderful and happy and they're still best friends but also more. And Will paints and Mike writes and it's just perfect.

A big thanks to Noah for suggesting adding that "closure" scene. I knew as soon as I heard him that it was gonna be Byler and it was such a depressing thought cause it meant Byler wasn't gonna happen, even though it made so much more sense, but also TPTB were seriously just gonna leave their relationship there??? Freaking shits, you know? I'm so happy we got a one-on-one after the coming out scene. I wish it had been something else, obviously, but the reassurance was needed and we got those sparks, so, again, thanks, Noah. You're a true Byler warrior.

The final battle was great. I loved the team work, although I wish they had given Joyce something to do before that admittedly awesome final blow. What I loved the most about it was that she told Vecna that he fucked with the wrong family, and it really wasn't just her family she meant. And I loved that, I love that they became a huge crazy family because of all the shit and that, with the shit being over, they get to enjoy those bonds for life.

I loved that we got to see Hop and Joyce at Enzo's, at fucking last (no pun intended)!!! I figured he was gonna propose but it was still so sweet. And I also really adored his words to Mike. I'm so happy he didn't just go back to being a grumpy man and decided to just embrace his life the way El would've wanted him to and the way Joyce deserved him to as well. I love him at the cabin with the Byers boys. Bob, you're missed always, and honestly, the show did poorly as far as having Hopper interact with other characters these last few seasons, so I really liked that little moment to satiate the family vibes.

I always hate the B (C o r maybe D really) plot of these battles, though, in which a human is making things harder than they need to be. I just... Isn't fighting a freaking Mind Flayer and Vecna enough??? Why do we gotta deal with assholes on top of it???

I loved that we got to see into the future so much. I think everyone got a pretty good and fitting ending. Couldn't help but wonder if all the looks between Nancy and Jonathan were supposed to mean more or that was just the actors being their usual in-love selves. I adore that Steve is coaching and teaching, that's exactly right for him, and I love that Jonathan is where he's always wanted to be, and that they're all planning to see each other and keep on being friends, as they should.

Also, the Stonathan this episode was off the charts, I was so happy about it, can't even begin to tell you. They're friends, seeing each other every month, maybe one day Steve wants to move or Jonathan comes back and all of a sudden, the triangle is settled for once and for all.

I freaking loved seeing Max well, standing on her own two feet, skating!!! Just amazing, and of course she and Lucas are always gonna be together and in love, as they deserve. I adored that she was a part of the game, and she felt lots of ways about it too, and her friendship with Will is <3<3.

Dustin's valedictorian speech was amazing!!! I loved the reveal of his Hellfire Lives T-shirt with all the Eddie callbacks, just perfection.

I'm forgetting so much, I know it, but I wanted to write this down before reading too many opinions and letting them change my mind. So I'll add whatever else when it comes to me, maybe when I rewatch it or something.

It's honestly been quite a ride. The show kinda had a few issues starting season 3 and it kept on repeating those same mistakes. But it was also such a good cast and an interesting concept that it sometimes made up for it. Other times... well, I just dealt with it as best as I could. I really wish they hadn't made the cast so big or that they had found a way to not split them every single season or at least mix up the groups better. Some dynamics just felt tiresome and others didn't work at all or diminished what was once built. Clear examples are Dustin being pretty much away from the party all the time, Jonathan being given so little to do after season 3, Murray being so one-note and Joyce being given so little this last season when she's freaking Winona Ryder while we had to endure so much screentime with kids we didn't even know...

Like I said, though, some things were so interesting and genuinely good that it made me sorta forget the bad parts. Like, I loved the show in seasons 1 and 2. It was so good, the plot was so interesting and it moved along so well and everything clicked and it looked great even though it wasn't a huge spectacle. The performances, the material was all top notch then. Max's arch in the first volume of season 4 was magnificent, I'm so glad this show gave us Sadie Sink. Steve's growth was another highlight because there are so many jocks around but there's just one who actually earned his redemption the way Steve did. Nancy's growth was also remarkable, she became such a poweful force and I loved every second of her on screen. The whole Nancy/Jonathan dynamic was so fun to see because I thought they were turning a traditional relationship on its head, with Nancy being so brave and Jonathan being the one who's scared. I wish they hadn't stopped that, but I'm glad we got a bit of it this season. I'm kinda repeating myself here, but a huge reason why the first seasons worked so well was Winona. She was the best at playing desperate mother and fighting for her son and just doing whatever needed to be done to get him back. Her strength those seasons, the way she carried the show... that was quite the sight. Of course, her ~boy had a similar effect. While he started as a minor character as far as screentime, Will was always the lead to me. Saving him, I was just as desperate as Joyce for him to be found and brought back safe and sound. His story was developed so well and Noah did such an incredible job. It's kinda scary to look back to season 2, specially, cause he was just going off and ramping up episode after episode and he really did incredibly well. I was so happy to get some of that back. I wanted him to have more but at least he got to have a bit of happy times and also powerful and emotional scenes showcasing his range.

So, this is the end of the show but I don't think it's over. Not for me, not for a while.