What a journey it's been! With the release of the series finale on Dec. 31, Stranger Things is officially over. That's five seasons of thrilling mysteries and epic battles against the dark forces of the Upside Down. But for those who tuned in and watched the Stranger Things finale, you might not have been entirely satisfied.
Although the Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things creators) promised that all lingering questions would be answered in the final season, that ultimately was not the case. Following the series finale's release, fans quickly took to social media to express their disappointment. Many felt that the hit sci-fi series ended with more questions than answers.
Additionally, fans who saw the prequel Broadway play Stranger Things: The First Shadow were equally disappointed with how the series concluded. Since the play explores the origin story of Henry Creel/Vecna, many expected the show to incorporate key elements from it. Instead, the final season barely touched on these events or ignored them entirely.
One of the most puzzling gaps left for fans who saw the play was why Joyce and Hopper never mentioned knowing Henry in the show, despite the events of The First Shadow clearly connecting them. Well, now we have our answer. In a new interview with Variety, the Duffer Brothers addressed this mystery.
So, here's the thing. In The First Shadow play, we learn that when Henry was younger, he attended Hawkins High School with Joyce and Hopper. He was even in a school play with them, so they all knew of each other. However, Stranger Things never has Joyce or Hopper mention knowing Henry back when they were kids.
The only connection between the trio we see in the series is when Max is in Henry's memories and sees a young Joyce at Hawkins High, passing out flyers for a school play. Besides Joyce being involved in the production of the play, Hopper and Henry's names are also included on the flyer. So, the show made sure to incorporate this part from The First Shadow. However, it didn't let us hear Joyce or Hopper explicitly acknowledge that they knew Henry when they were younger.
According to the Duffer Brothers, the reason they chose not to have Joyce or Hopper mention knowing Henry was to avoid confusing viewers who hadn’t seen The First Shadow. They stated that most viewers wouldn’t understand the reference without seeing the play. However, the Duffers did share with Variety that even though the conversation never appears on-screen, Hopper and Joyce likely did realize Henry’s identity off-screen.
"Yeah, I’m sure there was. We had a walk a fine line with the play — we don’t want to frustrate, because so much of our audience is unable to see it. To have them start talking about it would have been confusing in the context of someone who hasn’t seen the play. But I’m sure they did have that conversation." - Ross Duffer
Personally, I would've liked to see at least a brief acknowledgment from Joyce or Hopper in the show. Perhaps a small line, glance, or subtle reaction that confirmed their shared past with Henry. It would have been a satisfying nod to fans of The First Shadow.
Stranger Things already showed us that Joyce, Hopper, and Henry knew each other when they were younger, as seen in the scene where Max appears in Henry's memories. So, I doubt viewers who hadn't watched the play would've been confused if the show had included a subtle nod. I'm sorry, Duffer Brothers, but this was a mistake.