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Stranger Things Sparks Outrage Over Character Reveal
Clear Facts
- The Duffer brothers, creators of “Stranger Things,” responded to backlash regarding a main character’s coming out scene.
- Fans criticized the scene online and gave the episode the lowest rating of the series.
- The creators defend the scene as an essential part of their story’s conclusion and the character’s journey.
The Duffer brothers addressed criticism after the recent coming out scene for a main character in their series “Stranger Things.”
Ross Duffer said, “The coming out scene is something we’ve been building to for nine years now. It was a really important scene for us, and a really important scene for [actor Noah Schnapp] — not just from a thematic point of view, but also a narrative point of view.”
He further added, “This show has always been about our characters overcoming evil, and in order to overcome this evil, Vecna, in so many ways, represents all the dark thoughts and the evil of society. And for our characters to overcome that, it really becomes about embracing themselves, and then also embracing one another and coming together.”
The show’s penultimate episode received backlash from viewers, who expressed disappointment and frustration on social media, pushing it to the lowest rating among all episodes in the series.
One social media user stated, “Woke ruins EVERYTHING.”
Another reaction claimed, “Netflix decided to RUIN their most popular show of all-time, Stranger Things, by focusing their final season on Will coming out as a homosexual, promoting the propaganda that Will’s superpowers are because he’s ’embraced his sexuality’ & the villain telling Will that his friends won’t like him if they find out he likes dudes.”
In response to the criticism, the Duffer brothers insist this storyline for Will was deliberate and crucial to the series’ end.
Matt Duffer described it as “the final step in Will’s journey” and expressed surprise at the reaction.
He said, “Volume 1 is really about self-acceptance, right? I mean, that’s sort of step one.”
He continued, “And then step two is Will is talking to Robin — it’s something that he wants to do. He’s trying to figure out how to come out, and he knows that he needs to do that, and that that’s the final step for him. And he finds the courage to be able to do it. And it’s really the ultimate f*** you to Vecna. That was the intention.”
Ross Duffer stated, “We’re proud of the episode, and we’re proud of the scene, and proud of Noah, who gave a really brave, very vulnerable performance.”
Actor Noah Schnapp shared his own emotional response.
He said, “I was really nervous to see how [the Duffer Brothers] would write it, because it was obviously so important for me. And I remember when they sent out the script for Episode 7 for that scene. I read it alone in my room, and I was crying, and it really resonated with me.”
He added, “I hope it touches everyone — not just queer people — and makes them feel emboldened and empowered to be who they are and be proud of who they are.”
“That goes back to the heart of our show: What makes you unique is your superpower.”
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