The popular Netflix series Stranger Things is coming to an end. Since its original debut in 2016, the series has been met with worldwide acclaim, paving the way for its fifth and final season. As we approach the end of this season, however, Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 is facing immense backlash on social media.
Fans were initially ecstatic for the show’s fifth season, especially after the critically-acclaimed third and fourth seasons of the series. Unfortunately, that cycle seems to have been broken with the fifth season, as one of the episodes for Volume 2 has become one of the lowest-rated episodes of the entire series.
This particular episode has received backlash for its final moments, in which actor Noah Schnapp’s character Will Byers comes out as gay to his friends and family. The character delivers a lengthy monologue, in part revealing that he doesn’t want to have any secrets that Vecna could use against him, and he is embraced by those close to him as a result.
The series has previously teased that Will Byers is gay, and after years of waiting, the character has finally come out. However, many fans were disappointed with the way the scene was handled, and even members of the LGBTQ community felt as though it was too little too late.
Here are some of the social media responses via X that have criticized the moment:
the corniest shit i have ever seen in my life pic.twitter.com/egpnpTFQ2D
— david | st5 spoilers (@dancintilldead) December 26, 2025
Five seasons, hundreds of millions of dollars, and this is all Stranger Things will be remembered for.
Netflix is a joke. pic.twitter.com/H2vWCKb8Bn
— Jon Del Arroz | Pop Culture & Gaming 🎮 (@jondelarroz) December 26, 2025
They spent five seasons, (roughly 50 hours of Stranger Things), to climax that Will is a homosexual. Never watching Netflix ever again. pic.twitter.com/rWxzMsBlEd
— Severus Chud (@SeverusChud) December 26, 2025
How did Stranger Things go from such a great show to the only way they could defeat Vecna is if Will tells everyone he’s gay first
— Noah Edgeworth (@noah_edgeworth) December 26, 2025
Will coming out as gay, was the most unnecessary scene ever, in all of stranger things. Fucking pointless.
— Rowdy_Rebel (@Rowdy_Richie) December 26, 2025
Why was Will coming out gay a part of the FINAL storyline of Stranger Things? We have one more episode. THIS is what they thought would make us all happy with a mere one episode left… pic.twitter.com/mwx3tvZYIa
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) December 26, 2025
It’s worth noting that the backlash to Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 doesn’t end there. Many fans have complained about lengthy dialogues and awkward pacing, including a scene in which Sadie Sink‘s Max delivers a speech to Nell Fisher’s Holly just as they’re about to escape their respective trances. While there were already some complaints regarding the first volume, fans are no doubt anxious at this point, especially with only one episode left to wrap the series up.
Surprisingly, Season 5 Episode 7 “The Bridge” has become the second lowest-rated episode of the entire series, surpassed only by Season 2 Episode 7 “The Lost Sister.” With one more episode left, and plenty of pressure against it, we’ll have to see what happens once the show’s proper finale is released.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding Stranger Things as we have them. While the show’s fifth season is intended to wrap up the main story, there are several spin-offs in the works, confirming that we’re nowhere near the end of this universe.