People Are Sharing The Stranger Things Plot Holes That Are Still Bothering Them, And I've Got Sooo Many Questions

Stranger Things just ended last week, and reactions are...mixed, to say the least. Particularly, some people felt like there were just a *few* plot holes.

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Honestly, I liked it! I went in with pretty low expectations, and hey, I don't need EVERYTHING to be answered explicitly. Still...you have to admit there were a LOT of things left up in the air. Here's every question I still had after the finale...along with some from Reddit.

1. The main one is...WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MILITARY? Especially Dr. Kay??? They just up and left after the explosion, with no consequences for anyone?

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2. Nancy and Hopper, especially, committed so many war crimes. They gunned down multiple US soldiers in the second-to-last episode alone. How are they not in prison?

3. How was Hopper allowed to become a police officer again, and how did he explain coming back from the dead?

4. Let's talk about Hop coming back from the dead. Why did Max not react to seeing Hopper alive? She didn't have any questions about that?

5. Was Mr. Clark not confused as well?

6. Speaking of Hopper, this isn't really a question, but I do NOT buy this guy got over El's death. Especially not to the level that he can dole out sage advice, marry Joyce, and live happily ever after. Let's not forget this is the guy who was trying to get himself killed every episode and gunning down men left and right to save her, giving no thought to consequences or his future. And that was BEFORE she died.

7. I have some questions about the big boss battle. How did the gang get to the top of the cliff when fighting the mind flayer? Like, literally, they do not have climbing gear or anything. And how did they do it so fast??? One second, they're running towards the cliffs as Nancy also nears them (we see Jonathan stop and look back at her running), then very soon after, they save Nancy in the canyon by attacking from above. How'd they get up there so quickly?

8. I also don't buy Nancy and the rest outrun the Mind Flayer as they're heading to the cliffs. This is how far they had to go.

9. What was even the point of Lucas and Mike during the final battle? What was Mike's contribution supposed to be before Nancy gave him the flare gun? I'm glad Lucas's slingshot got used, but I feel like they 100% should've gotten better weapons. Mike's aim is also way too good, considering we've never seen him use a weapon like this.

10. When Dustin and Steve were stabbing the Mind Flayer from below, why didn't it just sit and crush them? Also, you're telling me that goo wasn't harmful to them? And how'd they have any idea the underside would be vulnerable? The spears also feel like weird weapons to bring, considering the only thing they know is that Vecna and the Mind Flayer's beasts are vulnerable to fire.

11. Speaking of bats, where were they in the finale? What about demagorgans and demodogs? Where were all the adversaries??? Having bats there that Steve and Dustin kill would've been a nice full circle moment for Eddie's death.

12. It's established that hurting the Mind Flayer/anything in the Hive mind hurts Will if he's close enough. How come the final battle doesn't hurt him? To be fair to the show, we don't really see him during the fighting until the end, but he's clearly well enough to take control of Vecna's arm and help defeat him. Then he's fine when Vecna is impaled and also when Joyce beheads him.

13. Why'd the Mind Flayer even go after Nancy when she acts as bait? Did he actually feel any damage from her gun? Isn't it established that guns basically do nothing, even against smaller creatures like demagorgans?

14. Also, why does Nancy not use a flamethrower? Seriously, why aren't they ALL using flamethrowers? FIRE IS ALL Y'ALL KNOW THESE CREATURES ARE VULNERABLE TO.

15. Which brings me to...WHY DID THE MILITARY KEEP USING GUNS AGAINST THE DEMAGORGONS AND VECNA?!? They already know guns are useless and only fire works! WHY DON'T THEY USE MORE FLAME THROWERS?

16. The military is so incompetent. They really can't capture El in a single town that's under their control? It's like they're not even trying. I mean, they know El was living with the Byers in California during Season 4. The Byers have returned to Hawkins, and Joyce doesn't appear to be in hiding — she's openly living with the Wheelers, as shown in the first episode of this season. Yet the military just leaves her be, despite, in their eyes, having shielded government property from them? They don't even appear to be watching her in case El makes contact. Couldn't they capture her and use her as bait for El?

17. This really undercuts the stakes of El's sacrifice. Gurl, they couldn't even find you in one single town. You have to die because with the entire world to cover, you're convinced they'll find you? Or use/kill your friends to find you? They don't even do that in Season 5!

18. What even was the military's actual plan when it came to El? Dr. Kay finds the group's plans, then must evacuate the Upside Down (as we don't see anyone in their lab there in the ep), and wait for El on the other side to capture her. This seems pretty inactive considering how big a threat they were, and also seems VERY confident in the kids' hare-brained plan.

19. And then, if their plan was to capture El on the other side, how come they don't even try? They use their machines, but other than that, they just watch as El stands at the gate. They don't send men towards her or anything. They just idly watch while holding the kids back. They also don't seem concerned that the explosion might reach them.

20. The main group also didn't seem to have any plan for exiting the gate and Upside Down once their plan succeeded. The military would very obviously be there and on alert, considering they broke into the base to get in. They don't even seem concerned as they drive back.

21. In fact, they're all much too happy driving back, considering they're racing for their lives (any obstacle could mean they're stuck in the Upside Down when it explodes). Why is Hopper, especially, so happy when they're driving back? He literally laughs when they pass the truck of kids, including El. Isn't he still worried El will stay when it all blows up? I'm surprised he didn't insist on stopping the car and riding with them or something.

22. What happened to the pregnant women???? They were in the Upside Down base, right? So did they just die in the explosion? El kind of alludes to this actually being part of the plan when they make their plot, saying Kay's experiment will be over, but really...they didn't even want to try to save them? I know Kali's blood was killing them, but was there no shot at reviving them?

23. Why did Kali need to die if it's established they couldn't use her to make more Elevens? Seems like only Eleven would need to die. I guess she just wanted El not to die alone? IDK.

24. And why would El's blood work to create more superpowered kids when Kali's doesn't? El didn't get her powers from contact with the Mind Flayer and Abyss like Henry (and Will) did; she got them from Henry's blood. It stands to reason that within the science and magic of this world, her blood wouldn't work either. Sure, she's "special" in that she's strong, but isn't that just her training and "the power of love" or whatever? She's not biologically different from the other kids.

25. I guess this depends on how much the military knows about Will's powers, but it actually seems like Will would be a way better bet to create more Elevens. Like Henry, Will got his powers from encountering some version of the Abyss (in Will's case, the sort of bridge dimension of the Upside Down), ingesting stuff there, and also being possessed by the Mind Flayer in Season 2. In the Stranger Things play, they establish that this contact actually changes your blood type and gives you access to powers. Will is a way better "equal" to Henry, and it's way more likely his blood would have the same effect.

26. If you're gonna tell me Will doesn't have powers (or even this different blood type) after the Mind Flayer and Upside Down are gone, then why would El? Like, why would they worry about El being used for her powers if they're nullified by defeating the Big Bad? It stands to reason Will would keep them, too.

27. I also don't get why the show acts like Will doesn't have powers and is only tapping into the Hive Mind and Vecna's powers. He had the same thing happen to him as happened to Henry. Even if his powers are different (I guess his power is psychic contact with Henry, which allows him to control the creatures?), they're there.

28. Let's move on from Will. What happened to the Turnbows? Are they still in the barn???

29. Also, Tina knew Erica drugged her. She's just gonna let that fly?

30. What happened to Erica and Mr. Clarke after the military found them? We don't even see them get caught.

31. Why do Erica and Mr. Clarke use the radio van? Maybe not a plot hole, but it just feels dumb. Did they really think the literal US military couldn't track their location?

32. Why do Max and Vickie act so shocked when Max goes into a trance/goes into El's mind? Wasn't that the plan?

33. Seriously. How come Max seems so confused on this plan?

34. And how did El even pull both Kali and Max into her mind, then into Henry's mind through that — anyway?

35. If Vecna saw El's whole plan when he went into her mind, then he knew the other kids and Joyce were headed to fight the Mind Flayer. Why didn't he do anything about that?

36. How come Vecna doesn't use his whole jumping-into-people's minds thing more? He only uses it on Hopper, and then he scans El's mind. He could've found out what they were planning earlier or created more illusions to screw with them.

37. I get Hopper's consumed with rage and all, but is he really dumb enough to think shooting Vecna will work, considering A) Vecna is obviously only in his mind, as he appeared to Max and the others — I mean, he knows this. His dead daughter is obviously not really there. And B) a gun wouldn't be able to kill Vecna anyway.

38. It takes Vecna way too long to go after the kids after this. He needs them for this master plan! He focuses first on getting El and Kali out of his mind, fine, but he should jump through a portal the second he's done with Hopper — AKA, right after Max, El, and Kali disappear. But Holly has time to rally the troops and get most of them to the cave before he shows up.

39. When he does go after them, he uses a portal to materialize behind Derek and Holly while they're still in the forest. Why did he not materialize closer to them, or like, RIGHT in front of the cave entrance, so he'd stop them before they came in? Bro is BOOKING it towards the cave when like...my dude, you can literally materialize wherever you want.

40. How is Derek able to pull Holly back after Henry grabs her foot with his Vecna hand? How on EARTH is Derek stronger than Vecna himself???

41. After Vecna dies, this smoke comes out of the kids – I guess part of the Mind Flayer? Where does this go? Does the Mind Flayer still exist at all?

42. Not really a plot hole, but it feels unrealistic that they got all the kids safely from the Abyss to the radio tower and down. It's not aligned right. Not ONE person fell?

43. Just gonna point out that the Upside Down gets safer every season. Remember when they had guys in huge suits go in there and just, like, their bones would come out? The air also seems fine to breathe now...like, probably not great in the long term, but mostly fine.

44. Remember when the vines were super dangerous in the Upside Down — like, if you touched one, it'd strangle you, and Vecna would know you were there? What happened to that?

45. How did the gang never notice the massive wall in the Upside Down before this?

46. Speaking of the wall, this is small, but why do they make a point to show us that one soldier peeing on the wall? Seems like liquid would play a component in tearing a hole or something, but it's never revisited.

47. When did Brenner write all his notes about the wall and the wormhole? The notes have to be from after Will disappeared, because the Upside Down didn't exist before then. Brenner "dies" like a week later and doesn't appear to ever return to Hawkins. They didn't explore the Upside Down much during that week, either, right? Didn't their men keep dying?

48. We also never got an explanation as to how Brenner survived Season 1.

49. Back to S5...what made the liquid solidify? I started getting a little sick of every dangerous thing ending at the EXACT moment it needed to before it killed our heroes. Nothing ever happens a second too late to save them?

50. And how come the table doesn't liquify? Scratch that, what about the walls, or the floor? I kept expecting the ground to break. It clearly did where Dustin and Steve are, when the ladder falls through.

51. This is more of an annoying inconsistency, but how come every time they used a walkie-talkie, the sound clearly came through enough for the viewer to hear, albeit with static, but the characters were like, "I can't hear them at all!" It happened EVERY TIME. Just make the words unintelligible whenever we see the characters who "can't hear" with the walkies!

52. This has more to do with the play, but it is also confirmed to be canon when Max is in Henry's mind and ends up in a high school hallway. How did Henry go to high school if he killed his family as a child? I guess that's just an age retcon, but it's annoying.

53. Also, he went to high school with Joyce and other adult characters. If we believe the play, he fell for Bob's sister (yes, the Bob who was with Joyce in S2, whom Joyce also knew in high school, along with Hopper, Karen, and Ted). How come we never see an adult character react to the fact that they went to high school with Vecna?

54. What is the significance of November 6? Why does it matter that it's the anniversary of Will being taken?

55. I'm sorry, I love Karen, but I just don't buy that out of all characters, she damaged a demagorgan (famously resistant to almost all forms of attack) with a wine battle, and doesn't even get killed for it.

56. The demagorgans (and demodogs) really get nerfed this season. As Redditor kitten12551 puts it, "Why were the demodogs suddenly cartoon puppies who get distracted by a washing machine? They made it a point to have the washing machine still running while a demo was eating a Russian soldier last season, and it didn’t react."

57. Not really a plot hole, but what happened to Ted after the attack? We never see him again until the graduation flash forward.

58. Like, do Karen and Ted now know all about the Upside Down?

59. What happened to Max's mom? Where was she for graduation?

60. Speaking of graduation, how'd Max catch up on school in time to graduate? She's been in a coma for over a year and a half, right?

61. How come everyone cheers at Dustin's shirt and speech? I mean, the whole DnD/Hellfire/Satanic Panic thing was never resolved.

62. Do they not all still think Eddie, Dustin's DnD leader and the head of Hellfire, killed multiple classmates as demonic sacrifices?

63. I genuinely want to know how the Eddie stuff ended. Weren't the kids all being questioned for their involvement with him and for showing up at the lake? But after the earthquake, the police were like hey, I guess Eddie's dead (without them ever finding a body) and we're not gonna do any more investigating here?

64. There's really just no consequences ever for the kids. Like, remember when Nancy and Robin impersonated psych students? Did they ever get in trouble for that? Nancy has broken so many rules and laws, it's actually wild that she's not in jail. And that's outside of her killing soldiers.

65. And what about Robin stealing all those meds? Vickie says they know, and Robin almost gets arrested!

66. Speaking of Vickie, where is she in the flash-forward?

67. How did Steve become a health teacher (presumably also the gym teacher) and coach 18 months after the events of the series? He couldn't have gotten a Bachelor's degree in that time. Were things really that lax in the '80s that he could just step into position with no real career experience or post-high school education?

68. Not really a loose end, but how did Holly age THAT much between Seasons 4 and 5? This is not the same child. Like, I realize that, actor-wise, but why not cast a younger kid?

69. Also, can I talk about how annoyed I was when Max and Holly were escaping earlier this season? How come Max waits until the last possible second to tell Holly she can't come?

70. And why did they take SO long to escape, and literally WALK for part of it???

71. Why was Max not blind when she woke up? Vecna very obviously blinded her.

72. How did El bring Max back to life in the first place? That power is never used again.

73. Maybe Vecna didn't see the kids as a threat (seems dumb considering their win in S4), but how come Henry targeted Holly, of all people? He had to know the kids would quickly figure out what was going on and fight to save her. He didn't have to take her first, either.

74. And how come Mike didn't even consider that Holly's imaginary friend might be related to the Upside Down? He's seen wild, impossible stuff, but Holly's just being silly when she's talking to an invisible stranger?

75. More of a loose end, but how come Will's painting was never revealed to have not been commissioned by El? I'm not a Byler fan, but it kind of bothered me that it was unclear whether or not Mike knew Will liked him.

76. Another loose end: Max's letters. It would've been nice to have Lucas read his at the end of Season 4.

77. There are just so many random loose ends from multiple seasons that were never wrapped up. Like, what happened to Suzie?

78. And the jocks that beat Dustin? Zero payoff or resolution there.

79. Where has Lonnie been since Season 1??? He never came back after his son came back from the dead?

80. What happened to the Byers' dog?

81. Or, more recently, Dr. Owens?

82. And Argyle? Wasn't he stuck in the quarantine zone with them?

83. How did the government explain the quarantine zone? Like, to the other people in the town, or news outlets? Robin mentions the weird dust they all breathed in post-Earthquake, but wasn't that hours or days after? How'd they explain that?

84. Also, how on earth did anyone believe this was an earthquake?

85. Did they ever explain how El recognized Will in Season 1? She left the lab around when Will disappeared, right? So, when was she traveling there in her mind and seeing Will before this point?

86. And did we ever discover the details of how Eight escaped the lab? She wasn't taken as a baby like the others, right? She has an accent! Kali could've mentioned this is why her blood won't work to make more Elevens; maybe she was made differently. And how come she and Eleven had hair in the flashbacks?

87. How come Kali's powers are different, anyway? As redditor Leading_Ad1576 said, "They could have really X-Men upped all those kids with various powers."

88. What did Henry mean when he said that his murder victims live on in his mind?

89. Speaking of young Eleven...and I'll leave this in Redditor NoLaw7564's words: "How is young Eleven powerful enough to literally push Henry through spacetime by presumably creating an unstable wormhole to this other dimension/planet with it collapsing behind Henry? I'll accept the Mind Flayer in Henry might have guided him towards the abyss rather than something intentional by El, but where did all that energy come from? She was able to push a living being between space/dimensions without the aid of the sensory deprivation chamber, but Henry could do nothing from the Abyss until the wormhole to Hawkins was created?"

90. And, from the same Redditor: "If all that was needed to bridge the two worlds was for El to accidentally make psychic contact with a being from the Abyss, Henry never attempted to reach out from Hawkins into the Abyss in the years between him touching the stone and getting captured by Brenner? Not even on the night he murdered his family, which seems to be when he joined the Flayer willingly?"

91. Maybe one of the biggest loose ends: what happened with the Russians?

92. Remember when Will was first taken? Who unlocked the deadbolt? Was that Vecna?

93. Overall, I don't buy that Vecna has been behind this all since S1. When did he come up with his whole world-colliding plan? What was up with the meat puppet Mind Flayer in Season 3, in particular? What was the goal there?

94. Let's end on Mike's "El is alive" theory. I know this is basically just a story Mike likes to tell himself, but it's full of holes. Could Kali really cast an illusion from that far away?

95. How would El and Kali have had that much time to come up with this plan, and how would Kali know when to enact it? I guess El must've gone into her mind with Kali to tell her, but then we'd need to have seen El with a blindfold on in the van, or at least really close her eyes and concentrate, right?

96. And didn't we see the lab, where Kali was, blow up first? So El would've disappeared when the explosion started, not when it ended. If she left the lab, how'd she do that while being shot? She was definitely shot, because even in Mike's theory, Kali tells El the plan while El is crying over her being shot.

97. Mike talks about Kali changing her mind after seeing Hopper talk to El about her painful life. How would Mike even know this speech happened?

98. Mike's whole theory rests on El not having been capable of using her powers while those speaker things were on, suppressing her abilities. Except she had to have, because she goes into Mike's mind to say goodbye.

99. How would invisible El even have escaped from the truck without anyone seeing or any soldier finding her? It takes them way too long to realize El isn't there. How would El have even known where to go from here?

100. How is El, with no ID, no SSN, no allies, and no food, water, or money, getting to Iceland? And if Mike thinks El is alive, why isn't he looking for her? Maybe in a place with multiple waterfalls? It's not adding up!!!!!

Alright, I'm sure I'll think of more later, but that's it, for now. Now it's your turn — what plot holes and loose ends bothered you? Let us know in the comments!

Sure, a bunch of these are probably me being a dummy...but ALL of them?!?