Stranger Things Series Finale Fixes The Show's Worst Villain Mistake
by Pauli Poisuo · /FilmThis article contains spoilers for "Stranger Things" season 5, episode 8 — "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up."
From the moment the season 1 Demogorgon first unfolded its flesh petal face, it was evident that "Stranger Things" is a show that has its creature game sorted out. Every monster in "Stranger Things" is a sight to behold, and every season's big bad has been just different enough from the previous one to warrant its inclusion in the proceedings. Still, this all seemed to come to a halt with season 4. There, the show confirmed that Henry "Vecna" Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower) is the villain who's been responsible for every single Upside Down attack so far, thus relegating every monster that came before him to mere minion status. This was a particularly rough deal for the Mind Flayer, the gigantic, visually impressive spider-like entity that held served as the show's main antagonist in seasons 2 and 3.
Fortunately, "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up" reveals that rumors of the supposedly mighty Mind Flayer's unfortunate subservience have been highly exaggerated. In a payoff to the briefcase storyline of "Stranger Things" season 5, Vecna delivers one of the series finale's biggest twists by revealing that the Mind Flayer called to him as a child, and he willingly gave himself to the monster to become one with it. This means that while Vecna is still the human component of this alliance, the Mind Flayer is very much an active entity instead of an enslaved monstrosity, and that the two effectively share the show's big bad status. Just like that, the "Stranger Things" finale lifts the Mind Flayer from the mud the season 4 Vecna revelation sank it in, giving the show's coolest monster its just desserts as a force to be reckoned with.
The Mind Flayer returns in its most terrifying form yet
Apart from providing the Mind Flayer a much-needed late game boost, "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up" allows "Stranger Things" season 5 to continue the show's trend of introducing radically different monsters every time around. Season 1 has the iconic Demogorgon, while season 2 wheeled out the Demodogs and the shadow monster incarnation of the Mind Flayer. Season 3 got creative with the Flayed and the nasty spider monster aspect of the Mind Flayer, while season 4 introduced Vecna.
Now, season 5 reveals that the show had another trick up its sleeve all along, providing us with a hulking physical incarnation of the Mind Flayer that also acts as a base for Vecna. Both characters are more gruesome than ever, and their tag team is a suitable final opponent for the heroes. What's more, the fact that they operate as a joint entity allows for a cool fight sequence where Eleven takes on Vecna in the insides of the Mind Flayer while the rest of the gang tackles the gigantic Flayer itself.
"Stranger Things" season 5 is streaming on Netflix.