Source: BuzzFeed – LGBTQ – www.buzzfeed.com
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The Duffer Brothers anchor Will Byers’ storyline in the final season. Stranger Things, Even if it wasn’t well received in some parts of the fandom.In the penultimate episode, stranger things In Season 5, Will (played by Noah Schnapp) finally comes out as gay to his friends, mother, and brother just before his final showdown with Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower).in a posthumous interview varietyMatt and Ross Duffer said, “The coming out scene has been nine years in the making,” but the online backlash and review bombing continued.Here are some of the negative reactions.The episode titled “The Bridge” received the lowest ratings of the entire series. IMDB Overall, the final season received overwhelmingly negative reviews, making it the lowest-rated season. rotten tomatoes After the last few episodes.Despite the opinions of some fans, the Duffers were proud of the storyline. “That was a really important scene for us, and it was a really important scene for Noah as well, not just from a thematic standpoint, but from a narrative standpoint,” Ross Duffer said.As Ross said, stranger things “It was always about our characters overcoming evil,” with Vecna representing that evil, and Matt Duffer added that the coming out scene “is the final step in Will’s journey, and Will is in many ways the key to defeating Vecna.”After Will comes out to another LGBTQ character, Robin Buckley (played by Maya Hawke), he says, “I’ve been trying to figure out how to come out. I know I need to, and I know it’s the last step for me,” Matt continued. “And he found the courage to do it. And it really is the ultimate fuck you for Vecna. That was the intention.”In response to the backlash and review bombing, director Roth defended his decision, saying, “We’re proud of this episode. We’re proud of this scene. And we’re proud of Noah, who gave a really brave and very vulnerable performance.”Matt said the scene was important to Noah, who came out as gay in 2023, and that the two remained connected despite mixed reactions and that he was “most sensitive” in creating the scene. Similar to the actor’s real life.“Our goal was to make sure he was comfortable and happy with the scene, and when he was happy with the scene, we felt good about it,” Matt said. “And when he did, we were happy about it.”After “The Bridge” aired on Dec. 25, Matt said he was “sending a message.” “Very,” he added, “he’s in really good shape.”he is very proud of this sceneAnd we are proud of this scene. ”But the Duffer brothers admitted that unfortunately, backlash rooted in anti-LGBTQ hatred is not surprising even in 2025, and that’s very upsetting.In one moment, I see the beauty of people coming to terms with the coming-out story of a rival hockey player they fell in love with. And when a character we’ve been following for a decade has a big moment, it’s ruined by negativity. Even if you don’t give too much weight to the hateful tweets, it’s still rough to see so many people criticize Will’s coming out scene as if this entire show wasn’t building up to that moment.Maybe this scene didn’t sit well with some people who were tweeting their anger at Christmas, but if 13-year-old me had watched the penultimate episode, it would have made my closeted teenage years less of a nightmare. That scene may not be for you, and that’s okay.What do you think about Will’s coming out scene and the Duffer brothers’ reaction to the backlash? Please share in the comments.
