The Show Lost Its Magic After Season 4 Episode 7

Seasons one through most of four were scary and mysterious. The Upside Down felt unknown, threatening and that uncertainty made it unforgettable.

Then in season 4, episode 7 the show revealed everything. Suddenly it became one telekinetic sociopath: Vecna. He is a strong villain but he cannot carry the cosmic horror of the Upside Down alone. The real terror was the Mind Flayer, an intelligence we barely understood, until it got tied directly to Vecna.

Now it feels like a superhero story. A team of heroes versus one big bad. I hope there is some twist with the Mind Flayer yet, but I doubt it. The Upside Down will be sealed, Vecna defeated, and the mystery that made the show special will be gone.