Every single question or plot hole the finale needs to answer:

Of course, we all love the show or else we wouldn’t be here. But it’s pretty apparent that there’s a laundry list of questions and plot holes that need to be answered for the final episode of the show to land. Here’s all the questions I think need to be answered in the finale in no particular order:

Plot questions that must be answered:

1. How did the Demogorgon open Will’s door in Season 1—was telekinesis involved, and if so, why is that ability never shown again?

2. Who’s actually in control, the mind flayer or vecna. What is the full origin story of this relationship. Who is the big bad of this series?

3. What was vecna’s plan in the beginning with Will? It doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense when you think about it in terms of him capturing will, practically letting him die in the upside down for a week, but hoping he would found to be a spy? What is his plan in general?

4. Why in season four was the military that was working for Doctor Kay trying to kill Eleven when it’s now been revealed that she wanted her alive to use her blood?

5. If the Upside Down was created on November 6, 1983, how does later research (like Brenner’s notebook on the upside down) exist before the upside down even did?

6. Why do Joyce and Hopper—who knew Henry Creel in high school—never meaningfully react to Vecna’s identity once it’s revealed?

7. Why are there so many key details about Will wrong? He said he got Milkshakes at melvalds in his coming out scene (which isn’t true) so is vecna still in him as a spy? Also season four completely forgot his birthday and in volume one of season five Joyce got his age wrong from when he was taken? Are these all just plot holes? Lucas said he doesn’t believe in coincidences, and the YouTube live stream before volume two just said “pay attention”? Are all these mistakes intentional or poor writing.

8. What is going on with Mike? We were told he would have a large emotional weight put on him but he hasn’t reacted to any of the crazy things that have happened to him this season. This needs to be addressed.

9. Why Eleven? What makes you so capable of vecna level powers?

10. What was in the suitcase? What is Henry’s full back story? What was the point in showing the 1959 flashback (hopefully to go into this)

11. What’s going to happen to the pregnant women? Will that even be addressed again?

12.. Why does 11 in season one recognize Will when she sees a photo of him. (probably not going to be answered, but would be cool and potentially tie into question 1)

13. Where is suzie / Doctor Owen’s will we hear about them again?

14. Why does vecna’s new layer have a beating heart? What is it?

15. If the Upside Down operates as a hive mind, why do pain and injuries sometimes transfer between creatures and Will, and other times not (will hurting demos doesn’t hurt him / demos getting hurt at points and Will not feeling anything.)

16. Does eleven having healing powers or what happened at the end of season 4 for max to be revived?

That’s along for the answer in 2 hours on top of the actual battle, deaths, and giving a gigantic cast satisfying conclusions.

Here’s the more general plot holes and tone problems with volume 2 that can’t really be addressed most likely but are still there nonetheless.* *

Why do so many characters feel emotionally hollow or detached in Volume 2 compared to earlier seasons? (Eleven no emotions)

Why is the main character of this season Holly and Mike Eleven Hopper Etc feel like side characters?

Why is the dialogue so much different to the point where this season feels so disconnected from the other four?

Why did season four end on such a high where there is so much at stake in a seemingly apocalyptic Hawkins, for season five to completely abandon that?

Why did the upside down used to almost feel like its own character entity, just to be reduced to asset peace that doesn’t even feel like an environment anymore?

Why did Max not say anything about Hopper being alive when she came back to life? Why did 11 have no reaction to max coming back to life after she saved her.

Why are major emotional reactions skipped or muted (Eleven with Max, Max with Hopper, etc.)?

Why are Demogorgons nearly unstoppable against soldiers and prisoners, yet easily fought by main characters?

Why does Vecna feel far less threatening and more passive than he did in Season 4. He was a badass and now there’s no stakes or high tension feeling that we had going into season 4 finale.

Why does the Upside Down feel like a static set piece instead of a hostile, living entity?

Why do characters repeatedly make decisions that contradict their prior growth or survival instincts?

(Example: Max lingering for such a long time instead of immediately Going into her portal)

Why was Mike hyped by the creators as central to this season, only to be largely sidelined?

Why was “a dark Christmas” teased publicly when the actual volume contained little consequence or darkness?

Why does Volume 2 feel strangely paced—long scenes with little urgency or payoff?

Why is this season suddenly all tell not show?

Why do continuity slips (Will’s birthday, age errors, dialogue inconsistencies) stand out more in this volume than any other?

Why does Volume 2 feel like it avoids consequences rather than escalating them?

Why does the season feel tonally disconnected from the tension and horror that defined Seasons 1–4?

Again, we all love this show, and as much as the season has been disappointing, hopefully they can answer most of these questions in the finale, and we can get a satisfying conclusion. I don’t know how all this can be fit or why they made the choices they did, but here we are and let’s hope for the best!