Stranger Things Star Surprises Fans With 3.5-Star Rating for Season 5 Finale on Letterboxd

So, Stranger Things season 5 has finally rolled out its big finale, and let's just say the response hasn't exactly been a group hug. In fact, things have gotten so heated online that even one of the show's own actors stepped in to give the episode a not-so-glowing review — right out in the open. Yeah, it's kind of awkward.

The Lukewarm Actor Review (Yes, Really)

Raphael Luce — remember him? He played the young version of Henry Creel, the kid who grows up to become speaking-voice-challenged heavy Vecna — took to Letterboxd with his thoughts. And by 'thoughts,' I mean he tossed a three-and-a-half star rating at the finale, dropped a heart for good measure, and captioned it all with the concise 'The end.' That’s not exactly effusive praise.

Just to make things a little spicier, fans quickly noticed that Luce had actually bumped his rating down from an earlier four stars. One commenter didn't let it slide: 'is it really 4 stars tho i mean is it reeeeally.' So, yeah, even the cast is publicly picking at the final chapter.

Who the Heck Is Raphael Luce Again?

If the name isn’t ringing a bell, here’s a refresher:

• Luce appeared in season 4 in four episodes as young Henry during the flashbacks.
• He pops up again in season 5, still playing little Henry for more flashback-y bits.
• The full-grown version, and eventual supernatural villain Vecna, is played by Jamie Campbell Bower.

Behind the Curtain: Finale Woes

The finale wasn’t just a pain for viewers — apparently it was a beast for the people making it, too. The Duffer Brothers, the brains behind the whole thing, revealed in the new doc One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things that pulling off the last episode was, and this is a direct quote:

'the most difficult writing circumstance we’ve ever found ourselves in.'

Genuinely sounds like they know it wasn’t a walk in the park.

Fan Conspiracies and 'Conformity Gate'

With so many folks unimpressed by how things wrapped up, it's maybe not surprising that conspiracy theories started to take off. One of the wildest? Some fans insist Netflix is hiding a secret episode, and that the real finale just hasn’t been released yet. This rumor got its own nickname: 'Conformity Gate' (apparently fans had a lot of time on their hands during the hiatus).

So, Where Can You Watch the Finale for Yourself?

If you want to dive in and see what all the fuss is about, season 5 of Stranger Things is streaming now on Netflix. And if you want more hot takes or a breakdown of what (apparently) went wrong, I've got a full review of the finale and an explainer about that ending.