The song from the “secret” episode of Stranger Things
That is, if Queen fuels the conspiracy theory on the ending of Stranger Things. One has been circulating on social media for days Fascinating theoryrenamed “conformity gate”which is driving fans crazy hugely popular Netflix series. According to this theory, the true finale of the series it wouldn’t be the one released on Netflix the night between December 31st and January 1st. On the contrary, what we saw in thelast episodethe one that ended with the disappearance of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) on the notes of “Purple Rain” by Princeit would just be aillusion: one distorted reality generated by Curse of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower)which continues to trap the characters – and the viewers – in one distorted size. The true ending should be out the night between today and tomorrowaccording to a series of alleged clues collected by fans on social media. Let’s play the game. Because, as often happens with Stranger Things, details matter. And one of these is precisely about the music.
Since first seasonas we have written several times, Stranger Things has built a fundamental part of its own identity – and of one’s own aestheticsexplicit homage to 80s – on the use of songs. In the series of Duffer Brothersthe songs are not simple accompanyingbut real narrative pointscapable of save lives, evoke memories And open gaps between worlds. Think about the character of Maxplayed by Sadie Sinkwhich manages to resist the Curse of Vecna thanks to Kate Bush and his “Running up that Hill”Why “music always reaches you». And think about how “Master of puppets” by Metallica has transformed Eddie Munsonplayed by Joseph Quinnin atragic and unforgettable icon. Both songs were featured in the trailer of the season. A promise kept.
And this is where the theory of “conformity gate” find one of your own more interesting handles. In the Season 5 trailer in fact it appeared “Who wants to live forever” by Queen. A choice that is anything but random: the song is about mortality, sacrifice, Love And destinythemes perfectly in line with thefinal act of Stranger Things. Yet, the classic gods Queen it never appeared. In no scene. In no episodes. A’suspicious absenceespecially when compared with what happened in the previous seasonswhere the songs that appeared in the trailers had then found one central space in the narrative. Possible that just now the series has broken this custom? According to supporters of the theory of “conformity gate”the answer, of course, is No.
The absence of “Who wants to live forever” it’s another clue which confirms how the true ending has yet to come out. Everything we have in the two hours of the episode released in the night between December 31st and January 1st would represent one reality manipulated by Vecnaa world of apparent resolution which is actually just another one mental prison. After all, i main conflicts they find one quick resolution. The characters appear more alignedless contradictory. The trauma it seems suddenly manageable. Sensations similar to those of created illusions by the character played by Jamie Campbell Bowerwhich shows the characters what they want to seenot what is True.
But why exactly “Who wants to live forever”? The song of Queen it’s not just one melancholy ballad. It is a reflection on price of immortality and on theinevitability of the end. The song ties perfectly to the character of Vecnawhich is obsessed with time: clocks, cycles, eternity. “Who wants to live forever” it’s precisely about this, aboutillusion of stopping time and of pain that comes from it. His absence from the episode released between December 31st and January 1st reinforces the idea that the timein that ending, isn’t really flowing. Insert it into a hypothetical final episode it would mean sealing Stranger Things with a coherent message: you don’t win by escaping deathbut accepting it. You can’t save the world without losing something along the road.
Maybe the “conformity gate” it’s only one collective psychosisor maybe No. We’ll find out tonight.
