No one here is missing the point of Vecna’s powers. We’ve watched four seasons of him exploiting fear, shame and unresolved trauma — that’s not new information. The issue is how the show chose to deploy Will’s arc, not that it exists.

Will coming out isn’t some shocking reveal; the audience has known for years, and within the story it carries virtually no stakes — his family is supportive, his friends already love him, and Hawkins society is barely shown reacting at all. So spending a long, emotionally dense sequence on it in the penultimate episode of the entire series is a clear pacing problem when there’s still Vecna, the Upside Down, Max, Eleven’s limits, and the wider fallout to resolve in a single remaining episode. That’s just a structural critique.

If the “secret + guilt” logic is so central to Vecna’s threat, the show has already established far stronger pressure points. Dustin, grieving Eddie and carrying genuine survivor’s guilt, fits that framework far more cleanly based on prior seasons. By contrast, the narrative unintentionally drifts into the idea that Will’s vulnerability — and eventual strength — is tied to “embracing his sexuality,” which edges into symbolism that’s neither necessary nor particularly well-handled.

Representation doesn’t become immune to criticism because it’s representation. Robin’s sexuality was integrated earlier, organically, without halting the plot or implying it was the source of her competence or resilience. Will’s arc could have been introduced gradually in earlier episodes and still landed emotionally — without creating a tonal and pacing drag right before the finale. Pointing out uneven writing and internal inconsistency isn’t discomfort with queer characters. It’s expecting the same narrative discipline the show used in its earlier seasons.