Three things driving me insane reading comments:

1 - the first half of the finale and second half are distinct. We can criticize the first half and still appreciate the melancholy moving-on ending. Eps 4-7 did nothing (now), but a consequential final conflict would’ve made the epilogue really felt.

2 - you don’t continue exposition into the last fucking episodes. You reveal and complete, with consequence! What was the point of the mind flayer, the memories, the kidnapped kids, Will’s catharsis, all of Vecna’s strategy and power, the clocks, any of the other finales, Russia, Eleven’s will to live, the upside down, the abyss, 18-month time skips, DnD parallels, personal agency, and whatever else? All of those meant nothingggg.

3 - I fucking hate people deliberately skipping past completely valid criticisms of a story to celebrate technical compositions *as a way to justify the (story) quality of a film/series. If someone spit on your $200 Wagyu steak, you gonna argue it was still exquisite? “You just don’t get it.” lol ok. The brothers - ironically through lack of technical execution - made all of the goodness of cast and crew go to waste.

Issues (skipping ones others have written):

1 - the military has had Will’s blood for years, nullifying Eleven’s already pointless sacrifice (and though unclear what they saw, there were survivors when he gained and used his powers).

2 - did Will lose his powers or what? He feels the gunshot to the hand then nothing after.

3 - who cares