(Credits: Netflix)

What in the name of Vecna is going on with Netflix today? Because dropping the runtime for the Stranger Things 5 finale like it’s no big deal is genuinely wild. Two hours and five minutes. Read that again.

The final episode is long enough for an entire theatre outing, which it is going to be, by the way, which is insane. For some of us, it might not be that big of a shock because the Duffer brothers confirmed that the last episode will be long, but nobody was expecting a full-fledged movie.

And they are releasing it on New Year’s Eve. You see, Netflix, people had party plans. They were getting their outfits ready, and then you swooped in like a dictator, giving instructions to people to stay inside because you are dropping THE episode people have waited an entire decade to watch.

And the really lucky ones are those who have secured their seats in the theatres, as Netflix is doing fan screenings in more than 500 theatres, which means whole crowds will be sitting in cinema seats on December 31st watching the final battle instead of counting down. Imagine fireworks going off outside while you are watching Vecna do whatever nightmare thing he is planning. So poetic, isn’t it?

But when you look at how this season opened, the giant runtime starts making sense. Hawkins is torn apart, and the military is treating the town like a classified project. Eleven has to disappear again, and Will has powers. But most importantly, there are questions from four seasons and one half a season which have to be answered by the makers in this episode. So many mysteries to be revealed.

The official synopsis even tells how crowded this finale is going to be. The full group has to come together one last time, the anniversary of Will’s disappearance comes back into the story, and the threat hanging over Hawkins is described like something the characters have never even approached before. Clearly, they want you to feel the weight of the ending before it even starts.

And honestly, this was always where the show was headed. Stranger Things has grown up with its audience. A movie-length finale doesn’t feel indulgent but necessary because it is the only format that can handle everything this story still needs to say. You can practically feel the writers closing tabs in their brains after eight years of setup.

So yes, the final episode is massive. Yes, it’s dramatic. Yes, it’s a whole New Year’s Eve event. But it suits the moment. Fans aren’t just waiting for an episode; they are about to open the last chapter of a show that’s been part of their life for nearly a decade.