#altho they did somehow manage a bit in s1

[spectraling]

The way S3 could’ve had an actually heartwrenching, mindblowing conclusion by having Jonathan be possessed instead of Billy, an actual good guy that we care about and who’s awful childhood trauma is related to other characters we care about. The tragedy of his deep love but also completely justified resentment for his mother being used by the Mind Flayer to twist and manipulate him into doing horrible things rooted in careful, masterful depictions of the complexity of this relationship solidified from the very first episode of the show. Every character naturally being invested in somehow saving him and his sacrifice would be truly felt - the greatest fear, the truest horror that Joyce could ever imagine would finally come to pass and it would be a blow so massive that it would send shockwaves through the characters. It would set up Joyce’s ultimate guilt, her madness, her strength and her utter desperation in taking down whatever thing that lives in the Upside Down, whatever government official that ever made any of this possible. The stakes would actually be sky-high and the characters would be at their lowest of lows, the heart of the show shattered, perfect for setting up the final act of the last few seasons.

But then I remember the gung-ho, pro-capitalist, sexist, vapid shell of what the show used to be that we got so thank god they didn’t do that.

#stranger things s3 #stranger things meta #joyce byers #jonathan byers #if you had nothing else to do with this character #then at least use him in the most emotionally impactful way you can #oh yeah hopper supposedly died #lol I forgot #yeah that was pretty bs #especially since he didn't die at all ofc #also don't trust the fandom or the writers with such a complexity that joyce's character would have to embody #altho they did somehow manage a bit in s1 #but the trauma being inflicted on jonathan was ofc never really adressed #this would adress it!!