‘Stranger Things’ Fan Petition Heads to 300K To Bring Back Will and Mike LGBTQ Scenes and More

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The show is nearing its end, with the last episode airing on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, recent episodes haven’t been well-received by many fans. In fact, the latest episode received the lowest ratings in the show’s history, and a petition with nearly 300,000 signatures has emerged in just a few days, likely contributing to negative reviews.

Change.org has become a popular platform for TV fans to voice their dissatisfaction. After a petition for a remake of Game of Thrones‘ final season gained nearly two million signatures, Stranger Things fans are now asking Netflix to release deleted scenes from Season 5. They believe these scenes, especially those exploring a possible romantic connection between Will and Mike, were intentionally removed.

The petition asks fans to actively seek out unreleased footage, arguing they deserve a voice in the show’s direction. While it’s a well-intentioned idea, TV and movie production doesn’t usually work that way, unless it’s an interactive series like Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch (before it was removed). The petition also states that many viewers are unhappy with the current season, and that hints from the cast and interviews don’t align with what’s shown in the episodes. Ultimately, the petition’s authors want Stranger Things to be remembered as a great show, not one that failed because of poor writing.

The online petition began after a leaked document circulated on social media, revealing deleted scenes from the show. These scenes reportedly expanded on a potential romantic relationship between Will and Mike, building on Will’s coming out and his feelings for Mike. Fans had widely used the ship name ‘Byler’ for the couple, and are now upset that these scenes were cut. Many believe the show was intentionally altered to remove the connection between the characters, leading to a surge of negative reviews.

‘Stranger Things 5’ Is Playing Out as It Was Always Meant To


Image via Netflix

The creators of the show, the Duffer brothers, filmed a significant amount of footage for the final season, which is typical for any production. Interestingly, after some viewers felt Season 4 was overly long, fans are now asking for more content to be included in Season 5.

As a huge fan of the series, I was pretty disappointed to hear that the rumors of a Snyder Cut are just that – rumors. Randy Havens, who brilliantly plays Mr. Clarke, actually addressed this himself on Instagram. He flat-out said there is no Snyder Cut and urged fans not to believe everything they read online. So, unfortunately, it seems like we won’t be getting an alternate version of the show after all.

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It’s surprising how often information shared on X (formerly Twitter) turns out to be inaccurate or false, despite repeated instances of this happening. While the fifth season of Stranger Things hasn’t been perfect, the way the series concludes will ultimately be its most important aspect. The actors have hinted at an emotional ending, so fans might start petitions to change the outcome if beloved characters don’t survive.

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2025-12-29 16:17