Stranger Things’ Queer Stories Don’t Hit Modern Standards, However They Can

Our Flag Means Death demonstrates how Stranger Things can adjust their queer tales to meet the requirements of a contemporary audience’s assumptions.

One of the a lot more aggravating stories in terms of the implementation of the personalities journeys has actually been the queer plot lines that are explored explicitly through the character of Robin Buckley, and also the indicated queerness of Will Byers. Honestly the stories of these 2 personalities in terms of their queer identifications simply don’t hit contemporary criteria for queer stories.

Robin and also Lucius are Both Secondary Characters, But Lucius’ Story is More Satisfying

Robin is a fairly understood personality to Stranger Things, yet her vibrant with Steve and also the other characters makes her a welcome addition. She came out to Steve as a lesbian throughout Season 3 when she revealed she had a crush on among their schoolmates, Tammy. Then in Season 4, she has moved onto a new crush, a fellow participant of the band called Vickie. Tammy is not seen up until Season 4, long after Robin has been healed of her crush as well as both never also connect. Vickie and Robin at least talk a couple of times throughout the season, however Vickie’s sexuality is never explicitly confirmed and also is actually seen kissing her sweetheart during one of those experiences.

It is unfulfilling that she is apparently Robin’s love interest because it not just implies that all queer women are precisely the only interested as well as very same in others who are exactly like them, yet additionally there is no romance at all in between them. The connection between the two of them obtains fairly little screen time in comparison to just how much time the 2 are established as specific personalities, however their communications are clearly romantic, and also though they are extremely different individualities, it is explicitly clear exactly how they feel regarding each other.

Stede and also Blackbeard’s Relationship Shows That Will’s Character Needs to Be More Clearly Explored

Will’s queerness has been hinted at since the beginning of the initial period of Stranger Things. All his life bullies have actually called him gay slurs as well as picked on him for his sexuality in spite of not coming out as clearly queer. In the real life, individuals have every right to not reveal their identification with any person, and also don’t owe explicit labels to anybody. Complete Stranger Things is a television series that has the capacity to create a circumstance where Will can securely come out, as well as his sexuality be checked out much more explicitly. The series has actually already begun to do that with the dynamic between Will and Jonathan that was discovered in Season 4, especially Jonathan’s speech to his younger brother throughout the period finale.

Stede as well as Blackbeard’s love story on Our Flag Means Death has currently demonstrated how this is possible. They are likewise characters in a tale set during a time in history that was unkind towards the queer area, as well as yet the story includes queer personalities anyhow. There are circumstances of homophobia, however they are not the specifying minutes of the program or the personalities. Will’s implied queerness is utilized to strengthen the heterosexual love story in between Mike and Eleven, which creates him excellent pain as well as suffering. He’s never ever really permitted to experience any genuine joy when it pertains to like, which’s a viciousness that is manufactured by the collection, when it doesn’t need to be. Stede’s partnership with Blackbeard does help his wife Mary find heterosexual love, however the difference is that it’s not the cost of Stede’s own joy, however instead of effect of Stede’s very own search of joy and also liberation.

Stranger Things has the potential to improve the high quality of the storylines for its queer personalities by adhering to the lead of Our Flag Means Death. Specific examples of depiction in fact aid to enhance the overall storytelling arcs for queer characters as opposed to the suggested as well as sidelined variations that Robin and also Will undergo. Pop culture has actually advanced therefore have the standards for queer storytelling, it’s time that Stranger Things reaches fulfill those requirements.

Unfamiliar person Things is now streaming on Netflix as well as Our Flag Means Death is streaming specifically on HBO Max.