Fans flood the Internet with memes as Stranger Things returns

Just as the first part of the final season of the popular sci-fi series Stranger Things hit Netflix, the Internet has exploded not with Demogorgons, but with memes. Fans who waited more than four years to return to the Upside Down wasted no time turning their roller-coaster reactions into some of the funniest, most chaotic content social media has seen this week.

As Volume 1’s first four episodes dropped on Wednesday, fans quickly flooded Instagram and X to share their reactions to everything from Vecna’s unexpectedly “hourglass” transformation and glossy manicure to Will Byers’ surprising “glow-up.” Memes ranged from fans performing fake “aarti” rituals for their favourite cast members to dramatic edits celebrating Will’s new powers against the Demogorgons.

In fact, Will has become an overnight internet sensation after dropping a major surprise bomb in the final moments of Episode 4. His power-packed scene left fans stunned and soon earned him some newly converted admirers. Many fans admitted they “did not see that coming,” calling it one of the most shocking moments of the season so far. Social media users shared memes calling it the “fastest crush shift in fan history,” with one meme claiming that a single five-minute scene was enough to dethrone long-time fan favourite Steve Harrington.

The first four episodes of the final season dropped on Wednesday. Episodes 5, 6, and 7 will drop on December 25, followed by the series finale on December 31.