Elon Musk Slams Noah Schnapp's Stranger Things Scene As 'Unnecessary', Fans Praised 'Special' Performance

As the countdown to the final ever episode of Stranger Things ticks into its final hours, the mood surrounding the Netflix juggernaut has shifted from celebratory anticipation to a fierce cultural skirmish. With the series finale set to drop on New Year's Day, the penultimate episode has ignited a firestorm of debate, pitting the show's emotional core against a wave of online vitriol led by none other than Elon Musk.

The episode, titled The Bridge, features a pivotal moment that has been five seasons in the making: Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp, finally confirming his sexuality in a tearful monologue. Whilst the scene was crafted to offer closure to a character arc that has captivated millions, it has instead become a lightning rod for criticism, exposing the fractured nature of modern fandom.

Elon Musk Slams Noah Schnapp's Stranger Things Scene

The backlash was swift and measurable. In the wake of the episode's release, Stranger Things was subjected to 'review bombing,' causing its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes to plummet to a series-low 57%. This coordinated dip in ratings reflects a segment of the fanbase that feels the show's narrative priorities have strayed.

Discontent was already brewing earlier in the week, with more than 300,000 fans signing a petition demanding the release of alleged 'deleted scenes' and expressing fears that the impending finale would be 'underwhelming.'

However, the criticism reached a fever pitch when tech billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on X (formerly Twitter) targeting the emotional beat directly. 'It's completely unnecessary and forced on an audience that just wants to enjoy some basic science fiction,' Musk wrote, dismissing the character's development as an unwelcome intrusion into the sci-fi spectacle.

His comments emboldened critics who claim the new series suffers from 'rushed' writing and a decline in quality compared to previous seasons.

Fans Defend Powerful Stranger Things Scene

Yet, for every detractor lamenting the inclusion of the storyline, there are countless viewers for whom the scene was nothing short of life-changing. As the residents of Hawkins prepare for a world-altering battle with the villainous Vecna, Will's quiet moment of vulnerability—admitting to his friends and family that he 'doesn't like girls'—has resonated deeply with the LGBTQ+ community and their families.

Social media has been flooded with tributes to Schnapp's performance, which fans have described as 'special'. One particularly moving response came from a mother, @yasg82, who shared the profound impact the scene had on her own family.

'Dear Noah, you can't imagine how moved my daughter and I were by your scene,' she wrote. 'She was able to accept herself and say it out loud at 13.'

She continued, recounting her daughter's reaction: 'When she heard Will's words, she said: only those of us who have gone through something like this, or who struggled to understand that there is nothing wrong with us, can feel this kind of emotion with complete empathy. We feel the same.'

Others echoed this sentiment, thanking the show's creators, the Duffer brothers, for portraying an authentic experience that 'can give strength to those who need it'. One viewer, @jeffersonlimma777, wrote: 'As a gay man, I just want to thank you for everything you represent. Seeing the protagonist of such a historic series being gay made me feel so powerful and seen.'

Behind the scenes, the weight of this moment was not lost on the cast or crew. Schnapp revealed on Instagram that he had 'lost so much sleep' worrying about how to execute the scene, whilst the Duffer brothers admitted they spent more time writing this specific sequence than any other in the show's history.

For Schnapp, the result was worth the anxiety. He noted that reading the script made him 'cry to himself' because of its beauty, adding that it felt 'satisfying' that Will's journey wasn't 'rushed or shoved in your face', but rather the culmination of a feeling that his character 'was different' from the very beginning.

With the finale now just hours away, the divide between those seeking 'basic science fiction' and those looking for human connection remains stark. But for the fans who found themselves in Will's story, the magic of Stranger Things has arguably never been more potent.