Devotees of the global phenomenon Stranger Things have been left exasperated following the show's conclusion, identifying a significant and unresolved plot hole tied to its beloved Dungeons and Dragons lore. The fifth and final season of the Netflix sci-fi horror drama aired its last episode this week, wrapping up a story that has captivated audiences for nearly a decade.
The Core of the Controversy
The series finale, broadcast in early January 2026, saw the core group from Hawkins finally unite to defeat the malevolent entity Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower, and save their town. While many fans were satisfied with the emotional conclusion, a vocal segment of the audience quickly pinpointed a narrative inconsistency that they found particularly grating.
The issue was highlighted in a TikTok video posted by a fan named Georgie. She zeroed in on a specific moment of dialogue where the characters discuss their friend Will Byers' (Noah Schnapp) newfound abilities. In the show's universe, the kids have long used the framework of Dungeons and Dragons to understand the supernatural threats from the Upside Down, naming monsters after Demogorgons and Mind Flayers.
A Misplaced Magical Class
In their D&D campaign, Will's character is known as Will the Wise, a wizard who learns magic from ancient tomes. However, in the final season, when Will demonstrates a power to connect to Vecna's hive mind, Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) declares that Will isn't a wizard, but rather a sorcerer.
This is where the plot hole emerges, according to dedicated D&D players. Georgie expertly cited the official handbooks to explain the discrepancy. Sorcerers are born with innate magic flowing through their bloodline. Warlocks, conversely, derive their power from a pact made with an otherworldly patron—a description that perfectly fits Will, whose abilities were granted after his capture by Vecna.
"He gets his power directly from a more powerful entity," one fan commented, summarising the argument. "Willing or unwilling, that is not a god. So he's a warlock."
A Double Anachronism
The inconsistency runs deeper than a simple misclassification. As sharp-eyed viewers noted in the comments under Georgie's video, the error is compounded by a historical oversight. The final season of Stranger Things is set in 1987. Neither the sorcerer nor the warlock was an official, playable character class in the version of Dungeons & Dragons available at that time.
The sorcerer class was not formally introduced until the 3rd Edition in 2000, and the warlock class debuted in the 1990s. This means the characters in Hawkins would have had no knowledge of these specific distinctions. "If they were concerned about accuracy to the '80s," one viewer pointed out, "they would have just called him a Mage."
The debate has sparked widespread discussion online, with even casual fans appreciating the deep dive into niche lore. "As someone who knows nothing about D&D," one person posted, "I appreciate you fact-checking the D&D lore." While the saga of Hawkins has closed, this final, annoying plot hole ensures the conversation among its passionate fanbase is far from over.
