Did Netflix tamper with Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 including key Byler scenes? Here’s the truth amid ‘Snyder Cut’ claims

Fans of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 have circulated claims that several key Byler scenes were cut, including Will’s storyline, his interactions with Mike, and team-up moments with other characters. These alleged omissions have sparked widespread discussion and debate online.

Fans allege Netflix trimmed key scenes in Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 | Credit: Netflix

Fans of Stranger Things Season 5 have been left frustrated and heartbroken, with many labelling it the show’s most disappointing season yet. Netflix’s staggered, multi-volume rollout has delivered seven episodes so far, but a new controversy has ignited online. Viewers are claiming that Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 includes “missing files,” suggesting that Netflix may have cut the season short and kept crucial content hidden from fans. We break down these claims and uncover the truth behind the buzz.

Claims about Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 cuts

A few claims have been circulating online from dedicated fan pages suggesting that Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 underwent several significant cuts. The ‘missing files’ state: “Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 has evidently been tampered with. Allegedly, there have been entire plotlines and character arcs which have been edited out and some of this is corroborated in reasonable measure by multiple sources.” Beloe are the claims:

1. Will’s Arc with Vecna/Henry significantly shortened

Fans claim that Will’s storyline, including the crucial plot of El and Mike entering Camazotz to save him, was heavily trimmed in the final release.

2. Will’s sexual trauma exploration removed

A deeper exploration of Will’s sexual trauma, which would have earned the show a TV-MA rating similar to earlier intense sequences, was reportedly toned down or cut entirely.

3. Mike and Will scenes cut

Scenes featuring Mike and Will, including sequences where music played a central role, were reportedly removed. One song, Just Like Heaven by The Cure, was mentioned in the cut scenes.

4. Basement 1-on-1 scene between Mike and Will cut

Fans claim that a planned one-on-one interaction between Mike and Will in the basement, referenced multiple times on WSQK Radio, was removed.

5. Teaming Up: Max, Will, Robin, and Holly cut

A team-up scene including Max, Will, Robin, and Holly was intended to explain Will and Max’s sudden closeness but did not appear in Volume 2.

6. Will tortured in front of loved ones

Online sources claim a sequence showing Will being tortured in front of key characters (Joyce, Mike, Jonathan) was planned but omitted.

7. Will’s fake-out death removed

A planned fake-out death for Will, paralleling the CPR scene from Season 1, was cut, say the ‘missing files’. Fans belive this contradicts earlier interviews that suggested a Season 5 parallel to Season 1’s events.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 ‘missing files’ viral online | Credit: X/@_hellshee_

Why are fans backing these claims?

Some Stranger Things fans believe key Byler (Will Byers and Mike Wheeler) scenes were cut from Season 5, pointing to lists of missing moments and earlier comments from the Duffer Brothers suggesting episodes could have been longer. Many argue the list makes sense narratively and speculate that Netflix may have removed scenes, with a few claiming political backlash over LGBTQ+ representation played a role.

Fans have even started comparing it to the “Snyder Cut,” referring to the famously extended and re-edited version of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which included previously unseen scenes and plotlines not in the theatrical release.

Randy Havens shuts down Stranger Things ‘cut scenes’ claims

After X blew up with these wild claims, Randy Havens, who plays Mr. Clarke in Stranger Things, has now publicly addressed the “cut scenes” situation. Taking to his Instagram stories, he wrote, “There’s no secret Snyder cut of the show. Please don’t believe everything some random person tells you on the internet.”

Netflix | Randy Havens shuts down ‘Snyder Cut’ claims

Stranger Things season 5 backlash continues to grow

However, while the supposed cut scenes may not be real, the backlash is very much tangible, as Episode 7 has become the lowest-rated episode in Stranger Things history on IMDb, currently sitting at 5.5/10 after over 65,000 votes, reflecting widespread fan disappointment and frustration.a