Stranger Things concluded its five-season run this week, but not all viewers are satisfied. A viral TikTok video has highlighted what some call a glaring plot hole in the final episodes, centred on the show’s use of Dungeons & Dragons terminology.
In the series, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) discovers he can tap into Vecna’s hivemind and wield his power. Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) declares that Will is not a wizard—as he had previously called himself—but a sorcerer. However, fans argue that Will’s powers, which derive directly from Vecna, align more closely with the D&D class of warlocks, who gain magic through a pact with an otherworldly being.
According to the D&D Player’s Handbook, warlocks form a pact with a powerful entity, whereas sorcerers possess innate magic. Since Will’s abilities come from Vecna, he fits the warlock archetype. Yet the show’s 1987 setting complicates matters: neither warlocks (introduced in the 1990s) nor sorcerers (added in 2000) were official classes in the game at that time.
Viewers commenting on the video acknowledged the anachronism. “If they were concerned about accuracy to the ’80s, they would have just called him a Mage,” one wrote. Another said: “He gets his power directly from a more powerful entity… so he’s a warlock.” The debate underscores the challenge of blending real-world game lore with a period setting.
