Stranger Things features a very distinct continuity that features a number of set facts that fans of the Netflix franchise certainly know. For instance, Eleven gained her abilities as a child, and Will Byers was the member of the Hawkins gang who was lost in the Upside Down. But what if those events were somehow re-arranged in wild ways? That’s a topic CinemaBlend recently discussed with cast member Gaten Matarazzo and, when he responded, he pitched an idea that gives off an “X-Men vibe.” It may sound wild, but you can sign me up for it!
Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson on the hit sci-fi/horror drama, recently lent his voice to the canon-teetering LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. The series showcases a version of the galaxy far, far away, with bounty hunter Ewoks, a beach bum Luke Skywalker and more. While chatting with Matarazzo, I asked what kind of changes he would make if he could apply some major alterations to the Stranger Things universe. After giving my weird question thought, he landed on a “what if” scenario involving superpowers:
Maybe, like, some ‘what ifs’ would be cool if we could see… what would happen to other characters that we know [if they] had powers and what they do with them, or what their specific powers might be like. I gotta think like, because, of course, we see that Eleven has telekinesis, and we saw in Season 2 that we met Eleven's sister and like the lab [and she] has the ability to manipulate people's minds to make them see things that aren't there. I'm wondering, like, what other powers, like other characters would have. I want to figure out — maybe almost like an X Men vibe, you know what I mean?
I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Mike, Lucas or Max gain superhuman abilities? Yes, I’m cognizant of the fact that the canon is in place for a reason and that as it stands, there’s no reason for Eleven’s pals to have abilities. However, the notion of a one-off story in which that happens is so exciting to me. Considering the budget that ST has been allotted, I’d argue that the scope of the story could rival some of the X-Men movies. The Honor Society star went on to share thoughts on Dustin’s potential abilities in that theoretical story:
I wonder what Dustin's power would be. … Dustin's way smarter than I am. Dustin's very gifted in school, so maybe he has a heightened state of hyper intelligence or something like that, like hyper processing ability. Remember, like Bradley Cooper in Limitless? Like something like that. Who knows what could happen in that?
Dustin Henderson as the Professor X-type figure? This idea is just too fun not to think about. Of course, the chances of it happening are slim (unless the Duffer Brothers manage to pull a 180 in the coming season). Still, fans can dream, right?
Those who are subscribed to Netflix – one of the best streaming services – can still look forward to Stranger Things Season 5, though, which is set to debut sometime in 2025. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but it seems likely that fans will see the Hawkins gang make their final stand against the villainous Venca. I’m expecting those final installments to be action-packed, scary, emotional and hopefully, satisfying.
As pumped as I am to see how everything wraps up, I’m certainly not going to discard the idea Gaten Matarazzo devised during our interview. Even though it surely won’t be produced by Netflix, it could make for some interesting fan fiction. Those who agree with that assumption may want to get in on that now.
Stream the first four seasons of Stranger Things – complete with the established canon now using a Netflix subscription. Anyone with a Disney+ subscription can also check out Gaten Matarazzo’s work on all four parts of the LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy miniseries.
