*shudders*
As the epic conclusion to
Stranger Things 4 continues to spark conversation online, some eagle-eyed viewers have noticed something weird going on with the show's subtitles - and it's making them feel uncomfortable.
Earlier this month, the Netflix mega-hit concluded with a two-and-a-half hour feature length finale that left fans on the edge of their seat with a cliffhanger ending setting up even more Upside Down chaos in the show's already-confirmed fifth series.
However while creators Matt and Ross Duffer, professionally known as The Duffer Brothers, keep us waiting for a return to Hawkins, audiences have already begun dissecting series four - and they've discovered something odd.
It revolves around the show's subtitles; specifically with their weird choice of adjectives involving series four big bad, Vecna.
Let's be honest, there's never a time where the phrase "squelching wetly" won't take you a bit off guard and naturally, fans immediately took to Twitter to share their thoughts.
https://twitter.com/galinstem/status/1545905999302627328?s=20&t=8716Gg552ZRcN61nG1mymw
Thought this was bad? It gets worse.
https://twitter.com/Smurfss__/status/1545720985126674432?s=20&t=8716Gg552ZRcN61nG1mymw
People simply aren't having it.
https://twitter.com/toda_gi/status/1545828315713372164?s=20&t=8716Gg552ZRcN61nG1mymw
https://twitter.com/ChandlerIsSharp/status/1545947891692212224?s=20&t=8716Gg552ZRcN61nG1mymw
The wording quickly inspired its own memes.
https://twitter.com/InnoVision3D/status/1543077406348492800?s=20&t=8716Gg552ZRcN61nG1mymw
Now, thanks to a new
Vulture interview with
Stranger Things' in-house subtitles team, we know that all this uncomfortable squelching and undulating was all done on purpose.
"Honestly, '[tentacles undulating moistly]' I’ve seen a lot. I will admit I was trolling a little bit with that," explained Jeff T., one half of the show's subtitle team, responding to a question about whether or not he'd noticed online fan-reactions to their descriptive choice of wording.
"Also, in the past year or two, I’ve been watching ASMR streams to figure out which words elicit that kind of response in people, so I’ll grab them and put them in my word bank. 'Moistly' pops up a lot in those ASMR streams."
We'll give you a moment to regroup.
Meanwhile, co-subtitle writer Karli Witkowska also chimed in on the 'moist' situation, adding: "It’s a word where I can name six or seven of my friends who don’t like it. It is supposed to be an uncomfortable situation, and that’s why it was used in the show."
However Witkowska was quick to remind readers that these subtitles do serve a very valuable and necessary purpose, first and foremost: "What I’ve noticed quite a lot online are people who don’t really understand the subtitles are for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
"I’ve seen a lot of, Why are the subtitles so overly descriptive? We don’t need these. And I know you don’t, but you weren’t the main audience for subtitles from the start."
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