Cast your minds back to Stranger Things season 1. Can you remember the fuss everyone made when the Grandma blouse wearing, bespectacled Barb went missing, and nobody seemed to care? Of course you do. Not only because she finally gets some form of acknowledgement in Stranger Things 2, but because you joined in with the online ‘Justice for Barb’ campaign that took the internet by storm.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that Barb’s death was recognized, and her family finally got some closure. I mean, it must suck for no one to really care that your daughter has been stolen away into the Upside Down, cocooned by some unknown terror and her body used as a breeding ground for nasty little Demogorgon spawn. But with the second season came an even bigger injustice, one that has largely gone ignored, and we’re not prepared to ignore for one moment later. Ladies and gentlemen, we are here tonight to act as the voice for the voiceless, we are here to demand JUSTICE FOR YERTLE.
Yertle, in case you have forgotten, is the beloved family pet of one Dustin Henderson. For years, Yertle has sat happily in his terrarium, watching little Dustin as he plays with his He-Man and fantasizes about Nancy Wheeler. But then one night, he was evicted from his home to make room for some creepy little slug creature called Dart.
Now, Yertle isn’t a selfish little turtle, and he was pleased for the chance to explore his surroundings a little bit more. But within moments of being transplanted to Dustin’s bedroom floor, he was gone. Never to be seen again.
In typical Stranger Things fashion, Yertle suffers the same fate as Barb in that he is forgotten. Dart grows and grows, and escapes from his glass box, only to eat the cat (RIP Mews). Everyone is devastated that poor Mews is missing (dead), yet no one seems to care that there’s no sign of Yertle. Has he been eaten by Dart too? Is a Demodog’s favourite food turtle soup? What if Yertle wasn’t killed and eaten by the Demodog? WHERE THE HELL IS HE NOW?!
It feels to us like no one cares about Yertle the freakin’ Turtle – not even the writers. The final episode of season 2 wraps everything up nicely, with everyone happy in their post-Upside Down lives. But what about showing us a shot of Dustin returning Yertle to his terrarium, just so we know he’s alive and well? Don’t be silly. How about when we cut to the Upside Down at the very end of season 2, and the Shadow Monster is lurking over the school, we see Yertle walk across the shot? Nah, no thanks.
These are all the questions nobody seems to be asking, and we’re not going to stand for it anymore. So join us, if you will, as we begin our pledge to bring justice back to Hawkins, and ensure justice is served for Yertle.
Let us know your thoughts on the Yertle situation, by leaving a message in the comments section below, or by visiting us on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #justiceforyertle.
