'Stranger Things' Just Had Its Biggest 'Game of Thrones' Starbucks Moment With 1 Scene

5 days ago 15

Max and Holly in the dreamscape of Vecna's mind in Stranger Things

Erin Konrad's love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she's not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she's advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next.

She has her Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 126 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie.

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5.

One of the biggest anachronisms in television history happened on HBO's hit fantasy series Game of Thrones. In Season 8, Episode 4, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is at a feast. As the camera pans, we see a coffee cup from Starbucks on the table in front of her. At first, many blamed the crew members for this egregious and sort of embarrassing mistake, but later, Conleth Hill, who played Varys in the series, admitted that he was actually the one who had accidentally left that very modern item in the scene. No matter who was at fault, fans who noticed the detail had a field day with the show making such a massive error. It's all in good fun, though, since it's consistently part of the show's lore now. Now, another series has just been added, alongside Game of Thrones, to the list of shows that have included huge anachronisms.

'Stranger Things' Season 5 Includes an Embarrassing Anachronism

Fans all over the world were hyped about Netflix's Stranger Things finishing up its story with its fifth and final season. However, when Episode 7 aired on December 25, 2025, eagle-eyed viewers noticed a strange and out-of-place detail. As Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) pulls herself away from the Pain Tree, the sleeve of her black shirt is visible underneath her costume. On the shirt is a white logo for the Under Armour athletic brand. This wouldn't seem that odd, except that Under Armour wasn't established until 1996, and Stranger Things Season 5 takes place in the fall of 1987. The brand might be popular today, but it wouldn't even have existed when the Stranger Things Party was running around Hawkins trying to fight Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

Stranger Things - season 5 - 2025 - Sorcerer

Every Episode of 'Stranger Things 5,' Ranked

Should I stay or should I go running up that hill while reviewing this never ending story?

This Isn't the First Time 'Stranger Things' Has Messed Up Some Historical Details

For shows that take place in the past, it can be super challenging to make sure that each and every detail onscreen is accurate. Unfortunately, the Under Armour mistake is not the first time that Stranger Things has missed the mark. Even small blunders get caught by fans who do multiple re-watches or who know the 1980s pretty well. For example, even a song playing in the background can represent a funny flub in the show's timeline. In Season 3, Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono) is putting on makeup while listening to the song "Died In Your Arms" by Cutting Crew, which was released in the summer of 1986, even though the scene itself takes place in 1985.

Even tiny details, like the fact that Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) probably wouldn't have been able to call 9-1-1 while living in a small town like Hawkins at that time, don't necessarily take away from the experience of watching the show, but they are jarring to realize. Plenty of folks have been frustrated with some of the inaccurate pop culture references and Dungeons and Dragons details that don't exactly work, but the appearance of the Under Armour logo might be the show's worst error to date. A fantasy show like Stranger Things needs to be grounded in reality to allow its sci-fi elements to captivate viewers, and the show does such a fantastic job with the props, costumes, and sets, making these out-of-place mistakes even more obvious when they occur.

That's not to say that Stranger Things' Under Armour gaffe takes away from the season as a whole. The storytelling is still exciting and meaningful, and we get some closure about our favorite characters in this wrap-up. However, this particular scene might end up earning its place alongside that infamous Game of Thrones Starbucks cup as a production oversight.

Seasons 1–5 of Stranger Things are available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.