After nearly a decade on screen, Stranger Things has officially come to an end, as Netflix released the final installment of season five on December 31, bringing the globally popular series to a close with an emotional two-hour finale.
The concluding season follows Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, and the Hawkins group as they confront Vecna, portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower, in a final attempt to stop him from merging the Abyss with the real world. The climax hinges on Eleven’s willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity.
The finale features intense battles and near-death moments for several fan-favourite characters. Steve Harrington narrowly survives a deadly fall after Jonathan pulls him to safety, prompting a moment of relief and dark humour among the group. Hopper endures psychological torment at the hands of Vecna but survives the ordeal.
Tragedy strikes when Eleven’s sister Eight, also known as Kali, is fatally shot during the final confrontation. Before her death, she reassures Eleven that her story was always meant to end there, delivering one of the season’s most emotional moments.
In a heartfelt goodbye scene, Eleven reflects on her bond with Hopper, recalling how he became her father figure after finding her alone as a child, and asks him to trust her decision. Following Vecna’s defeat, Eleven disappears as the Upside Down is destroyed, leaving behind a final message for Mike, expressing her love and enduring presence.
The epilogue, set 18 months later, shows the group still grappling with uncertainty over Eleven’s fate. Mike describes the ending as a story he chooses to believe, suggesting hope rather than closure.
Netflix confirmed that the finale was deliberately left open-ended. According to the Duffer brothers, the creators of the series, Eleven’s fate has been intentionally left to the audience’s interpretation.
All three volumes of Stranger Things season five are now available to stream on Netflix, marking the conclusion of one of the platform’s most successful original series.
