Ten years in the making and over one billion dollars in revenue, Stranger Things has become a staple in all corners of modern culture. Its finale marks the end of an era and with audiences rushing to the internet to talk about this finale we wanted to know: how do people really feel?
Fans’ Opinions on Finale
With unforgettable moments taking up each second of the finale, fans were left with a lot to process. Our favorite cast of characters defeated Vecna and we got to peek into their lives in the aftermath. Even with how unforgettable the finale was there are many mixed feelings across the fanbase regarding how the Duffer Brothers ended their passion project. We interviewed students and teachers to get a better understanding of how everyone saw the ending.
How did you feel about the Stranger Things Finale? What was your favorite and least favorite part of the season?
“Honestly, I thought it was pretty average. I felt like it wasn’t terrible. …However, I feel like a lot of it was kind of predictable, how it ended. … I would make it more clear on what happened to Eleven, instead of leaving it up to interpretation. And I would just make it so it wasn’t so predictable, like something wrong happened. “ — Rashad Ahmed, 12th Grader
“It was awful. I don’t like that there’s like an open ending. Like it could be interpretation. Was there this secret portal that they were making that could be in the other episode? I feel like it was four minutes of five seasons, and they died in four minutes. And I’m like, what is happening? Why is this so short?” — Nicole Chiriboga, Health Education Teacher
“I was excited and disappointed at the same time knowing that we won’t be seeing Stranger Things anymore. I didn’t like how they made us think Eleven was dead when she really wasn’t. My least favorite part was the finale itself and how it felt like they didn’t fully resolve the threat of the villain.” — Barbara Russo, Thomas Edison School Aide
Through our interviews we see a common theme being that the finale, even though it had its moments, was met with a feeling of being underwhelming and even disappointing. Similar disappointment can be found across online discussions and subreddits. Many fans have criticized the finale for what they perceive as predictable and rushed writing, along with unresolved plot points.
The final fight with Vecna, the biggest moment in the show, is an example of what people are criticizing because in the vast landscape of the Abyss there wasn’t a single demegorgon, demodog, or demobat found despite them being established as soldiers in the Mind Flayers army in previous seasons. Additionally, there was a consensus between fans that the stakes in the show didn’t feel as real because time and time again the writers have opted to kill off a newly introduced character instead of anyone in the main cast which could have raised the stakes in their journey to defeat Vecna.
Although the criticism from fans is heavy on how the finale was written and has been met with much disappointment, for many it was still enjoyable due to the comfort it brought them. After keeping up with the same outcast group of kids battling supernatural beings for a decade, adoring fans finally received an end to this journey that has found a place in everyone’s heart.
Fan Theories
Going into season 5 fans were told to pay attention to all details, and they did just that. On every platform you could see fans analysing singular frames looking for any clues and developing theories on what the ending might be. Once the
The finale was out, this search didn’t end. People went back to previous episodes trying to tie everything together and with the many unanswered questions the biggest outroar from fans has been the theories they’ve developed.
We wanted to see what theories fans at our school resonated with the most:
“I want to believe that Kali is still alive, but I noticed that Eleven saw two waterfalls instead of three. That made me question everything. Does that mean someone is dead? I still want to believe she’s alive, though.” — Ms. Chiriboga, Health Education Teacher
“I believe that 11 did not, like, die. She’s still somewhere. Like, I actually, like, believe in Mike’s theory that, um, she’s somewhere in, like, um, in the, um, in the world, but, like, not in upside down.” — Busra Tuba, 9th Grader
“It all being in Vecna’s mind, I feel like that’s interesting. And it would kind of make sense because he can make people think things and things like that. So I feel like there is a chance.” — Rashad Ahmed, 12th Grader
Several of our interviewees talked about theories regarding Eleven’s “death” which comes from the unsolved mystery of whether Eleven really sacrificed herself or if Mike’s theory that she found the freedom she deserved is real. There are many variations of this theory with some saying that Kali survived as well or that it couldn’t have happened and Eleven really did sacrifice herself, but it remains one of the biggest theories because of the importance Eleven carried throughout the show.
There’s no way to talk about the Stranger Things fan theories without talking about Conformity Gate. Conformity Gate was the fan theory developed immediately after the finale dropped that there was a secret episode waiting to come out. Conformity Gate went viral with there being tons of videos online nitpicking at small details hoping to prove the episode did exist. Unfortunately, there was no secret episode and in the end the finale we all watched truly was the last chapter in the story for Hawkins. Though it’s important to understand why Conformity gate was able to garner such a large following and it goes back to how fans digested the finale: they simply weren’t satisfied. The disappointment felt towards the ending had many fans believing that the finale simply couldn’t be the real ending and this form of coping led to Conformity Gate, ultimately showing how critical fans were of the ending.
Fans have all kinds of feelings about the Stranger Things finale—some loved the big Vecna battle and peeks at the characters’ lives after, while others wanted less predictable stuff, clearer answers for Eleven, and maybe a better tie-up for Kali or those weird waterfalls. Even with the debates and leftover questions, the show’s a true pop culture giant after 10 years and a billion bucks in the bank. It sparked real talks that keep the Upside Down feeling alive, cheers to an epic end and whatever’s next!
