Sun Jan 04 08:20:00 UTC 2026: ## “Stranger Things” Saga Ends With Ambiguous Finale, Spinoff Teased

Hawkins, Indiana – After a nearly decade-long run, the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things” concluded its run on New Year’s Eve 2025, with a finale, “The Rightside Up,” that left viewers both satisfied and pondering. The Duffer brothers, creators of the show, delivered a two-hour and change conclusion that saw the Hawkins crew – Eleven, Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Joyce, and Nancy – finally confronting and defeating the Mind Flayer and Vecna after a lengthy, multi-season buildup.

While most major plotlines were resolved, the fate of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) remains deliberately ambiguous. After the climactic battle in the Abyss that results in the destruction of the Upside Down, it is left uncertain whether the popular character sacrifices herself or if she is still alive. The finale concludes with an 18-month time jump to 1989. Mike, the character played by Finn Wolfhard, expresses his belief that Eleven is still alive during the final Dungeons & Dragons game of the show.

In a post-finale interview, the Duffer brothers confirmed their intention to leave Eleven’s fate open to interpretation, emphasizing the thematic importance of hope and the magic of childhood. They also revealed that Eleven wasn’t a part of their original vision for how the show would wrap up. They wanted a bittersweet ending where there was still hope, and where the group of friends could finally grow up. They wanted to accomplish this by showing Mike shutting the door on his childhood as his younger sister Holly and her friends come to play Dungeons & Dragons.

Looking ahead, the Duffer brothers teased a spinoff series exploring a “completely different mythology” related to the element unveiled in the finale and confirming that they will resume working on the spinoff on Monday. This new series will feature completely new characters in a completely new town, with no common characters.

The duo also addressed the recent review bombing of “The Bridge,” the penultimate episode, noting their pride in Will’s coming-out scene and Noah Schnapp’s performance, despite the backlash. They were unprepared for such a homophobic campaign.

The “Stranger Things” finale served as a rare moment of shared cultural experience.

Read More