After nearly a decade of supernatural thrills, emotional twists, and pop-culture domination, Stranger Things has finally closed the book on its main story—at least for now. The Netflix juggernaut’s final season, which concluded with the much-discussed episode "The Rightside Up," has stirred passionate debate among fans and critics alike. While some are celebrating the show’s bold choices, others are still wrestling with lingering questions, ambiguous character fates, and the absence of certain iconic monsters in the climactic battle. But if the creators have their way, the ambiguity is all part of the plan.
In a series of interviews published on January 4, 2026, the Duffer Brothers—Ross and Matt, the creative minds behind the phenomenon—opened up about their intentions for the finale and the stories that will follow. As reported by Variety and TheWrap, the brothers were adamant that the ending viewers saw was the one they always envisioned. “There’s no interference or direction at all from Netflix. They are, and always have been, incredible, and they really trust us. That’s been true since season one,” Matt Duffer told Variety, firmly dismissing rumors of secret episodes or withheld footage.
One of the most hotly debated aspects of the finale was the fate of Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown. In the closing moments, Eleven appears to sacrifice herself to prevent the government from exploiting her powers and the connection to the Upside Down. However, Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) theory that she faked her death with Kali’s help left the door wide open for interpretation. According to the Duffer Brothers’ appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, this ambiguity was entirely intentional. “So I don’t know what the answer is. This is ambiguous. I mean, you’re writing from a point of view of understanding what the truth is and the reality is... but yeah Ross and I know and we were just talking to Millie about it, but I think it takes away the power of the ending if you tell people what you were thinking as you were writing it,” Matt explained.
Millie Bobby Brown herself has a definitive answer about her character’s fate, but she’s not sharing it with anyone—not even her co-star and close friend Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers. Matt Duffer recounted, “I said, ‘Don’t tell Noah,’ and she said, ‘Of course not.’ She knows better. She knows. She knows. We all know and love Noah, but we do not trust him with secrets related to the show.” Brown, who missed the series finale viewing party due to a shoulder injury, did make a brief appearance at a special theatrical release event in Naples, Florida, where she thanked fans. She later posted a succinct farewell on Instagram: “Over and out.”
For those hoping for a more concrete answer, the Duffers have made it clear that the power of the finale lies precisely in its uncertainty. “There was never a version of the ending where she’d live a normal life with the others; Mike and everyone else has chosen to believe she’s alive in the other dimension rather than truly gone after sacrificing herself. It was such a better way to end the story and represent the closure of this journey and their journey from children to adults,” Ross Duffer told Variety.
This philosophy of ambiguity extends to other characters as well. Take the enigmatic villain Vecna, aka Henry. The Duffers deliberately left it unclear whether young Henry was truly evil from the start or manipulated by the Mind Flayer. As they explained in a Netflix Q&A, they ultimately decided that Henry “chose this, and I believe in this still. Where Henry goes, it doesn’t matter because he chooses the side of the Mind Flayer at the end of the day.” The creative team even considered a redemption arc reminiscent of Darth Vader, but ultimately opted for a more ambiguous, open-ended fate.
And what about those signature monsters—the demogorgons, demodogs, and bats—that have haunted Hawkins since day one? Their absence from the final battle against Vecna and the Mind Flayer left many fans scratching their heads. In an interview with TheWrap, Matt Duffer explained, “Mainly it’s just that Vecna was not expecting this sneak attack on his home turf. Never in a million years could he even imagine that. They’re there somewhere. We obviously discussed having a demo battle on top of the Mind Flayer battle, but it felt more right to us that why does he need the demos when the Mind Flayer is this giant thing and can attack them? He doesn’t need his little ant army to attack, he’s going to take care of this himself.”
The Duffers added that there simply aren’t many demogorgons in The Abyss—the setting for the final confrontation. Henry glimpsed one in the distance back in Season 4, but the monsters aren’t exactly organized in a civilization. Crucially, the creative team was mindful of what they called “demo fatigue” after a dramatic fight against the creatures earlier in Season 5, when Will’s powers awakened and he dispatched several with his mind. “I felt like we did everything we wanted to do with them in Sorcerer, and wanting to keep the focus on Vecna and the Mind Flayer, who’s been absent this season,” Matt Duffer said. There was even an idea to include a field of demo eggs, in a nod to Aliens, but it was ultimately scrapped to keep the story focused.
With the Upside Down destroyed, the demogorgons are now stranded in The Abyss—"hopefully forever," as IGN reported. The finale’s choices, for better or worse, are now set in stone, and the Duffers are content to let fans fill in the blanks with their own theories.
Yet, even as the main saga ends, the world of Stranger Things is far from over. In 2026, Netflix will debut Stranger Things: Tales From '85, an animated prequel series set between Seasons 2 and 3. This new chapter will reunite the core characters soon after their emotional separation in the series finale, but with a twist: none of the original actors are reprising their voice roles. Eleven will be voiced by Brooklyn Davy Norstedt, replacing Millie Bobby Brown, while the rest of the cast is similarly recast. According to Screen Rant, this early return and recasting risks undermining the impact of Eleven’s exit and could create a sense of dissonance for fans accustomed to the original voices.
Writers for the animated series face a delicate balancing act—not introducing major new events that might contradict the original show’s narrative. As the Duffers have repeatedly emphasized, the story’s power lies in what’s left unsaid, and in the space it leaves for viewers to imagine their own endings.
Whether you loved the finale or found it frustratingly vague, one thing is clear: Stranger Things has left an indelible mark on television storytelling, inspiring viewers to debate, theorize, and dream beyond the boundaries of Hawkins, Indiana. As fans look ahead to new adventures and spinoffs, the series’ legacy of mystery and wonder is sure to endure.
