Warning: This article contains spoilers for the finale of Stranger Things
Stranger Things has reached its conclusion after a journey spanning nine and a half years, filled with ups and downs, alongside the Hawkins crew as they faced the enigmatic forces lurking in the ‘Upside Down’.
Fans across the globe have eagerly watched the series finale, culminating in 42 episodes over five seasons, which debuted on the streaming platform on New Year’s Eve.
However, the ending has left some viewers dissatisfied.
The climactic final episode wrapped up Stranger Things with an epic showdown involving Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), her allies from Hawkins, and the mind flayer hive-mind Vecna, whose aim is to merge Earth with the Upside Down.
The resolution of Eleven’s storyline, crafted by the show’s creators, the Duffer brothers, did not meet the expectations of every fan.
Some speculate that this might include Millie Bobby Brown herself, as fans scrutinize some of her more ambiguous comments made prior to the final seasons of Stranger Things.
In an interview during the season five press tour, Bobby Brown recounted to CapitalFM the moment she discovered the ending of Eleven’s journey.
As her involvement with the show approached its end, the actress reached out to the Duffers to discuss the fate of her character.
“And then I came over, and there was a whiteboard… I just saw my ending and thought ‘ooohhh’ and walked away very slowly,” she revealed.
As viewers are aware, Eleven sacrifices herself to conclude the saga of the Upside Down.
Well, probably.
im still here pic.twitter.com/hO78GDqpxX
— millie bobby brown (@milliefeeds) December 1, 2025
Ross Duffer mentioned in a Netflix interview following the finale that “there was never a version of the story where Eleven was hanging out with the gang at the end.”
While this might appear to be a harsh decision for one of the primary characters, removing Eleven was crucial for the Duffer brothers to wrap up the narrative and convey the deeper themes of the show’s finale.
Eleven remaining to close the Upside Down with her powers, while her friends in Hawkins mature and transition into adulthood, symbolizes the journey many characters have undergone throughout the series.
Ross Duffer elaborated: “For us and our writers, we didn’t want to take her powers away. She represents magic in a lot of ways and the magic of childhood. For our characters to move on and for the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to come to a close, Eleven had to go away.”
However, as viewers know, while it seems Eleven is gone for good, some characters choose to believe she might have found another way out, possibly through her sister Kali’s powers.
This isn’t an indication of a potential sixth season, as Ross stated: “We thought it would be beautiful if our characters continued to believe in that happier ending even if we didn’t give them a clear answer to whether that’s true or not.”
Addressing those hoping for Eleven’s return, Matt Duffer clarified that even if she survived, the Hawkins group would remain unaware.
He noted: “The reality is, if Eleven is out there, the most that they could hope for is a belief that it’s true because they can’t be in contact with her. Everything falls apart if that were the case.
“So if that’s the narrative, this is really the best way to keep her alive. And it’s about Mike and everyone finding a way to move past what’s happened.”