Stranger Things Creators Discuss Eleven’s Uncertain Fate In Season 5 Finale

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Be warned! This post reveals significant plot details from the final episode of Stranger Things season 5, “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up.” If you haven’t watched it yet, you may want to avoid reading further.

The creators of ‘Stranger Things,’ the Duffer Brothers, have explained the somewhat unclear ending for Eleven after the show’s long final episode, and whether they considered a more positive outcome for her. The finale showed the deaths of the Mind Flayer and Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower), but Eleven’s ending, played by Millie Bobby Brown, felt particularly difficult for many viewers – though it might not be what it seemed.

Just before the final scenes of Stranger Things, Eleven remains in the crumbling Upside Down, determined to fulfill her promise to her sister and finally stop Dr. Brenner’s cruel experiments. It’s a heartbreaking ending for a character who, after everything she’s been through – the abuse, violence, and manipulation – truly deserved to find peace and happiness.

Fans are wondering how Eleven used her powers while trapped in the MAC-Z, especially with kryptonite present. Did she escape, or is Mike’s hopeful idea just a way for him to deal with the situation? In an interview with Netflix’s TUDUM, creators Matt and Ross Duffer explained they intentionally left Eleven’s fate ambiguous. As Matt Duffer put it, they wanted to show the harsh reality of what she was facing.

Could she live a normal life, after all she’s been through?

Throughout this season, certain questions have been troubling the group, but Hopper avoids addressing them. Mike has discussed these possibilities extensively, though his view is more of an idealistic fantasy. Eleven essentially has two paths she could take: a darker, more negative one, or a brighter, more hopeful one. Mike, being the optimist, chooses to focus on the hopeful scenario, as the Duffer brothers explained.

Ross Duffer recently shared something surprising: the original plan didn’t include Eleven joining the group at the end of the story. He explained that the narrative of the Upside Down and Hawkins couldn’t truly conclude unless Eleven was unable to come back.

Ross Duffer explained that they didn’t want to diminish Eleven’s abilities, as she embodies both magic and the wonder of childhood. To allow the characters to grow and bring the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to an end, Eleven needed to leave.

It’s unclear if Eleven truly sacrificed herself in the Upside Down, or if her sister, Kali, helped her escape to a quiet town with waterfalls. Either way, it appears she’s permanently left the people who became her family.

Image via Netflix

I really appreciated how the Duffer Brothers chose to leave the ending a little ambiguous. They wanted the characters to believe in a happy outcome, even if the audience doesn’t get a definitive answer. It felt like a much more powerful way to wrap things up, especially considering how far these characters have come – growing up from kids into adults. Leaving it open-ended, with that sense of hope, just felt right for their journey.

Ultimately, the goal was to offer everyone a hopeful escape – a captivating story that could provide comfort during a difficult time.

Even if Eleven were still alive, the Duffer brothers explained that contact with her isn’t possible. “If they were to connect with her, the whole story would fall apart,” Matt Duffer said. Keeping her alive within the narrative requires Mike and the others to find a way to cope with the situation and move forward.

In the sixth episode of Stranger Things season 5, titled “Escape from Camazotz,” Mike explains to Eleven that the show’s story primarily focuses on the original group of friends – Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Eleven. Given this, it’s no surprise that the intense reaction to Eleven seemingly dying has spread rapidly online.

Given that Eleven’s friends – including Max, Joyce, Hopper, and the other teens – all managed to find some happiness (and remarkably, no main characters died in the final fight), isn’t it reasonable to hope Eleven, who is central to the entire Stranger Things story, could also find peace and a quiet life? After all, Hawkins has seen stranger things happen.

All episodes of Stranger Things are now streaming, only on Netflix.

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2026-01-01 15:48