Stranger Things Creators Officially Break Down Eleven’s Ending

by

After nearly ten years and leaving fans with many mysteries, the show has now concluded with its final episode. The creators, the Duffer Brothers, faced the challenge of finishing all the storylines and giving each character a satisfying conclusion.

The fifth and final season was released in three parts, with the first part debuting in theaters on December 31st. The series concluded with the group successfully defeating Vecna and the Mind Flayer, officially ending the story set in Hawkins. In an interview, the show’s creators also revealed the reason why Eleven wasn’t with the others at the very end.

I always knew Eleven was special, and it turned out she was the only one who could truly defeat Vecna. The final battle was intense, and while Will’s abilities and the bravery of her friends definitely helped, it was Eleven who ultimately delivered the final blow. It was bittersweet though, because after everything, she stayed behind in the Upside Down – just like Vecna had shown Hopper in that vision. It felt like a huge sacrifice, but I have faith she’ll be okay.

The episode concluded with an extended scene set 18 months in the future, showing the characters graduating high school, making commitments to one another, and playing one last Dungeons & Dragons game. According to Matt Duffer, it didn’t feel right to have her still in the basement.

We really wanted her to be involved, but we just couldn’t see how it would work out practically, he said.

The showrunner revealed they actually started with the ending, deciding early on that Eleven would make a sacrifice. They spent a lot of time crafting the final scene, and a major point of discussion was what would happen with Eleven.

Stranger Things Finale Led to Eleven to Sacrifice Herself

They wanted to fully express all their emotions regarding Eleven, both as the show’s creators and as fans who were invested in her story. They considered several ways to tell her story, including through the perspectives of Hopper, Kali, and Mike.

They preferred a balanced approach, suggesting they present all the options and let the audience make the final decision.

The show’s co-creator believes Eleven’s actions are a selfless sacrifice, no matter how you interpret them. She’s not only stopping the government from causing further harm, but also preventing others from going through the same trauma she endured. This is the core reason behind her choice, whether it involves a tragic end or simply leaving everything she knows behind. Either outcome is deeply sad.

Matt Duffer explained that the show is heavily inspired by 1980s films and the work of Steven Spielberg. He also mentioned they considered many character deaths, but ultimately decided against some of them. ‘Exploring those extra deaths just didn’t feel right,’ he said.

Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.

Read More

2026-01-02 18:09