Everything has changed.
At long last, after what felt like ages, “Stranger Things” has wrapped up.
The series, which debuted in 2016, has now ended with its fifth season available on Netflix. It follows familiar characters like Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will (Noah Schnapp), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Steve (Joe Keery), and Hopper (David Harbour) as they confront the dark forces of the Upside Down in Hawkin, Indiana.
The following contains spoilers for the final episode of the Stranger Things series.
The two-hour finale, titled “Light Side Up,” strikes a balance between safe storytelling and nostalgia. Most characters seem to get their “happily ever after.”
As expected, the group takes on a massive monster, with Nancy grabbing a gun. There are lighthearted exchanges between Steve and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), even as they rescue Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) and vanquish Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). In a humorously unexpected moment, Joyce (Winona Ryder) fatally injures him while quipping about familial ties.
As usual, no main characters perish; only minor figures like Carly (Linnea Bertelsen) meet their ends. Steve nearly teeters off a tower but is saved by Jonathan. Dustin faces danger from the creature, but Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) pulls him back just in time.
Everyone initially thinks Eleven is gone, but Mike reveals that she faked her death and is now living a quiet life in a tranquil town near a waterfall, an idea he’d mentioned at the season’s start.
That’s Mike’s comforting narrative, anyway. We see Eleven moving through stunning landscapes, while Mike narrates, leaving room for speculation—could this all just be coming from his imagination? Nonetheless, he confirms she’s alive in some way, even if she’s not present.
After the victory, the kids graduate as the Class of ’89, with Dustin as the valedictorian.
For those curious about the soundtrack, “Purple Rain” plays during an emotional moment when Eleven sacrifices herself, leading everyone to believe she’s dead.
Transitioning to their futures, Steve takes on roles as a baseball coach and a sex education teacher. Nancy opts out of college to work at a newspaper. Jonathan is venturing into making what he calls an “anti-capitalist cannibal movie.” Their trio plans monthly meet-ups in Philadelphia now that they’re adults living apart.
For those following romantic ties, Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) maintain a long-distance relationship. Hopper proposes to Joyce, and they plan to move to Montauk for a new job opportunity.
Overall, the finale isn’t terrible—it certainly isn’t on par with “Game of Thrones.” There are heartfelt moments, such as the touching dialogue between Hopper and Elle reflecting on fatherhood, and the bond formed between Steve and Jonathan over their shared care for Nancy.
Yet, it feels familiar and stretched—two hours could have been condensed without losing impact. So, it’s somewhat bland; like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich—filling, but not exactly gourmet.
Fans hoping for a shocking death might find themselves let down by the warm ending.
It raises an eyebrow to have such an upbeat conclusion, especially when typical genre shows aren’t shy about major character departures. It almost feels rebellious against norms. However, considering “Stranger Things” has a history of brutal character exits—like the loss of Bob (Sean Astin)—this lighter ending seems odd.
The show’s creators seemed aware of potential criticism. In a meta moment, when Mike predicts the outcome, Max snarks about it, asking if he couldn’t think of something less predictable. Mike counters with a notion that happiness isn’t confined to one narrative. The series finishes with a statement that feels borrowed from a fortune cookie.
In sum, Season 5 delivered an eventful, albeit messy conclusion to a series once adored.
Divided into three volumes, the first four episodes started strong, with the gang standing against militaristic divisions in Hawkins. Yet, the latter part—the Christmas episodes—felt muddled.
The Duffer brothers seemed hesitant to let go of main characters, which diluted the stakes. Though there have been losses among supporting roles, none of the main cast faced true danger. They faked Hopper’s demise twice, hampering any real emotional depth in such moments. It’s left us with an overcrowded final season.
New characters like Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly) and Holly Wheeler popped in, but instead of developing well, it felt too crowded. They even revived Carly from a past season many fans had dislike for.
The beloved characters we’ve followed over the years had too few significant moments. Joyce, for example, has been relegated to a background figure in the series.
The dialogue often felt clunky, with characters over-explaining plot points and sci-fi details, making it seem forced and awkward.
There seemed to be a checklist approach to addressing character moments—like the Mike and Eleven interactions or Vecna’s backstory—without a graceful resolution.
Ending a show shouldn’t be this cumbersome. After years of development and with Season 4 almost a year behind, the narrative doesn’t suffer from complex mythology like “Game of Thrones” or “Lost.” They hadn’t boxed themselves into a corner needing an exit strategy.
The finale felt tough to digest, and not in a good way.
While some on social media have compared Season 5 of “Stranger Things” to the final season of “Game of Thrones,” that’s a bit overstated. The character transformations weren’t as jarring, nor did beloved figures veer off into villainy.
Still, it fell short of my expectations.
In the end, “Stranger Things” concluded with all major players staying safe and sound. That’s curious.
