Summary
As a lifelong TV fan, I love watching a promising pilot that could be my new favorite show, but I also can’t overstatethe importance of a series finale. Now thatNetflix’sStranger Thingsis ending in a few months, I’m reflecting onthe memorable monsters, creepy setting of the Upside Down, and all the smart and funny characters who live in Hawkins, Indiana. Theseason 5 teaser promises a thrilling and haunting adventure, and I’m eager to tune into the first batch of episodes when they’re released on November 26th, 2025.
Series finales typically go one or two ways: every character gets a peaceful ending, or there are countless devastating deaths. Sometimes a TV show ends on a vague note, which can be frustrating, or a surprising one, like the haunting final scene of the legal dramaThe Good Wife.I can’t wait to see theStranger Thingsseason 5 ending, but I’m concerned that every character could end up happy, and I don’t think that’s the right move.
Giving Every Main Character A Happy Ending In Stranger Things Season 5 Would Be A Mistake
After everything that The Party has experienced, it’s hard to imagine none of them leaving Hawkins, going to college and having a great time, or being able to escape the terrifying clutches of the Upside Down. But I think it’s even tougher to think about all of them making it out alive, consideringVecna’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) hopes to take over Hawkins and, possibly, the world.Stranger Thingsseason 5 could be similar to Stephen King’sThe Standas it could also be a post-apocalyptic story with two groups fighting each other. From the teaser, it’s clear that something is wrong in Hawkins and that life hasn’t been the same for the characters since the season 4 finale.
While I think thatsome characters should get happy endings in the fifth and final season, I don’t think it’s realistic for everyone to get one. Perhaps fans find out that Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) have gotten into their dream college programs and they’re moving to an exciting city, like New York or Los Angeles. But maybe another main character, like Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), has a more ambiguous fate.
WhileMike can be funny and charming, I don’t find him as compelling as the others. Maybe viewers will be left wondering about the status of Mike and Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) relationship, which would feel realistic since they’re still young. I also think it could be interesting ifStranger Thingsended with one major character stuck in the Upside Down, which could suggest that the story is continuing.
Although I would be sad to lose such a fantastic character, I’m wonderingif Max Mayfield should die inStranger Thingsseason 5. Fans have been eager to learn her fate since Max was in a coma at the end of the fourth season.I think Max’s death would make sense for the story and raise the stakes.If Max lives, would that lessen Vecna’s impact as a terrifying and dangerous villain? Doesn’t the show need to prove that not everyone can beat him?Stranger Thingsneeds high stakes for its final season, and that could mean that Max isn’t strong enough to defeat Vecna. Since Vecna affects Max so much in season 4, it would seem unrealistic if she was able to truly escape him.
Eleven Needs A Happy Ending In Stranger Things Season 5 (Or I’ll Be Bummed)
While I don’t think that everyone should end up in a good place by the time the end credits roll onStranger Things, I thinkEleven needs a happy ending. There are someengaging fan theories about this beloved characterand many of them suggest that she’s going to fight Vecna alone, at least for part of season 5. I think that makes sense, especially since sheneeds to prove to herself that she can save her friends and her town.
Eleven is one of my favoriteStranger Thingscharacters because she’s charming, intelligent, and tough. I would hate for her journey to have been for nothing, and I want to see her victorious. TheStranger Thingsseason 5 teasermade me emotional because of how much Eleven has been through over the past few years. She’s tried to fit in and feel like she’s part of a group, and she appreciates that her new friends accept her and her powers. It would be a shame if her character arc ended with her death, and I don’t want to see that. I’m counting down the days untilpart one of the last season ofStranger Things, and I really hope that Eleven will make it until the end credits roll.
