The final, movie-sized episode of Stranger Things is finally out, bringing the show to an official end. The response has been polarizing, some appreciating the way the episode tied up loose ends to provide a satisfying conclusion and others opining there was too much epilogue, not enough story. As a long-time fan of the series who has watched it through more than once, I was pleased with the ending. I feel like it redeemed the subpar Part 2 of the three-part final season, which left me worried. How could everything wrap up in a way that made sense and felt like suitable closure? Thankfully, it was perfect.
Note: Spoilers ahead for the Stranger Things series finale.
The First Half is All Action
Building on the events from Part 2 and the stronger Part 1, the finale skips ahead to pick up to when the group is already in the middle of enacting their big plan to stop the Abyss from merging into Hawkins. We went from Steve’s (Joe Keery) genius idea of how to blow up the Upside Down at the end of Part 2 to the group in place ready to go. It’s high action throughout the entire first half of the episode, everyone doing their part to contribute. It’s mainly up to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) take down Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). But she can’t do it alone. Everyone proves their worth in one way or another.
Nancy (Natalia Dyer) has apparently become a female Rambo. Murray (Brett Gelman) possesses a strong intuition and his quick thinking always saves the day. Will’s (Noah Schnapp) newfound ability to not only tap into the hive mind but also control or subdue Vecna gives them a leg up against the powerful monster. It’s lovely to see them all coming together, reinforcing the idea that everyone in the group has become part of the family, and is more fearless than ever. The younger group of kids, meanwhile, have their moment, too. They’re led by Holly (Nell Fisher) and Derek (Jake Connelly), dipshit version this time around because, well, that’s what they need. They manage to make it to safety, both kid characters getting memorable moments that prove they’re bona fide badasses.
Bower absolutely shines in this episode, the actor’s portrayal of Henry and Vecna captivating as he works through a range of emotions like never before. Part of this includes Henry’s own guilt and shame, relating back to the man with the briefcase in the cave that was teased via a memory in Henry’s mind in Episode 7. Having watched the prequel Broadway play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, I knew what was going on here. For those who felt lost after seeing the first Episode 7 scene, this episode provides context. The scene with Henry facing this awful memory from his childhood, Will simultaneously seeing it and understanding that Henry was once an innocent little boy like he was when he was taken, is powerful. Henry embracing who he has become removes any chance of redemption that fans wanted to see for the character. But this also makes his defeat more desirable, knowing that all traces of the old Henry are pretty well gone.
Along with most characters getting a heroic moment, you’ll also have to deal with a few more death teases, which will either delight or annoy, depending on how you view them. The Duffer Brothers did follow through with a few character deaths. But one of those deaths is up for debate (more below).
Overall, the fantastic cinematography through the first half of the episode especially proves why this episode was released for a limited run in theatres. Those who watched on a massive theatre screen will have reaped the benefits of the explosions, creepy creatures, and desolate landscapes that bring you right into this fictional world. It was a sight to behold even at home on my own reasonably sized OLED TV. Complementing the visuals of the show is the fantastic soundtrack: Stranger Things continues to pull out all the stops when it comes to music, this time even adding a Prince tune to the mix.
The Lengthy Epilogue Was Perfect
The first hour is all action, all the time. One criticism has been that the entire back half of the two-hour-plus episode is effectively the epilogue, following what has happened since the final fight with Vecna. Picking up 18 months later, it’s the wrap-up the story needed. After five seasons, an hour was worth dedicating to this. Sorry naysayers, but any shorter would not have done it justice.
Within this time, stories wrap up beautifully. Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) get their happy ending. The kids graduate and move on to follow different paths. The young adults find their footing, pursuing further education and/or careers. Everyone has a moment, and we get the sense that everything is going to be okay.
The best part is how the ending brings the story full circle, back to where it all started. Seeing the boys and Max (Sadie Sink) place their Dungeons & Dragons binders on the shelf for what they know will probably be the last time is an emotional moment. A new generation of kids taking over the Wheeler basement, meanwhile, Holly leading the charge, gives us a sense that the show is over, yes, but it’s not really over. Even if the series has ended and the core kids are moving on, the cycle continues.
In stark contrast to Part 2, the long speeches this time around are welcome ones, adding to the story in a meaningful way without frustrating people that they’re taking too long (we’re talking to you, Max!) or coming at an inappropriate time (Will!) The talk between Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Eleven in the void will bring tears to your eyes, as will when Mike tells his friends what happens to their characters at the end of the D&D campaign, according to his story. Both were lovely ways to honour the show and all the moments that led up to this point, and give the characters – and viewers – closure.
I thought the show was irredeemable after the Part 2 episodes. I said in my review of Part 2 that the finale needed to pull out all the stops if the show was going to leave fans with a sense of satisfaction, even if it wasn’t a happy ending for everyone. It achieved that.
Leaving Us With Questions and Interpretations
While the show wrapped up wonderfully, we are left with a few questions. Most notably, is the fate of Eleven. While it seems she perished in the Upside Down during the massive explosion, Mike’s D&D campaign story suggests that this might not be the case. But is he right or is his alternative reality just wishful thinking?
It depends on the way you choose to interpret it. Based on the facts, Eleven saw the military outside or at least knew they would be there and ducked out of the truck in time to remain in the Upside Down and sacrifice herself. She has one last conversation with Mike in the void before being swept away to oblivion.
But if you take Mike’s story at face value, this isn’t Eleven’s true story. As Mike tells it, before Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) died, she made one last move to help Eleven. She used her powers to create the illusion of Eleven at the entrance of the Upside Down while the real Eleven escaped. From there, Eleven took off to somewhere, anywhere they couldn’t find her to live a happy life.
There are plenty of holes in this story, however. First, when Hopper comes back into the room, Kali is seemingly already dead. Unless Eleven and Kali had agreed for Kali to pretend to be dead, she did not have the chance to perform a final trick. Further, unless Eleven used her powers to see outside before they got in the van to escape, there’s no way she could have known the military were just outside, ready to stop them. What’s more, she could not have known they would have high-frequency devices that prevented her from using her power.
Another moment suggesting Eleven isn’t alive and this is Mike’s way of coping with her death is that in the depiction of the story, Eleven is seen coming upon two waterfalls. There aren’t three waterfalls as Mike has repeatedly mentioned was his dream. This could suggest that Mike views her as being in search of a place with three waterfalls, hoping one day she might find one and reunite with Mike there. But more than likely, Eleven really did sacrifice herself and Mike has devised this more palatable, hopeful ending for her story. He’ll forever imagine her looking for three waterfalls, a pipe dream that will never come true but that gives him hope.
Also worth noting is Hopper’s mention that Montauk is looking for a new chief of police. Montauk, New York is home to the Montauk Project, a conspiracy theory about U.S. government projects purportedly conducted there, involving everything from time travel to teleportation and mind control. Stranger Things, in fact, was originally going to be called Montauk. This Easter Egg pays homage to the theories that inspired the show to begin. While it isn’t meant to suggest a spin-off of any kind, it’s lore fans can live with, imagining Hopper parading around Montauk only to discover an “oh no, not again” scenario.
Stranger Things Ends on a High
In both cases, most notably with Eleven’s death (or not), the show leaves fans with something to ruminate and theorize about. Some fans are convinced Eleven is dead and there’s no question of that. Others insist she’s alive and Mike’s hopeful thoughts are just like Joyce’s in Season 1 about Will. What’s wonderful about the situation is that fans are meant to decide just as Mike asks his friends to do: you can either choose to believe his version of the story or not. The truth is up to you.
Eleven’s fate aside, it might be time to say goodbye to Hawkins, but Stranger Things will go down as one of the best shows of this generation, and the finale solidified that. The fifth season started strong in Part 1, wavered in Part 2, but the series finale redeemed it. Grab the tissues, because you’ll need them as you say goodbye to the folks of Hawkins, and watch them say goodbye to one another as they move on to greener, right side up pastures.