Stranger Things Season 5 finale episode is out in India on January 1, 2026, and with the final revelations the popular Netflix series has come to its conclusion. As the excited fans switched on their devices to watch the much-awaited over 2-hour episode, the popular streaming platform crashed for several minutes, sparking memes and reactions from fans. As soon as netizens finished watching the final episode, they flooded their social media feeds with reviews. Most of them were left disappointed with the ending, especially with Eleven’s fate and Vecna’s killing.
If you haven’t watched one of the longest episode of the series yet, here’s a spoiler alert.
Stranger Things Season 5 ending explained
Who killed Vecna?
It’s a no-brainer that the Netflix series’ main villain Vecna had to be killed by end of it all. However, what fans were awaiting was how the end came and by whom. Series co-creator Matt Duffer noted that the only way to defeat Vecna and the Mind Flayer was if “everyone contributes in some meaningful way … In that sense, it also feels very much like the climax of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, where every character has a special skill, and they’re able to bring it to this final fight.”
In their final stand-off against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Mind Flayer, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), and Max (Sadie Sink) launch a collective attack against Henry or Vecna in his mind. Hopper (David Harbour) and Murray (Brett Gelman) in the meanwhile prepare the trigger for the bomb that will destroy the Upside Down. The rest of the party braces to enter the Abyss to rescue the kidnapped kids. Joyce, played by Winona Ryder is the one who gets to kill Vecna, as she beheads the Vecna with an axe.
Is Eleven dead or alive?
End of Volume 2 left fans worried about Eleven’s fate as she and Eight mutually decide to sacrifice themselves to save the world. Kali or Eight says it’s the only way to make sure their blood isn’t misused to create more supernatural children and open more gates to other worlds. As Upside Down collapses, Eleven stays there waiting to be wiped from existence. After saying goodbye to Mike (Finn Wolfhard), with a kiss, she awaits her end. However, as per Variety, there is a twist. Her sister Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) casts a spell to create a fake Eleven so it looks like she is dead. In the end, as per Mike, Eleven is safe and sound on a beautiful hike, away from danger.
Who is Nancy with – Steve or Jonathan?
The answer is she doesn’t end up with either of them. All the kids are on their own at the end and Steve and Jonathan agree neither of them is the right man for Nancy. Steve stays in Hawkins, where he coaches little-league baseball, with Derek (Jake Connelly) as his catcher, as per Netflix Tudum.
Robin attends Smith College in Massachusetts, and Nancy drops out of Emerson College to take a job at the Boston Herald. Jonathan is a filmmaker at New York University working on an anti-capitalist cannibal movie. They all remain friends.
What happens to Will, Max, Lucas, and Dustin in the end?
Max and Lucas are together and go on their long-awaited movie date. Dustin continues with his studies at a university but finds time to catch up with his best friend Steve. Will, is seen chatting with a guy at a bar, and finds acceptance in a bigger city. Mike becomes a writer.
“We wanted each of the characters to find happiness but in their own specific ways,” Matt Duffer says.
Are Joyce and Hopper together?
The answer is yet. Hopper proposes to Joyce and the happy couple plans a move to Montauk, New York, where Hopper would work as a chief of police.
