‘Stranger Things’: 7 Burning Questions Fans Still Want Answered After the Finale
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Stranger Things Series Finale.]
Stranger Things left fans with plenty to consider as the finale episode reached its final moments, and while some closure was provided for our heroes, some major loose ends were also left hanging.
While the most obvious question looming over Season 5’s finale is Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) fate, the Duffer Brothers recently divulged some information in an interview with Variety, in which they explained her ending is purposely open to interpretation. “We like that it’s up to the audience,” Matt told the outlet. “Obviously, we tell you what the characters choose.”
In the show, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and friends decide to believe that Eleven made it out of the Upside Down alive, making a grand escape with the help of her sister Kali’s (Linnea Berthelsen) power of projection. But as we examine the show’s ending and fan input, we’re breaking down some of the other major questions that remain following Stranger Things‘ final episode in the gallery roundup below. Scroll down for a closer look, and share your remaining questions in the comments section.
Will Eleven ever reunite with her friends?
Should the version of events in which Eleven survives be canon, the question of whether she’d ever reunite with Mike and her friends still remained by the time the end credits rolled. Thankfully, Ross Duffer offered some clarity on this question, even if it’s not the answer fans necessarily want. “If she were alive, the way I would see it is no. Any contact would risk bringing her back out in the open and starting the cycle again. So, in the story that Mike’s telling, I don’t think he sees a version where they reconnect,” Ross shared with Variety.
What happened to the military?
At the end of the finale, Eleven seemingly disappeared with the Upside Down, rendering Dr. Kay’s (Linda Hamilton) operation useless. Still, Hawkins’ heroes were heavily involved in disrupting her operations, meaning they should have faced legal repercussions, right? The 18-month time jump between the destruction of the Upside Down and Hawkins High’s Class of ’89 graduation leaves details about the military’s role fuzzy. All we know for now is, they’ve cleared out of Hawkins as far as its residents can tell.
Did Dustin and Suzie break up?
Considering Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) girlfriend, Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo), played somewhat of a big role in Seasons 3 and 4, it was surprising she was entirely absent from the series in Season 5, let alone seemingly forgotten when cool girl Stacey (Sydney Bullock) invited him to her graduation party. We know Dustin was going through a period of grief following Eddie’s (Joseph Quinn) death, but was it enough to make him cut ties with Suzie? Guess we’ll never know.
Who opened the door at the Byers' house?
Viewers revisited the past in Season 5’s opening moments when Will (Noah Schnapp) was stuck in the Upside Down in 1983, but it remains unclear who opened the lock to his family’s home telepathically. Additionally, while this plot may be better explained by Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the reason Vecna targets Will specifically remains unclear in the show.
Where was Max's mom?
Did Max’s (Sadie Sink) mom just move away from Hawkins after she believed her daughter wouldn’t recover from her coma? She was nowhere to be seen (or called) as Max woke up from her trance and made her way to graduation in the future.
Where did Vickie go?
Vickie (Amybeth McNulty) was brought further into the fold this season as Robin’s (Maya Hawke) girlfriend, but after staying in the real world alongside Max amid the final battle, we never really see her again. Did she and Robin stay together? The implication feels like they didn’t when we see Robin return to Hawkins after having left, but again, we’re left with uncertainty there.
What was the deal with that rock?
In a flashback, we uncover how Henry Creel was exposed to the Mindflayer through a mysterious rock found in a briefcase, ultimately igniting an evil turn in him that would later lead to his run as Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Beyond seeing the rock and how it was responsible for transferring the Mindflayer’s will into his body, we never get a deeper explanation for what was actually happening. Thankfully, this is one loose thread that will hopefully be answered in the upcoming spinoff, as Matt Duffer teased to Variety, “The spinoff is going to delve into that and explain that, and you’re going to understand it. But it’s a completely different mythology.”
Stranger Things, Netflix
Get Inside the Upside Down
Get absolutely everything about Stranger Things in your inbox!
Conversation3 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
N
None of these count as "burning questions". At best they are trivial points of interest that have zero bearing on the story as we saw it. I did wonder about Vicki and Dr Kay but we don't need to know
-
T
And why didn't the 3 boys that beat up Dustin ever get what they deserved?
-
L
I think in the 18 months after Elle’s death Mike would have been so devastated he turned to Alcohol or drugs.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services