After nearly ten years of monsters, friendships, and supernatural chaos, Netflix’s Stranger Things has officially come to an end and the reaction to its final episode has been anything but unanimous.

The series finale, titled “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up,” dropped in the early hours of New Year’s Day in the UK, following the release of the previous batch of episodes just a week earlier. Almost immediately, social media lit up with strong opinions, as fans struggled to agree on whether the Duffer Brothers delivered a satisfying goodbye or a frustrating misfire.

Major spoilers for the Stranger Things finale ahead.

In the final chapter, the Hawkins crew finally face off against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) in what is meant to be the show’s most decisive battle. The villain is ultimately defeated through a combination of Eleven’s powers and the long-hinted supernatural connection of Will Byers.

The final blow comes when Joyce Byers decapitates Vecna, bringing an abrupt end to the Upside Down’s biggest threat. Meanwhile, Hopper and Murray plant explosives on the interdimensional gateway, seemingly sealing off the Upside Down for good.

However, the victory comes at a cost. Eleven appears to remain behind in the other world, implying a self-sacrifice that leaves her friends devastated.

With a surprising amount of runtime still left, the episode jumps forward to 1989, showing how the survivors have begun rebuilding their lives after years of trauma. Hawkins is calmer, the group is older, and Joyce and Hopper are revealed to be engaged, offering a rare moment of peace.

In the closing moments, Mike reveals that Eleven may not be gone after all. According to him, she staged her death and escaped the Upside Down. The finale ends on an ambiguous note, showing an older Eleven walking alone through a distant location before approaching a town—leaving her true fate open to interpretation.

Series co-creator Ross Duffer later added to the uncertainty, stating that Eleven “lives on in their hearts,” without confirming whether she physically survived.

Social Media Reaction to Stranger Things 5 Finale

As expected, the finale sparked intense debate online. A significant portion of viewers expressed disappointment, particularly with how quickly Vecna was defeated and how little explanation was given about Henry Creel’s origins.

One viral post criticized the episode for killing the main villain halfway through.

“Main villain killed halfway in, nobody important died, no explanation on henry creel origin story, & only 18 month time jump. Stranger Things finale was the stupidest f***ing ending i’ve seen right up there with The Umbrella Academy.”

Another viewer criticized the episode’s structure, writing:

“The biggest mistake they made was a whole 50 minutes of the episode just being the epilogue, the could’ve used those at least 30 of those 50 minutes to make the fighting scenes better.”

Some reactions were more blunt:

“Am much disappointed to that extent that I don’t even want to talk about Stranger Things.”

One fan questioned the writing choices altogether:

“So you’re telling me the fan theories were better than the episode itself…? #StrangerThings.”

Another posted a GIF of someone throwing a TV off the wall, captioning it:

“Stayed up till 3am for that s****y ending that could’ve been an email #StrangerThings #StrangerThings5.”

Others suggested small changes that could have improved the finale:

“They really could have fixed that finale with just 30 secs more of footage. Picture this Mike is alone in the basement, walkie talkie in hand, calling for El. Static. He sets it down & turns to walk away. Then we hear a faint ‘Mike.’ Cut to black #StrangersThings5 #StrangerThings.”

Several fans also questioned how everyone survived such an intense final battle:

“You’re telling me they just fought a godzilla sized monster on another planet with shotguns and flamethrowers and they somehow all escaped with literally no injuries or casualties are they the f***ing justice league or something? #StrangerThings5 #StrangerThings [sic].”

One post even compared the ending to other controversial TV finales, sharing an image of Game of Thrones showrunners alongside the Duffer Brothers with the caption:

“I see the ‘Can’t write an ending to our show’ club has welcomed new members! #StrangerThings #StrangerThings5.

Fans Who Loved the Finale Push Back

Despite the backlash, plenty of fans came to the finale’s defense. Many praised the emotional tone, character-focused ending, and the sense of closure it brought to a show that defined a generation of TV.

Some viewers called it a “beautiful farewell,” while others said the finale felt like a return to the series’ earlier strengths—balancing heart, spectacle, and nostalgia.

One fan said, “What A Beautiful Ending To An Amazing Show. Goodbye Stranger Things.”

“Me being happy with the stranger things finale and coming on twitter to see everyone complaining.”

Another praised the scale of the finale:

“The Stranger Things Finale felt like a return to the shows prime form. Everyone hit their mark,it felt big, it felt epic, it was a worthy finale.”

Joyce’s role in killing Vecna also earned praise:

“Joyce doing absolutely nothing in the finale just to be the one to actually kill vecna That’s mama.”

Another user wrote:

“The Stranger Things finale was amazing and, in my opinion, ended the show in the best way possible. The final fight was intense, Vecna’s death was satisfying, and Eleven’s ending—closing the gate and leaving it unclear if she lived or died—was exactly how I wanted her story to end.”

Whether loved or criticized, one thing is undeniable: Stranger Things has left a lasting impact. The finale may not have satisfied everyone, but it marked the end of an era for a show that shaped pop culture, launched careers, and brought millions of fans together.

Stranger Things is now fully available to stream on Netflix, closing the door on Hawkins—but not the conversations surrounding it.