Stranger Things fans were not prepared for the emotional whiplash of this week.

The Duffer Brothers stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where a simple game involving Funko Pop figures unexpectedly turned into a spoiler-fueled nightmare. What looked like harmless fun instantly triggered alarms for fans who have learned the hard way that nothing in Stranger Things is ever accidental.

As if that wasn’t enough, Netflix released the official Season 5 Volume 2 teaser later the same day. With Volume 2 dropping on Christmas Day and the final episode set for New Year’s Eve, viewers are now convinced the timing was very much planned.

Duffer Brothers Tease Stranger Things 5 Ending Using Funko Pops

During the segment, Jimmy Fallon asked Matt and Ross Duffer to arrange Stranger Things Funko Pops in a way that might tease the show’s ending.

Vecna was positioned looming over Will Byers, instantly raising red flags. Eleven appeared confined, boxed in with no clear escape. And then came the moment that broke the internet: Steve Harrington’s Funko Pop was pushed off the desk entirely.

The Duffer Brothers tease the ending of ‘Stranger Things’ using Funko POP! figures.

(🎥: @FallonTonight)

pic.twitter.com/ZuI2MfWxWp

— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 18, 2025

The crowd gasped. Fallon burst out laughing. The Duffers stayed completely straight-faced. To make things even darker, Barb’s figure also hit the floor, a detail longtime fans immediately connected to the show’s first devastating loss.

Steve falling off the desk became the centerpiece of online discussion within minutes. Social media exploded with panic, jokes, and dread in equal measure.

“If Steve dies in some heroic sacrifice, I’m done,” one fan wrote. Another joked, “Season 6 is just fans hunting the Duffer Brothers.”

Another said, “what is wrong with the duffer brothers and their strong beef to steve harrington’s character I SWEAR TO GOD THEY KEEP MESSING WITH HIM.”

As if fans weren’t already on edge, Ross Duffer later posted screenshots of Steve’s Funko Pop hitting the floor on Instagram, reigniting panic across the fandom.

Ross Duffer on Instagram 👀 pic.twitter.com/xXyqlwlXFu

— Stranger Things Memes (@SThingsMeme) December 18, 2025

Reddit threads quickly filled with familiar theories, especially the long-standing belief that Steve may die protecting the kids. Some fans are convinced the moment was a deliberate clue. Others refuse to accept it, calling the entire thing intentional trolling. “They know exactly what they’re doing,” one post read. “This was not an accident.”

Will’s Placement Over Vecna Sparks Fear

Vecna’s placement over Will only deepened the anxiety. Fans have long suspected Will’s deep connection to the Upside Down would play a major role in the final season, possibly at a terrible cost.

Many pointed out that Will has always been the emotional core of Stranger Things. “If anyone has to make the ultimate sacrifice, it’s Will,” one fan wrote. “And that’s what scares me.”

Just hours after the Fallon episode aired, the Season 5 Volume 2 teaser dropped, packed with danger, raw emotion, and unresolved tension. Instead of calming fans, it reinforced the idea that the Funko Pop segment was a calculated prelude, not a throwaway joke.

Eleven’s Fate and Barb’s Haunting Return

Eleven’s restrained position in the Funko Pop setup also raised concerns. Some fans fear her powers may weaken, disappear, or come at a devastating price in the final episodes.

Barb’s fall sparked a mix of dark humor and heartbreak. While “justice for Barb” jokes resurfaced, the moment also reminded fans that Stranger Things has never shied away from reopening emotional wounds, especially in its final act.

One fan summed it up best: “They knew the teaser was coming. They knew we’d connect the dots. This was absolutely intentional.”

With Volume 2 arriving on December 25 and the series finale landing on December 31, fans are bracing themselves for a painful goodbye. Whether the Funko Pop chaos was clever misdirection or a brutal hint of what’s coming, one truth is impossible to ignore:

Stranger Things is ending — and no character feels safe anymore.