Stranger Things ended with a thrilling finale on New Year's Eve, leaving fans with more questions than answers.
The highlight of the finale episode was Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) sacrificing herself for the greater good, and the Duffer Brothers discussed her fate in a recent interview.
After the Stranger Things shows El vanishing in the blown-up Upside Down, Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) tells one last story during a game of D&D with his friends.
He says he believes that Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) used the last of her magic and power to help El escape the Upside Down and that his girlfriend has moved to a village far away.
The theory was not confirmed on the show, leaving it ambiguous as to whether she survived Hawkins.
While discussing the theories, Matt Duffer noted, "There are two roads that Eleven could take. There's this darker, more pessimistic one or the optimistic, hopeful one. Mike is the optimist of the group and has chosen to believe in that story."
Ross Duffer also shared that there was "never a version" where Eleven would get to walk away with her friends.
He revealed that the creators of the show never wanted to leave El without her powers, adding, "She represents magic in a lot of ways and the magic of childhood."
Ross shared that Eleven "had to go away" for the characters to move on and the story of the Upside Down to come to an end.
"We thought it would be beautiful if our characters continued to believe in that happier ending even if we didn't give them a clear answer to whether that's true or not," he added.
Stranger Things made its debut on Netflix in 2016, and the story was concluded after five seasons in 2025. Set in 1980s Indiana, the story follows a group of children who witness supernatural forces and secret government activities after one of their friends goes missing.
