The two-hour finale for “Stranger Things” has now aired, the finale properly closing things off for the show and offering happy endings for all the major characters.
Even so, there has been a divided reaction to the finale on social media – some finding it a big improvement on the rest of the season, others dubbing it predictable, tired and dull.
SPOILERS AHEAD
One decision that ties to the final minutes of the episode has caused some debate. In those final minutes, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) tells a story of how Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) possibly survived her apparent death as the Upside Down was wiped away.
However, the show fails to indicate whether the story is true or not, leaving its veracity ambiguous. Speaking with Netflix’s Tudum site, series co-creators Ross & Matt Duffer say it was a very deliberate choice:
Matt Duffer: “What we wanted to do was confront the reality of what her situation was after all of this and how she could live a normal life… 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: “There was never a version of the story where Eleven was hanging out with the gang at the end. For us and our writers, we didn’t want to take her powers away. She represents magic in a lot of ways and the magic of childhood. For our characters to move on and for the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to come to a close, Eleven had to go away. 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. The fact that they’re believing in it, we just thought it was such a better way to end the story and a better way to represent the closure of this journey and their journey from children to adults.”
Matt Duffer: “And the reality is, if Eleven is out there, the most that they could hope for is a belief that it’s true because they can’t be in contact with her. Everything falls apart if that were the case. So if that’s the narrative, this is really the best way to keep her alive. And it’s about Mike and everyone finding a way to move past what’s happened.”
The series finale is now available on Netflix and is playing in select cinemas today.
