Observe: This story comprises spoilers for Season 5, Episode 8 of “Stranger Issues”
The collection finale of “Stranger Issues” went out with a bang on New Yr’s Eve, wrapping up 5 seasons with an epic conclusion.
The episode, titled “The Rightside Up,” sees Eleven and the remainder of the group head into the Abyss for a last showdown with Vecna and the Thoughts Flayer to avoid wasting Hawkins earlier than the 2 worlds merge collectively.
Although the tip of the present has divided followers on social media, it was crammed with each stunning and heartfelt moments. Under is a roundup of a number of the most notable:
1. Jonathan saves Steve
Whereas attempting to align the radio tower within the Upside Down with the Abyss, Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) begins to fall and is holding on for expensive life. However simply as he lets go and it seems to be like the tip for him, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) grabs him and pulls him up. The 2 later bury the hatchet over their longstanding rivalry for Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) affection and resolve she’s higher off being impartial.
2. Hopper “shoots” Eleven
One of the vital stunning moments within the finale is undoubtedly when Hopper (David Harbour) by chance shoots Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) whereas she’s submerged contained in the water tank and searching for Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) inside his thoughts.
Whereas anxiously ready to tug Eleven out, Hopper is haunted by Vecna, who exhibits him an phantasm of his daughter Sophia. Simply as he thinks he’s shot Vecna, the digital camera exhibits the water tank is leaking and Eleven is bleeding. Fortunately, it proves to be the episodes second fake-out by way of character deaths, with Eleven surviving and her damage solely a part of Hopper’s hallucination.
3. Lt. Akers and Kali’s deaths
Whereas some characters keep away from dying within the finale, others aren’t so fortunate.
After Hopper and Kali find yourself held hostage by the navy and Lt. Robert Akers (Alex Breaux), Eleven saves them with an help from Murray (Brett Gelman), who blows up a helicopter with C4. Although Akers finally ends up killing Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), Eleven is ready to possess him and forces him to show a gun on and shoot himself.
4. Joyce kills Vecna
After defeating Vecna, who’s impaled towards a spike within the coronary heart of the Thoughts Flayer, Joyce (Winona Ryder) delivers the deadly blow by decapitating him with an axe. As she cuts into him a number of occasions and the group will get their payback, the episode flashes between the principle characters and the traumatic deaths and experiences they’ve witnessed all through the collection.
5. Eleven says goodbye to Mike
The celebration of Vecna’s defeat is short-lived because the group is captured by the navy upon leaving the Upside Down, who has the entire group held at gunpoint because it seems they might lastly seize Eleven. However she is revealed to be standing between the gate to the Upside Down and Hawkins and is making ready to sacrifice herself.
Proper earlier than the bomb goes off, Eleven takes Mike into her thoughts because the pair give a tearful goodbye to one another and embrace as Prince’s “Purple Rain” performs. She tells him to thank everybody for being form to her and exhibiting her methods to be buddy and to elucidate why she’s sacrificing herself. He replies that he doesn’t perceive, to which she says “I do know, however someday you’ll.” She additionally tells him that she’ll at all times be with him as the 2 kiss.
6. Eleven disappears with the Upside Down
After releasing Mike from her thoughts, the gang screams her title because the bomb goes off, closing the portal to the Upside Down and taking Eleven with it. Mike steps towards the place the portal was to disclose a destroyed wall as the remainder of the group stays shocked.
7. The gang graduates Hawkins
18 months after defeating Vecna and the Upside Down disappearing without end, Will (Noah Schnapp), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Max (Sadie Sink) and Mike have all graduated from Hawkins.
Dustin delivers the graduation speech as valedictorian, by which he displays on childhood being stolen from them over the previous six years, however acknowledges that whereas there was unhealthy moments, there was additionally “a lot good.” He additionally says that the chaos was good for Hawkins because it created much-needed change and made him and everybody else higher. He additionally pays tribute to Eddie, telling his class “screw conformity.”
8. Hopper proposes to Joyce
Within the finale’s epilogue, Joyce and Hopper lastly get their date at Enzo’s, the place the latter proposes to the previous. He additionally floats the concept of them leaving Hawkins for Montauk (a nod to the setting that was initially proposed for “Stranger Issues” and later modified).
9. The ultimate Dungeons & Dragons marketing campaign
The ultimate scene of the present sees Will, Lucas, Dustin, Max and Mike taking part in yet another recreation of Dungeons & Dragons. Because the group tearfully finishes the sport, they select to consider Mike’s principle that Eleven faked her dying and is lastly capable of dwell a life with out being hunted by the navy.
Every individual proceeds to go away their D&D books and the basement one after the other as Mike’s sister Holly (Nell Fisher), Derek (Jake Connolly) and their associates start their very own marketing campaign, passing the torch to the subsequent era because the episode fades to black.
All 5 seasons of Stranger Issues are streaming now on Netflix
