‘Stranger Things 5’ episode 8 ending explained: this is ‘The Rightside Up,’ the final episode of the legendary Netflix series

Although the ending of ‘Stranger Things’ was much simpler than some fans had predicted, it still had its share of ambiguity and left viewers somewhat confused on several points. That’s why we’re going to try to clear up the main doubts and questions surrounding the series finale. Needless to say, something more frightening than the Demogorgons is coming: a bunch of spoilers! You have been warned.

If you have any specific questions or there’s something on your mind that you’d like us to address and add to the list, leave us a comment!

Was it all a dream? Was the series a Dungeons & Dragons campaign written by Mike?

No, don’t worry. It wasn’t a dream. The image after the credits will cause rivers and rivers of ink to flow and give rise to all kinds of theories on social media, but if the Duffer brothers have proven anything with the last episode (and the last season in general), it’s that you shouldn’t overthink it. All the conspiracies based on their oversights and continuity errors have fallen on deaf ears. They were mistakes, period.

This time it’s not a mistake, but a nod to the series, its setting, and its protagonists. At most, it can be interpreted as Mike becoming a role-playing game writer and creating one based on his experiences, which he called “Stranger Things.” But if it had all been part of the campaign and his imagination, Max’s presence in the final scene would not make sense, among many other things. Who knows, maybe this manual will end up being the connection to the series’ spin-off.

Is Eleven dead or alive?

Until the Duffer brothers reveal the answer in one of their famous interviews, if they ever do, it’s up to you to believe she’s still alive... or not, as Mike explains. In any case, in audiovisual language, everything that is shown is usually interpreted as real, and we have all seen Eleven reach the promised land, the one with the three waterfalls. If the scene had consisted solely and exclusively of Mike saying it, it would have been a different story, but since it was shown, we assume a happy ending. There is also that suspicious moment at the graduation when Mike seems to feel her presence.

Interestingly, Hitchcock himself was criticized when, in the film Stage Fright, he showed a sequence with images and then said in the film itself that the sequence was fake. For many, this is one of the biggest tricks in the history of cinema and a recurring criticism of the director. If the Duffer brothers appear in a few years’ time claiming that Eleven was fake, they’d better be prepared.

Was Vecna good? Why did the Mind Flayer die so quickly?

There was a time when Vecna (or rather, Henry Creel) was a normal, ordinary child. As we see in the scene in the tunnel (which could have been better developed and explained), the Mind Flayer possessed him and turned him into a vessel to carry out its plan, just as it tries to do with Will and the other children. Therefore, the real villain of the story is the Mind Flayer. Even so, there is no redemption for Henry. Although the protagonists reach out to him, he decides to remain Vecna in order to end a world of pain and “corruption.” It remains somewhat unclear whether this is because of all the suffering he has endured, because he is possessed, or because he truly harbors evil in his heart. We lean toward the first two options.

As for the spectacular fight with the Mind Flayer, which has drawn much criticism for its brevity, Dustin explains it repeatedly. The monster is connected to Vecna, and hurting one means hurting the other. By killing Henry, goodbye Mind Flayer. And defeating Vecna was not easy, far from it. It was only achieved thanks to the distractions of those fighting the creature, Will’s connection to his rival’s mind, and the powers of Eleven, who seems to have remembered at the last minute how strong she is. Add to the equation that this Mind Flayer is also the black dust inside the possessed and the creator of the Demogorgons and other creatures that have already been eliminated. It has been weakened throughout the series.

Who does Nancy end up with, Jonathan or Steve?

Neither. Although her breakup with Jonathan ended with both of them saying they loved each other and hugging, which may have confused more than a few people, it was indeed a breakup (and a beautiful one, if we may say so). The Duffer brothers confirmed this in an interview following the episode’s airdate. They both realize that despite their affection and the bond they share from everything they’ve been through, which will unite them forever, they’re not ready for a relationship at this point, let alone an imminent marriage.

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The same goes for Steve, who wants to have a large family (six children), which doesn’t fit into Nancy’s short-term plans. Nancy is a much stronger and more independent character than we saw at the beginning of the series. At the very end, Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Robin get together and make it clear that their friendship will continue for a long time, but each of them has set out on their own path in a different city. The intrepid Boston journalist, the New York filmmaker, the Hawkins school team coach, and the Massachusetts college student. Given their proximity and the glances they exchange, we wouldn’t rule out Jonathan and Nancy giving it a shot in the future. As for her relationship with Steve, it’s clear that it’s dead and buried.

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