“Over and out” - wrote Millie Bobby Brown on Instagram earlier today, marking the end of an era - quite literally. The show, which first premiered with a tiny bunch of kids, has officially said farewell. The last episode of the finale season was released amid very high stakes. Do The Duffer Brothers deliver what they had built for 10 years? Let’s uncover.
Stranger Things 5: The story
Titled The Rightside Up, the finale episode of Stranger Things 5 dropped at 6.30 am sharp on January 1. The last season of the superhit Netflix series was released in three phases. Hence, it is only likely to be a continuation of where it left off the last time. A deliberately slow Volume 2 was all about how Will (Noah Schnapp), now aware of his powers, prepares for the final battle along with Eleven and the rest of the Hawkins gang.
The last episode is all about how or whether they can take down Vecna, aka Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower). There’s military involvement, there’s a combined force of outcasts with Hawkins gang, basically an attempt to tie all the loose strings.
Stranger Things 5: Acting and the plot
Will, who has always been one of the most important characters of the Netflix series after Eleven, utilises his newfound powers against Vecna. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), once the central focus of the show, has left fans divided as the spotlight moves to other key characters. Mike (Finn Wolfhard) finally gets his due credit in the final episode. You’ll have to watch to know why.
Nancy (Natalie Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Neaton) continue their shared fight for Vecna. At the end, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery) fix their odds and navigate a way to ‘die’ for each other.
Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Robin (Maya Hawke) continue to hold the group together with their grit. Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is relentless in his pursuit of killing Vecna. Kali Prasad (Linnea Berthelsen), also known as 008, gets ample screen space despite joining the gang in the end.
Max’s (Sadie Sink), now freed from Vecna’s mind, continues her fight. However, we feel the development of her character arc and the build-up steadily slacken with time. Holly (Nell Fisher) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) are truly the surprise elements of the show this time.
Stranger Things 5: What we liked about the final episode
We have loved every character of Stranger Things and how we secretly hoped for no deaths in the final episode. While we won’t reveal the details, just know that it won’t leave you with a bitter aftertaste. There are moments we loved and replayed, and then there were moments used as fillers. Both vital and somewhat necessary to the storyline.
Every loose string was tied neatly (almost), and most questions were answered. However, the audience has always had questions about Vecna's history - the show’s most dreaded villain. Glad that the makers found it pivotal to the plot and found space for the same in the final season.
Fans of the show often argued that Mike was one of the most neglected characters from the show. They complained that he lacked individuality and mattered only when attached to another character. Likely, you won’t regret how the show rounds up the character.
Stranger Things 5: What didn’t work
The Duffer Brothers chose to please their long-standing fans. The finale episode felt as if the makers went through countless Reddit posts and fan pages, answering the raging questions surrounding the show. Sometimes, it may appear as if the makers frayed from their usual audacity and decided on a finale that was harmless - not what Stranger Things used to be.
Vecna has dominated conversations as the show’s most ruthless and dreaded villain, one who truly gets under the audience’s skin. He is terrifying, no doubt. However, it feels slightly unbelievable how quickly the Hawkins gang moves to seal his fate. After spending multiple seasons and episodes meticulously plotting every move, the resolution arrives far too swiftly, making the payoff feel rushed.
Eleven is no longer the most important character in the series. That shift, in itself, works. What doesn’t quite land, though, is how her arc is wrapped up in the finale. The closure her character receives is not what many viewers would want or expect - and it certainly could have been handled with more care and depth.
To further the storyline, the makers introduce a significant military track. While the intention is clear, the military involvement becomes overwhelming in places. At times, it distracts from what audiences are most invested in - Vecna. The narrative would have benefited from trimming the military portions and instead devoting more screen time to the much-anticipated Hawkins-versus-Vecna showdown.
Stranger Things 5: The final verdict
How do you define a successful ending? A character death or a heart-racing conclusion? Sometimes, you just need the essence, the correct flavour to end a show. That’s what the makers did. They didn’t abide by proven climax norms. They chose a route less travelled, one that is more relaxed than what we had apprehended. And that only leaves room for a grey narrative - not black and white. And sometimes, only sometimes, grey is necessary and important. That’s how the Duffer Brothers summed up Stranger Things - a show that ruled our hearts and was never confined by the usual.
3.5 out of 5 stars for Stranger Things 5 finale episode.
