Stranger Things’ Final Scene Used the Scrapped Original Ending of Spielberg’s 44-Year-Old Sci-Fi Masterpiece

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After nine years and five seasons, the popular show Stranger Things has come to an end, and its finale clearly drew inspiration from director Steven Spielberg. The ending has sparked a lot of discussion – and even some theories that it’s not the real end – with viewers disagreeing on several points. From Eleven’s uncertain future to the surprisingly few character deaths, and the quick resolution of the villains, fans have been debating the details and pointing out potential plot holes.

Despite all the fantastical elements – the Upside Down, the Abyss, and the show’s overall mythology – the series ultimately ends with its main characters back where it all began: Mike Wheeler’s basement, playing one last game of Dungeons & Dragons. It’s here we find out what Mike believes happened to Eleven and learn the fate of Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max. The show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, had envisioned this ending from the start, and interestingly, it mirrors an original plan for how Steven Spielberg intended to end E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Stranger Things Ending With D&D Was The Perfect Choice

As a huge movie buff, when I first watched Stranger Things, especially Season 1, I immediately saw so much of Spielberg’s work, particularly E.T. Seriously, the whole vibe – kids on bikes, a tight-knit group of friends who are a little different, discovering and befriending someone who’s totally out of this world, and then having to keep them secret from the authorities – it all felt like a loving tribute to that 80s classic. It’s pretty cool that the original plan for E.T.’s ending, as Robert MacNaughton shared with Yahoo back in 2017, involved the kids playing another round of Dungeons & Dragons – a nice little connection to the world of Stranger Things!

Interestingly, the original ending of the movie was different. It was going to show everyone playing Dungeons & Dragons again, with Elliott as the game master, since he was the one who discovered E.T. and had become part of the group. The scene would end with a shot of the communicator on the roof still working, implying Elliott was still connected with E.T. However, after the music was composed and they saw the final cut of the spaceship taking off, they realized it was impossible to follow that with another scene. Ultimately, they decided it was the right move to end the film with the spaceship launch.

It’s understandable why E.T. revised its ending, and, as MacNaughton points out, the change was definitely for the better – it’s difficult to picture the original version being as memorable. The creators of Stranger Things, the Duffers, were conscious of this, with Matt Duffer telling Variety they specifically wanted to echo that feeling. He said he liked the idea of mirroring the original E.T. ending, where the characters simply return to playing Dungeons & Dragons.

While the inclusion of the E.T. element was a nice touch, the ending – with the now-grown-up kids playing Dungeons & Dragons and a new generation joining in – was the most effective choice. It mirrored the show’s beginning, creating a satisfying sense of closure and emphasizing both the changes the characters have experienced and the promise of more to come. Given the audience’s fondness for the first season and their connection to these characters, the final scenes were particularly moving, and despite some missteps throughout the season, the creators truly delivered on the character moments that mattered.

All five seasons of Stranger Things are now streaming on Netflix.

What were your thoughts on the Stranger Things finale? Share your opinions in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-06 00:13