The creators of Stranger Things said season five would resolve all mysteries, but that was probably unrealistic. It’s difficult to neatly wrap up a story that’s unfolded over ten years, and they further complicated things by connecting the official Broadway play, The First Shadow, to the main plot. Plus, the season itself introduced new, puzzling questions because it was much more ambitious in scope than anything the creators had done previously.
It’s important to note that the final season of Stranger Things wasn’t a failure as a story. A truly good story goes beyond simply explaining everything and checking off plot points. The season’s conclusion works because it delivers the emotional impact we wanted, even if there are some issues with the plot or unanswered questions. Those inconsistencies aren’t dealbreakers, but they’re still interesting to discuss and try to understand.
11. What Happened to Derek’s Kidnapped Family?
The cast of Stranger Things grew in Season 5 with the addition of Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbull. Vecna targeted Derek and his family, kidnapping them with Erica’s assistance as part of a trap. However, the show surprisingly didn’t follow up on their kidnapping. They were last seen tied up in a barn, essentially left behind as the heroes focused on fighting Demogorgons and getting Derek to help them.
One thing’s for sure; Tina really isn’t going to be talking to Erica ever again.
10. Why Was November 6 So Important?
The Mind Flayer focused all its efforts on November 6th, a date that seemed to have personal meaning for Henry Creel (Vecna). This date also appeared in Vecna’s memories as the date of a school play. However, the show never fully explained why November 6th was so important to either the Mind Flayer or Vecna. This is especially confusing because the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance played a crucial role in the kids’ plan to defeat the Mind Flayer.
9. Why is the Upside Down Frozen in Time?
Okay, so Season 5 of Stranger Things blew my mind! Turns out the Upside Down isn’t just some creepy alternate dimension, it’s actually a wormhole to another planet they’re calling the Abyss – apparently, it was called Dimension X in the stage play! But honestly, they didn’t explain something that’s been bugging me since Season 4: why the Upside Down is stuck in time, frozen at the moment the wormhole opened. It was convenient, though, because Brenner had all these notes about making wormholes, and the papers were perfectly preserved because time doesn’t move there! It all just feels so connected now.
8. Where Did the Exotic Matter Come From?
As a big fan of Stranger Things, one thing that always bugged me was the Upside Down itself. Wormholes are supposed to be super unstable, but this other dimension seemed… persistent. The show explained that ‘exotic matter’ was keeping it going – that weird red lightning was a clue! But where did this exotic matter come from? It’s a totally theoretical substance, so the show never really said if it just naturally existed, or if it was somehow created when the wormhole formed. Honestly, I think Dr. Brenner was behind it. Remember Dustin saying the Upside Down was ‘created’ by science? That always felt like a big hint to me.
7. Why Did Vecna Need 12 Vessels?
Vecna had a plan to merge worlds using the twelve children he kidnapped, claiming they possessed hidden abilities (though it’s likely he wasn’t being truthful). The specific number of twelve is puzzling – why not fewer? While it fits the image of Vecna as a cult leader, the exactness of the number doesn’t really add up.
6. How Does Camazotz Involve Things Vecna Can’t Have Seen?
Max had been studying Camazotz, the strange dimension built from Vecna’s memories, for months. She figured out how to move through his past, spotting important details that let her jump between different memories by carefully examining each one. We discovered she knew what was happening in every classroom when she encountered Eleven and Kali in a memory of Vecna’s school, but this created a puzzle. How could she know things Vecna himself wouldn’t have experienced? It made people wonder if Camazotz wasn’t just about memories, but also about traveling through time.
5. Where Were all the Demogorgons in the Abyss?
In the final episode of Stranger Things, the kids reached the Upside Down’s core, which surprisingly appeared empty. Despite being the origin of the hive mind, there were no creatures like vines, Demogorgons, or Demodogs present. While the Mind Flayer previously used living beings to manifest physically—like it did with people in Season 3—you’d expect to find an entire world’s worth of creatures in the Abyss, but there was nothing.
4. What Did the Mind Flayer Plan to Do When the Abyss Collided with Earth?
The final episode of Stranger Things showed that the Mind Flayer had been working for years to bring two dimensions together. However, it wasn’t clear what the Mind Flayer intended to do once those worlds collided, as the military was prepared for the event. Vecna proved susceptible to the same force that impacted Eleven and Kali, and the Mind Flayer’s physical form was surprisingly easily defeated by a small group using flamethrowers. This revealed that the Mind Flayer wasn’t as powerful as everyone thought.
3. Why Was Will Okay When the Mind Flayer Died?
During the final battle of Stranger Things, Will’s connection to the hive mind proved helpful, though a bit confusing. He previously felt intense pain when the hive mind suffered, but surprisingly, he didn’t react when the Mind Flayer was defeated. While it’s possible he gained control over this ability when he fought the Demogorgons at the MAC-Z base, the show never fully explained it.
2. The Kali and Eleven Endings Just Don’t Add Up
The ending of the Stranger Things finale showed Eleven’s apparent fate, but it quickly became obvious the show wasn’t telling the whole story. It didn’t seem possible for her to escape the soldiers and reach the gate unnoticed. Mike hinted at this in a later scene, suggesting that Kali helped her escape by creating an illusion of Eleven’s death – possibly even projecting it into Hopper’s mind. This explanation makes sense, given Kali’s abilities.
Honestly, Will’s idea about what happened to Eleven doesn’t really hold water for me. If she somehow survived, she’d have either been trapped in that exploding building or right in the middle of all that crazy energy when the Upside Down started falling apart. It just doesn’t explain how she could keep projecting herself until the very last second. It’s frustrating because, when you really think about it, neither of the possibilities presented for Eleven’s fate actually feels logical or satisfying.
1. Why Didn’t Hopper and the Others Pay For Killing Soldiers?
Some viewers have pointed out, and rightly so, that the heroes of Hawkins faced surprisingly light consequences after killing so many soldiers. Hopper and Nancy, in particular, likely should have been imprisoned for life. This lenient outcome is probably due to the complicated situation surrounding Dr. Kay’s illegal activities in Hawkins, the large number of witnesses – including the twelve children they rescued – and potentially the influence of someone like Sam Owens. Ultimately, the whole situation feels unresolved and a bit chaotic.
What did you think of the final episode of Stranger Things? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-01-02 16:41