The Netflix series went out with a bang on New Year’s Eve as Eleven and the gang face off against Vecna to save Hawkins one last time
Note: This story contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 8 of “Stranger Things”
The series finale of “Stranger Things” went out with a bang on New Year’s Eve, wrapping up five seasons with an epic conclusion.
The episode, titled “The Rightside Up,” sees Eleven and the rest of the group head into the Abyss for a final showdown with Vecna and the Mind Flayer to save Hawkins before the two worlds merge together.
Though the end of the show has divided fans on social media, it was filled with both shocking and heartfelt moments. Below is a roundup of some of the most notable:
While trying to align the radio tower in the Upside Down with the Abyss, Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) starts to fall and is holding on for dear life. But just as he lets go and it looks like the end for him, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) grabs him and pulls him up. The two later bury the hatchet over their longstanding rivalry for Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) affection and decide she’s better off being independent.
One of the most shocking moments in the finale is undoubtedly when Hopper (David Harbour) accidentally shoots Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) while she’s submerged inside the water tank and looking for Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) inside his mind.
While anxiously waiting to pull Eleven out, Hopper is haunted by Vecna, who shows him an illusion of his daughter Sophia. Just as he thinks he’s shot Vecna, the camera shows the water tank is leaking and Eleven is bleeding. Luckily, it proves to be the episodes second fake-out in terms of character deaths, with Eleven surviving and her injury only part of Hopper’s hallucination.
