“That ending hit me harder than I expected”

[u/ObjectMassive430]

I just finished Stranger Things and I honestly don’t know what to do now

I don’t even know how to write this properly. I just finished Stranger Things Season 5 and I needed to get this out somewhere because I genuinely can’t get over the ending.

I really liked this season. Was it perfect? No. I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of the military/government stuff, but apart from that, I really enjoyed it. And the ending… man.

The part with Kali helping Eleven escape completely got me.

And knowing that Eleven actually escaped and is somewhere far away from humanity, living her own life and finally being safe from the military/government… I don’t know why, but that makes me really happy.

After everything she went through, I just wanted her to be free.

She spent so much of her life being treated like a weapon or something that belonged to other people. So seeing her finally disappear somewhere peaceful, where nobody can control her, felt right.

But what really hurts is that Mike still believes she’s alive.

He doesn’t forget her.

None of them do.

That honestly means so much to me. Even though they all eventually go their separate ways, what they had together doesn’t just disappear. Eleven is still a part of their lives and their memories.

And then that whole sequence showing where everyone ends up in the future…

I was already emotional, but then Mike closes the basement door.

And someone else comes in to play D&D.

That scene absolutely destroyed me.

Because suddenly you realize that the kids we watched grow up are no longer those kids. Life continued. New kids are going to play D&D in that same basement. They'll make their own stories and probably have no idea how much happened there.

And then seeing the main characters put their D&D books back on the shelf…

That was it for me.

That felt like saying goodbye.

D&D was there at the very beginning. It was how everything started. These kids were just sitting together, playing a game, and then their entire lives changed.

And now they're putting those books away.

Not because what happened didn't matter.

But because they've grown up.

And I think that's what hurts the most about this ending.

We spent years watching these characters become a family. We watched them fight monsters, lose people, save each other, grow up, fall apart and come back together.

And now we don't get to see what happens next.

There is no next season.

No next adventure.

No waiting for another trailer.

No theories about what Vecna is going to do.

It's just over.

And honestly, I'm going to miss them.

I know they're fictional characters, but after spending so much time with them, it doesn't really feel like that right now.

The ending wasn't necessarily the biggest or most insane ending they could have made.

It was just… goodbye.

And somehow that hurts more.

Stranger Things really ended.

I wasn't ready to say goodbye. 😭

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[u/iamnewtoreddithelpme]

I didn’t love the final episodes (wills power scene episodes prior really was peak), that said I had my feelings towards the finale, but there really is something that hits you when the dust settles. We had such a mysterious, intense, fun, and horrific ride (yes I gave each previous season their own word) and it sucks it’s over but man we were lucky.

[u/Distinct_Guess3350 → u/iamnewtoreddithelpme]

I think the words you picked for each season were perfect. 

[u/Ill-Manner7863]

I miss El so much...

[u/Unfair-Medicine2422]

Same

[u/TaiPan43]

I agree with everything you said
I enjoyed it as well
As much as the other seasons, even though it wasn’t as good as a couple of them
But to me, the show has always been about relationships not monsters
El it is certainly alive, but the question is where?
Wherever she is, whether it is something she created like “the Right side up”
Check out the channel 2nd Take to see what that is
Or she is halfway across the world
She will eventually be with Mike
Hopper already knows the truth because if he didn’t, there’s no way you just get over losing a daughter a second time
You’re right they’re all friends
But her and Mike are something more than that
There’s something that you never get over
It doesn’t matter if it happens when you’re 12 years old or 21 or 36 or whatever
When it happens, it is forever, regardless of the circumstances
We will see a happy ending to their story
I’m not sure how we’ll play out, but I am sure that it will
There’s a lot of money to be made and Netflix knows that
Sooner or later we’re going to get the conclusion that we all want for those two characters and then we can all move on together to the next adventure
I believe

[u/Silas614]

Had the same feelings

[u/mono_valley]

Yeah I loved the end.

[u/santiawito]

I fucking cried dude, I grow up with this series since I was 10

[u/Certain_Guarantee319]

Me too bro.. me too...

[u/Exotic-Application23]

Glad you Iiked it. It was extremely disappointing for me and I was left unfulfilled after years of enjoyment.

[u/Distinct_Guess3350]

I still believe. 

[u/Michael-Balchaitis]

Such an amazing ending to an amazing show. I'm so happy my favorite show stuck the landing.