JuicyTalk
Stranger Things season 5’s final moments left many viewers stunned at the route the Duffer Brothers chose for some of their most beloved characters, with some confused on who died during the series finale. Stranger Things has been a cultural phenomenon since its debut in 2016, with global viewers tuning into the sci-fi series for a mix of horror and nostalgia.
Throughout Stranger Things season 5, which aired with three separate releases throughout November and December of 2025, it was clear that the series was finally coming to its end. Things in Hawkins, Indiana have been growing more grave for seasons, and as the final battle drew near, it was obvious that not everyone from the original gang was going to make it out alive.
With a show like Stranger Things, which holds an air of prestige TV while being a genuine sci-fi horror series, it was clear from the beginning that no one was entirely safe. As the group came to understand the Upside Down and found themselves embroiled in more danger, Stranger Things worked hard to set up their fates, with some viewers feeling certain about who would or wouldn’t live.
In genre storytelling, death is an expectation, meaning Stranger Things viewers were ready for some difficult goodbyes throughout the series finale. After five seasons spanning nearly a decade, the series repeatedly placed its characters in situations where survival felt uncertain, which meant that by the time the show’s end came to pass, dangerous forces and eventual loss was an obvious choice.
Even so, the deaths and danger of Stranger Things season 5’s finale were intense to watch, and in some moments didn’t fully get explained. Viewers have watched the Hawkins crew grow up and change over the years, and learning about their fate feels like an important part of the story that needs to be unpacked before audiences can move forward.
5
Kali “Eight” Prasad
As a test subject at Hawkins Lab and Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) sister, Kali “Eight” Prasad (Linnea Berthelsen) was a smaller piece of the Stranger Things puzzle, but her death was an emotional one, signaling a turning point in the series finale. During the climactic battle in the Upside Down, Kali joins El and Hopper (David Harbour) in their difficult fight.
As the soldiers close in, Kali is shot by Lieutenant Akers’ soldiers (Alex Breaux) while attempting to protect El and the others. Despite their efforts to save her, Kali succumbs to her injuries after delivering a final emotional message urging El forward.
4
Lieutenant Akers
Lieutenant Robert Akers, who was developed to be a military antagonist throughout the finale, also dies during the confrontation with El, Kali, and the others. After capturing Kali and Hopper, Akers demands El’s location and attempts to execute them. El uses her powers to eliminate the remaining soldiers, then forces Akers to turn his weapon on himself.
The intense scene sees Akers dying by his own hand, and the audience gets to see the extent of El’s powers in a difficult way. While it resolves the threat of Akers and his soldiers, it’s a difficult end to watch despite it feeling like a necessary evil.
3
Henry Creel/Vecna
Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower), also known as Vecna, is confirmed dead in the Stranger Things season 5 finale after the Hawkins crew’s final onslaught. Henry’s ultimate transformation is explored throughout the final season, and while there are answers about how Vecna came to be peppered throughout the finale, his final moments are more intense than his origin story.
El and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) confront and physically weaken Vecna, but the final blow itself comes from Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), who decapitates him with an axe after he’s already been impaled. When Vecna falls, the Mind Flayer’s connection with him results in another intense end.
2
Mind Flayer
The Mind Flayer, which is the monstrous entity born of Vecna’s connection, is confirmed to be dead by the finale’s conclusion. As the Mind Flayer is intrinsically linked to Vecna’s life force, when Vecna is beheaded, the Mind Flayer also dies as a result. The Mind Flayer disintegrates as the Abyss and Upside Down collapse.
While in previous seasons, the creature survived, the series finale saw a complete dismantling of the cosmic threat that has dominated Stranger Things climactic stakes. The Mind Flayer’s death is reported alongside Vecna’s, confirming that the monster is not just wounded, but entirely destroyed.
1
Eleven
Although Stranger Things season 5 has alluded to El’s death throughout the season and in the show’s past, many weren’t sure if the series would actually go through with killing off one of its most beloved characters. While El’s fate is intentionally left ambiguous in Stranger Things season 5’s finale, it’s clear she means to sacrifice herself by remaining on the Upside Down side of the collapsing gateway.
While initial clues suggest her death, scenes 18 months in the future feature Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) recounting a hopeful version of the events where Kali used an illusion of her death rather than the reality of it. The group seems to choose to believe she survived and is living peacefully far away from Hawkins. Stranger Things chose to leave Eleven’s fate up to its viewers.
- Release Date
-
2016 – 2025-00-00
- Network
-
Netflix
- Showrunner
-
Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
- Directors
-
Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
- Writers
-
Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
