From whether Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) could lose her powers forever to what will happen to the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, there are many burning questions about Stranger Things season 5. While fans hope for a plotline centered on Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), no one knows what’s going to happen at the end of the Netflix series.

While a pilot episode is integral to the success of a TV show since it has to create a believable (or mysterious and supernatural) world, a series finale is just as significant. In the case of Stranger Things, fans have been watching battles in Hawkins and learning about the wild Upside Down for four seasons now, and there is a lot at stake in these last episodes. Fans have shared their thoughts about the Stranger Things season 5 ending and there are a few things that they hope will occur.

What Do Fans Want The Stranger Things Season 5 Ending To Be Like?

In a Reddit thread, fans shared their thoughts on the Stranger Things season 5 ending and one fan explained their hope that one popular couple will stay together. Redditor @TelephoneCertain5344 said:

“Mike and El stay together and address their issues and his confession.”

Viewers have also talked about hoping that Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) will reunite after they broke up before Stranger Things season 4. However, most would agree that it would feel unsatisfying if Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and Eleven don’t commit to each other. They’ve been together for so long and have experienced so much, from a long-distance relationship to all the evil in Hawkins, and they truly care about each other.

It seems clear there will be a battle between the main characters and Vecna/Henry Creel/001 (Jamie Campbell Bower), which is exactly what one fan has discussed. Redditor @PopularPoem2678 thinks Eleven will be the victor here. They wrote:

“It’ll come down to El and Henry, duking it out Godzilla v Kong style. El will win, but she’ll do it by completely eliminating Henry from the timeline. This will reset the universe, and everyone will get to live out normal lives, free of the nightmares caused and created by Henry.”

In another Reddit thread, Redditor @la_eliperin shared that they hope that most of the Stranger Things characters survive and that there are only a few deaths. There are definitely two ways to view a series finale. Some people think should be some big deaths because it’s time to take creative risks. On the other hand, fans will be upset if they lose too many of their favorite characters. The fan wrote:

“the worst, a Game of Thrones type ending, and the best, perhaps, with almost everyone alive, with a 15 years later!!”

Redditor @PatchworkGirl82 agreed, “Best ending for me would be a slow fadeout after the final battle, and then a small time jump where we see everyone going forward in life, with voice over narration from everybody.” It seems unrealistic to expect too many deaths, but there also will likely be at least one casualty due to the dangerous nature of living in Hawkins.

Redditor @carsons_prater wants “all loose ends tied up” which most agree would be the most universally beloved way to wrap up Stranger Things. They want to know who Eleven’s real father is along with “Where’s Kali?” Since it seems possible that Kali Prasad (Linnea Berthelsen) could return in Stranger Things season 5, the answer to that question might get answered. The fan also asked, “What is the Mind Flayer? How was it created?” and wants to know more about “001/Henry/Vecna’s journey in the upside/down.” If fans are left wondering about too many supernatural questions, that would be a shame. While there are fan theories about the Upside Down, fans want to know more, and it would be unfair to leave it all a mystery.

What Do Fans Know About Stranger Things Season 5?

There isn’t much that has been shared about Stranger Things season 5. Fans are debating the rumored time jump in the final season, and while it’s unclear which decade or year the new episodes will be set in, it does seem that it will take a place a little while after the season 4 finale. This seems logical considering how much older the main characters look.

The Stranger Things cast has given a few interviews and mentioned some details, although they haven’t said much. In March 2024, Finn Wolfhard told The Hollywood Reporter, Wolfhard shared Mike will be a “leader” and that the characters will be split up for a while. He said:

“This last season is sort of a crossroads, and so we’re getting back into a lot of the dynamics of season one, which is really fun. There’s some ‘leader Mike’ moments, and it’s a very grand season, obviously. Every season has gotten bigger and bigger and bigger, and this season is huge, but it’s also kind of isolated as well.”