The Duffer Brothers have responded to fan criticism of the Stranger Things finale, admitting they wish they hadn’t done any interviews explaining the final episode.
Spoilers ahead.
The Netflix hit series ended on New Year’s Eve with a two-hour finale that saw the evil Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) defeated, and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) seemingly sacrificing herself to keep her friends safe. The episode’s coda saw Mike (Finn Wolfhard) sharing a theory that she had faked her death, and that he believed she was somewhere safe.
The ambiguous nature of Eleven’s fate, as well as plot holes such as the military’s actions at the end of the story, left fans irate. This was not helped by a series of interviews the brothers did that were seen as casting more ambiguity on the finale.
The brothers appeared on the Happy. Sad. Confused podcast, and admitted they felt some regret at commenting so soon.
“I really shouldn’t have done any of these postmortem interviews” Matt Duffer said. “I am not in a good place. Like, why the hell did we do any of them yesterday is beyond me. I’m, like, fried. I was getting over the flu. So, anyone mad at any answers we gave you yesterday, just cut me some slack.”
On social media, fans were not in a charitable mood. “Did he have the flu for three years while writing and shooting Season five too? His fault if the season makes no sense and he can’t explain anything.”
Did he have the flu for 3 years while writing and shooting Season 5 too? His fault if the season makes no sense and he can't explain anything
— SUAREZ (@suayrez) January 4, 2026
Another added: “They should stop talking about plot holes. I feel like they are making more with each interview they do.”
They should stop talking about plot holes. I feel like they are making more with each interview they do
— Joey 🔺 (@joeycannoli9) January 4, 2026
One user criticised the pair’s explanations for events such as where the demigorgons were during the final battle with Vecna, the fate of characters such as Murray and Mr Clarke, and the absence of any mention of Suzie, Dustin’s long-distance girlfriend from Stranger Things seasons three and four.
Most of these have been explained with hypothetical scenarios from the Duffers.
“The only Answer they gave, to every plot hole! – ‘It happened Off-Screen’” they complained.
The only Answer they gave, to every plot hole!
– "It happened Off-Screen"
— Mohd Azeem (@_MohdAzeem) January 4, 2026
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, when asked if they “believe” Eleven is alive, Ross Duffer replied: “I don’t know if we want to say. Obviously, we’ve had these conversations with Millie too, and we all have our own interpretations. I worry if I say it, it might take away. We really want the audience to take from it what they want.”
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