Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things season 5 reviews, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know about the final season of the Netflix show
Winona Ryder as Joyce and Noah Schnapp as Will in Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things season 5 finale explained: who dies, does it set up a spin-off and what happens to Eleven?
Will Byers and Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
Supernatural Shows Where is the Mind Flayer? What is Vecna really planning with the Abyss, and 6 other questions I need answered in the Stranger Things season 5 finale
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, David Harbour as Hopper and Linnea Berthelsen as Kali in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things season 5 part 2 ending explained: who dies, what is the Upside Down, and how does it set up the finale
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Sadie Sink as Max, Noah Schnapp as Will, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin in Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Shows I love Stranger Things, but I can't help feeling short-changed by season 5's lacklustre finale
Stranger Things
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things' Conformity Gate continues with its wildest theory yet, and it's all about Balatro for some reason
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things creators admit they started filming season 5 without a finished script for the finale
Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Movies Stranger Things nearly saw Vecna switch sides until the Duffer Brothers changed their minds
Matthew Modine as Dr. Martin Brenner in Stranger Things 4
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things' Papa star Matthew Modine didn't enjoy the finale, and hopes Confrmity Gate is real "for the fans"
Finn Wolfhard as Mike and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Shows The Duffer brothers say they know what really happened to Eleven after the Stranger Things season 5 finale
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Sadie Sink as Max, Noah Schnapp as Will, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin in Stranger Things season 5
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things creators say the finale's last few scenes were inspired by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler in the Stranger Things season 5 finale
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things stars poke fun at Conformity Gate in new skit, further proving a ninth episode is not on the way
(L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in Stranger Things 5.
Supernatural Shows Stranger Things season 5 finale won't deliver Game of Thrones-level carnage: "We're not trying to upset anyone"
  1. Entertainment
  2. TV
  3. Sci-Fi Shows
  4. Stranger Things

Stranger Things fans wonder if they'll ever get closure after the series finale fails to answer their most burning questions

News
By Megan Garside published 2 January 2026

Some Stranger Things fans are feeling a little short-changed

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2
(Image credit: Netflix)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
2
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

After 5 seasons spread across almost 10 years, Stranger Things has come to an end. However, after the packed 2-hour-plus finale, some fans are feeling a little short-changed, with many pointing out that there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Warning, the following article contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 5 episode 8, so make sure you are all caught up before reading on, and check out our Stranger Things season 5 finale review first.

Stranger Things season 5's finale, titled 'The Righside Up,' ended with our favorite Hawkins heroes defeating Vecna (you can read more on that in our Stranger Things season 5 ending explained), before jumping forward 18 months, showing what Will, Mike, and the rest of the main characters' lives are like after Henry Creel's defeat.

You may like
  • Millie Bobbie Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5 Stranger Things fans are divided over season 5's final episode: "[The] finale is a mess… but I’m still happy with it"
  • Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Sadie Sink as Max, Noah Schnapp as Will, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin in Stranger Things season 5 I love Stranger Things, but I can't help feeling short-changed by season 5's lacklustre finale
  • Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler in the Stranger Things season 5 finale Stranger Things fans are debating the finale's biggest question — do you believe?

However, fans have found that there are still a string of unanswered questions left after the series finale, and with no more spin-offs focusing on Hawkins on the way, the fear is that fans may never get the closure they desire. One fan took to Twitter with a list of everything left up in the air, including whether or not Dr. Kay is still alive, what happened to Max's mom, what happened with Robin and Vickie's relationship, and who unlocked the door when the demogorgon was chasing Will way back in season 1.

Another fan pointed out that many of the supposed 'plotholes' on the list can be explained away or are simply not important enough to be addressed on screen. However, the questions just keep on coming, with another adding, "Demogorgons, Demodogs, and bats just disappear. What happened to Owens, Argyle, and Dmitri? The strange time loop in the Upside Down was never explained. What happened to the Russian lab and involvement?

There's also some grey area around the show's connection to the play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The stage show jumps back to the '50s, where Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper, and both Ted and Karen Wheeler all went to school with Henry Creel, but the adults never mention it in the series. Speaking of Creel, aka Vecna, we never really find out what he was planning to do with exactly 12 children. "So did they ever explain why Henry needed TWELVE KIDS to merge the worlds??" asked one fan.

This could all be a case of the viewer only knowing as much as Will, Mike, and co do. The Duffer brothers have also said that they avoided linking the main show to the play too much, as not every Stranger Things fan has seen the stage show. However, fans are still finding further inconsistencies.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The complete Stranger Things series is available to watch on Netflix now. For more, check out our guide to the best Netflix shows, and keep up with new TV shows coming soon.

CATEGORIES
Netflix Streaming Services
Megan Garside
Megan Garside
Social Links Navigation
Junior Social Media Editor, GamesRadar+

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Millie Bobbie Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things season 5
Stranger Things fans are divided over season 5's final episode: "[The] finale is a mess… but I’m still happy with it"
 
 
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Sadie Sink as Max, Noah Schnapp as Will, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin in Stranger Things season 5
I love Stranger Things, but I can't help feeling short-changed by season 5's lacklustre finale
 
 
Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler in the Stranger Things season 5 finale
Stranger Things fans are debating the finale's biggest question — do you believe?
 
 
Will Byers and Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
Where is the Mind Flayer? What is Vecna really planning with the Abyss, and 6 other questions I need answered in the Stranger Things season 5 finale
 
 
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Sadie Sink as Max, Noah Schnapp as Will, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin in Stranger Things season 5
In the TikTok theory era, Conformity Gate is no surprise – but it's distracting from a fitting Stranger Things finale
 
 
Winona Ryder as Joyce and Noah Schnapp as Will in Stranger Things season 5
Stranger Things season 5 finale explained: who dies, does it set up a spin-off and what happens to Eleven?
 
 
Latest in Sci Fi Shows
3 Body Problem
Game of Thrones creators' spenny Netflix sci-fi show is reportedly getting a reduced episode count for seasons 2 and 3
 
 
Louis Hofmann in Dark
Creators of Dark are reuniting for "cruel reality" thriller that sounds like a mix of Black Mirror and True Detective
 
 
The main cast of Firefly
21 years after it ended, Firefly fans are hoping that teasers for a March announcement mean it's finally returning
 
 
Yoda in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Yoda would have covered up Jedi deaths in The Acolyte, and its showrunner has the Clone Wars receipts to prove it
 
 
Seth MacFarlane in The Orville
Seth MacFarlane says an entire new season of The Orville has been written, but Ted could be dead
 
 
A stylized version of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader in Star Wars: Detours
Seth Green says his unseen Star Wars series would need to be "upgraded" for streaming
 
 
Latest in News
Dragon Quest 11
Dragon Quest creator says English is "a simple language," so "the flavor tends to get lost" when translating games
 
 
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem is too scary for series veteran Hideki Kamiya, who argues Capcom "should make a 'non-scary' mode"
 
 
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
 
 
Monkey D. Luffy looking confused on an island in One Piece Egghead Island
One Piece season 2 answers a near 30-year-old manga mystery in surprisingly straightforward fashion
 
 
Runescape
MMO raises subscription prices less than 2 months after ditching microtransactions, causing a RuneScape fan revolt
 
 
One Piece
One Piece season 2 is a live-action adaptation to treasure as it debuts to perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Monkey D. Luffy looking confused on an island in One Piece Egghead Island
    1
    One Piece season 2 answers a near 30-year-old manga mystery in surprisingly straightforward fashion
  2. 2
    Corsair's two best gaming chairs have been hit with discounts in Amazon's Spring sale
  3. 3
    Resident Evil Requiem is too scary for series veteran Hideki Kamiya, who argues Capcom "should make a 'non-scary' mode"
  4. 4
    The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
  5. 5
    MMO raises subscription prices less than 2 months after ditching microtransactions, causing a RuneScape fan revolt

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...