Stranger Things is officially over! So, what did you think? Worth the wait? Disappointing? Sound off!

B! I think it was safe, but also solid and, ultimately, emotionally satisfying, which is the most important thing for me. Some problems came from a lack of stakes, the weaker setup of Vol. 2, and connecting so much to a stage play, but the final 45 minutes or so where we say goodbye to everyone I thought they absolutely nailed

In a show featuring monsters, interdimensional travel, and kids with psychic powers, the most unrealistic thing is a group of college-aged friends planning to meet each other once a month no matter what lol.

I also voted B. The one thing I need to think on more is the Eleven stuff at the end. Part of me really wishes they didn't do they whole "here's how she could be alive" thing. Felt like the Duffers trying to have their cake and eat it too. Like they wanted to do a heroic self-sacrifice but didn't actually want to go through with it. I had the same problem with the Harry Potter ending funnily enough.

I saw a Reddit fan theory that Mike just made all that up as a way to process his trauma and move on. I think I like that idea better. I don't think it's a coincidence he dreamed up a happy ending for Elle after Hopper's pep talk before graduation. He was sitting there going, "Well... maybe she could still be alive" and concocted a story so he could turn the page.

I also voted B. It wasn't the best series finale, but I think it wrapped up the story pretty nicely. Lots of tension and great emotional payoff, and I actually really like the more ambiguous ending that lets the viewer decide how they want to believe the story ends.

I gave it a C. While I think it works great as a finale for the show as a whole, I don't think Season 5's story got wrapped up in a satisfying way.

I guess I'm alone in giving it an A... I loved it, and I don't really understand some of the criticism it's received. A beautiful ending to one of the best and most timeless shows on TV.

I think the only thing I'd change is to wrap up General Sarah Connor a bit. She really just said "Well, Eleven is now out of reach, so no consequences to any of your shenanigans, including shooting multiple US soldiers!" We needed at least a throwaway line about why that worked out, beyond Robin just noting that a year later all the soldiers are gone. Just my two cents.

I'd also have preferred not to have had to get a plot recap for the play off Wikipedia to understand this season, but that's not specific to the finale......

Season 5 was not great, imo. The finale worked well in the 18 months later section, but all it did was remind me that I fell in love with this show because of the strong characters and how they interacted with one another. The first half of the finale was just a CGI snorefest, in my opinion, and that's mostly the issue I have with Stranger Things after Season 1. They kept expanding the mythology, which is fair, but did so by neutering several characters and relationships. Before the flash-forward, Mike did nothing the whole season (and that was better than Season 4), Lucas was pushed to a corner to play a supporting role, and we barely got to see the original team interact with each other... The flash forward got me emotional, and I genuinely loved the open ending. However, it wasn't enough to make me forget all the things I disliked from the season (and the show as a whole).

A- I didn’t see the ending as a what if. El is dead. Mike’s job is to tell her story… to help the others deal with her decision to sacrifice herself. And he spun a tale of hope for the others. He himself knows it’s not true… why he cries as he puts up his binder. Just like the plans to get together… they all know it won’t happen, but it’s something they clung to at the time… as hope. (Again when they cry while saying they’re in). It’s a solid ending, not a door left open. The only spinoff would be with the younger kids. If they do anything else, like Els new world… the grade would instantly drop. Only reason for the minus… the next generation is weak. They didn’t really build characters except for two… they were mostly lemmings that just went along with the crowd, vs the whole point of the core group was they were each their own person. Leaving the future hope to them was a let down. And seems a chore to try to do that again… won’t recreate what the first group was.

I think Eleven could be alive. Who’s to say kal actually died. Remember how Eleven brought Max back to life. She could have done the same with her and both could have planned the ending together so Dr. Kay wouldn’t keep going after Eleven or kali. I do wish Eleven and Kali would have killed Dr. Kay though and Eleven could have graduated with her friends.