This review contains spoilers

After endless anticipation from fans of demogorgons, Hawkins, and adventure, Netflix’s biggest show, Stranger Things, has officially ended. Fans around the world gathered to watch the season’s finale, but did it meet all the expectations?

The final season attempted to end a massive story, but failed to be engaging as the previous seasons. One major issue with the ending was that it was low-stakes. Although the show had fighting and dangerous battles, all of the main characters survived the final showdown with the main villain, Vecna. After seasons of buildup for this one moment, the lack of consequences for the group made the finale feel less impactful and rather childish. Stranger Things is known for intensity, and the battle with Vecna lacked the magnitude it should have had. 

Additionally, the ending was quite predictable. Once again, Eleven had defeated the villain with the help of friends. While this conclusion had been good for previous seasons, repeating it made for a less compelling finale. While fans desired a surprising twist, they received something they had seen many times before. 

Despite these flaws, the ending of Stranger Things was not a complete failure. The finale was full of nostalgia and emotional scenes. One of the biggest tear-jerkers of the entire show was when all the members of the group said goodbye to each other as their lives moved on. The children had graduated into adults who were shaped by friendship, trauma, and bravery. They agreed to never forget what they went through and continued on. Many fans felt that it was a great move to have the show’s ending center on healing and hope rather than action

Overall, the end of Stranger Things was a good emotional ending with some flaws. While it remains popular among fans, the finale fell slightly short of expectations for such an iconic series.