Stranger Things star Sadie Sink has shared her interpretation of the ambiguous ending of the Netflix series, suggesting that she believes Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, is dead. Speaking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the 23-year-old actress, who portrays Max Mayfield, said: 'I think she's dead. I don't know… is that a hot take or something?'
Sink elaborated on her reasoning, explaining that she views Mike's final story as a coping mechanism. 'I think Mike's story is just one last story and that's like then they say goodbye to childhood. But that's just one final tale and that's it. I think it's just like a coping thing. I think it's stronger. That's my interpretation, I'm sorry,' she said.
Fans have reacted to Sink's comments on social media, with one noting the irony that her character Max says 'I believe' in the show. Another viewer pointed out that the Duffer Brothers, the show's creators, have said the ending was intentionally ambiguous. Matt Duffer told Variety: 'If you knew that she was out there and you knew she existed, then she's very much at risk. So we thought there was something really cool about not knowing for sure, and having our characters choose to believe.'
Netflix is set to release a documentary titled One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 on January 12, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the final season. The series, which premiered in 2016, concluded its fifth and final season in 2025.
