Devoted fans of the global Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things have been plunged into a fresh wave of outrage following a major revelation in a new documentary about the show's final season.
Documentary Exposes Chaotic Finale Production
The Netflix documentary, titled One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, dropped on the platform and instantly sparked fury. Viewers hoping for clarity on lingering mysteries, such as the Conformity Gate or a potential ninth episode, were instead confronted with startling behind-the-scenes footage.
The most shocking disclosure was that filming for the fifth and final season had commenced before creators Matt and Ross Duffer had conclusively worked out the ending. Scenes from the documentary show production underway on the series finale, with crew members admitting they were uncertain about how the epic story would conclude.
Writers' Room Debate Over Eleven's Fate
The documentary provides a raw look into the writers' room, where the fate of the central hero, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), was hotly debated. A tense discussion reveals the creative team wrestling with how to end her arc.
Ross Duffer is heard stating, "The whole episode has to be building towards, 'Eleven is going to kill herself'." His brother Matt countered this direction, questioning the narrative approach. Writer Paul Dichter chimed in, pondering whether Eleven was still deciding her fate or had already made a choice.
The footage shows clear creative disagreement, with writer Kate Trefry visibly wincing but remaining silent. Ross advocated for keeping the audience guessing, saying, "You have to keep toying with the audience... 'Oh my god. Is she really going to go through with this?'" Matt responded with, "We think she's made the choice to live. Just kidding, she hasn't."
Ultimately, the brothers settled on maintaining ambiguity, leaving it to viewers to decide Eleven's ultimate choice and whether she survived.
Fan Backlash Erupts on Social Media
The revelation that scripts were unfinished during filming, coupled with the writers' room debates, has ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
One furious fan posted a clip from the documentary with the caption: "I'm in pain watching this." Another replied, "I was lauuuughinggg they literally documented the downfall of their show." A third user called the footage "disgustingggggg," while another compared the writing process to a "twelve-year-old trying to write an interesting plot twist."
The production chaos became a central focus of the outrage. One viewer posted: "What do you mean they HADNT EVEN FINISH WRITING THE FINALE WHEN THEY WERE FILMING THE FINALE?!" Another exclaimed: "THEY WERE FILMING THE FINAL EPISODE WITHOUT THE FULL SCRIPT FINISHED YET?! JESUS CHRIST IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW."
Some fans expressed deeper disappointment, with one commenting: "Meta ambiguity at this scale isn't clever, it's reckless. When you teach an entire generation to distrust reality, seed unresolved clues, then refuse payoff, you don't get prestige, you lose trust. That's not art, that's exploitation."
Despite the controversy, the Stranger Things universe continues to expand. The animated adventure series Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is set to arrive on Netflix later this year, promising new creatures and mysteries from the Upside Down. Furthermore, the prequel stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow delves into the origins of Vecna/Henry Creel.
One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 is available to stream on Netflix now.
