The highly anticipated finale of Netflix's global phenomenon, Stranger Things, provided closure for many beloved characters, but fans were quick to notice one significant absence. While the lengthy epilogue showed Hawkins moving on, the fate of Robin's girlfriend, Vickie, was left intriguingly ambiguous.
A Notable Absence in the Hawkins Epilogue
The final episode, which fast-forwards roughly 18 months after the battle with Vecna, delivered several key moments. Joyce and Hopper got engaged, the core group graduated, and older characters embarked on new paths. However, not every storyline was neatly tied up. The fate of characters like Kali and Dr. Kay remained unclear, but it was Vickie's omission that sparked particular discussion among viewers.
Vickie, played by Myles Truitt, took on a more substantial role in the show's fifth and final season. She was notably part of the team that stayed behind to look after Max Mayfield while the others ventured into the Upside Down for the ultimate confrontation. Her relationship with Robin Buckley was a central part of Robin's character development this season.
The Telling Rooftop Conversation
The clearest hint about Vickie's status comes during a rooftop scene featuring Robin, Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan. As the four friends make a pact to meet monthly, Steve toasts, "To nothing ever keeping us apart." Robin's response is revealing: "Including overbearing significant others."
This four-word line strongly suggests that, by the time of the epilogue, Robin and Vickie are no longer together. The dialogue implies that the pressures of post-high school life and potentially long-distance relationships may have taken their toll. The show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, have confirmed this interpretation was intentional, leaving the exact details to the audience's imagination.
Creators Leave Romance Open to Interpretation
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ross and Matt Duffer explained their decision to leave Vickie out of the final scenes. Ross Duffer stated they wanted to leave some character outcomes up to the fans, posing the question: "Do Robin and Vickie stay together? Maybe, maybe not."
Matt Duffer offered a more cynical, reality-based perspective. He argued that very few high school relationships survive the transition to college and adulthood, citing Max and Lucas's enduring bond as a rare exception. "From my point of view and from everyone I knew in high school, what percentage of couples remain together after they leave for college? Extremely low," he said.
This deliberate ambiguity means that while the evidence points towards a breakup, viewers are free to believe Robin and Vickie might have found a way to make it work. The finale ensures that, much like the uncertain fate of Eleven, some threads in Hawkins remain for the audience to ponder long after the credits roll.
