The highly anticipated finale of Netflix's global phenomenon, Stranger Things, provided closure for many beloved characters, but not every fan favourite received a clear-cut ending in the lengthy epilogue. While the show tied up numerous loose ends, the fate of one key season five character, Vickie, was left notably open to interpretation.
An Absence in the Epilogue
The final episode fast-forwards approximately 18 months after the climactic battle with Vecna and the Mind Flayer. Viewers witness the original Hawkins gang graduate, see Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper get engaged, and watch the older characters embark on new career paths. However, Vickie, who became Robin Buckley's girlfriend in the fifth season, was conspicuously absent from these concluding scenes.
Vickie played a crucial supporting role in the last season, notably helping to look after Max Mayfield while the core group ventured into the Upside Down for the final confrontation. Her absence from the flash-forward immediately sparked questions among the show's dedicated fanbase about the status of her relationship with Robin.
The Telling Four-Word Clue
Although the series never explicitly states that the couple broke up, a brief but revealing exchange on a Hawkins rooftop provides a significant hint. As Nancy Wheeler, Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers, and Robin make a pact to meet up monthly, Steve raises a beer bottle in a toast.
"To nothing ever keeping us apart," Steve declares. Robin's response is telling: "Including overbearing significant others." This four-word line, delivered with a knowing look, strongly suggests that by the time of the epilogue, Robin is no longer in a relationship with Vickie, or perhaps anyone, implying they may have parted ways.
The Creators' Ambiguous Intent
The show's creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, have since addressed Vickie's omission from the finale. They confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that they deliberately chose to leave this particular storyline unresolved, allowing the audience to decide the characters' ultimate fates.
Ross Duffer explained their approach, stating, "We do that flash-forward in Mike's story and we bring them up to a certain point, and then we want to leave it a little bit up to fans." He posed the question directly: "Do Robin and Vickie stay together? Maybe, maybe not."
Matt Duffer offered a more cynical, perhaps realistic, perspective rooted in the typical high school experience. He argued, "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 contrasted this with Max and Lucas's enduring bond, suggesting their love was profound enough to survive, but that such an outcome was rare.
This intentional ambiguity means that, while the evidence points towards a separation, viewers are free to imagine their own ending for Robin and Vickie's romance. The finale successfully concludes the epic supernatural saga of Hawkins while leaving a slice of relatable, human-scale drama thoughtfully open-ended.
