Ever since the season 5 teaser was released, we all have been screaming about finale predictions. So many theories. So many fan-made conclusions. The Duffers have already said during the pitch for Season 5 that Netflix executives were moved to tears by the end. So, it’s apparent that the season is going to be tragic and we are going to witness lots of character deaths, disappearances, and sacrifices.

We have collected some tea about Stranger Things season 5 ending is gonna happen. We will not only spill them here but also share the ending that won’t hurt real Stranger Things fans.

How is the Stranger Things ending planned?

Here’s what’s known and strongly suggested:

  • The Ending Is already planned – The Duffer Brothers have said the final scene and last 20 minutes have been “locked in” for years. They always knew how it would close.
  • It will be emotional – Netflix execs reportedly cried when they heard the pitch for the finale, so fans can expect something bittersweet rather than just a simple victory.
  • Full circle feel – The creators said the story will come back to the “heart” of Season 1 — the kids, Hawkins, and the bond of friendship — before closing things out.
  • Bigger, yet more intimate – Season 5 promises “Return of the King”-style epic scope, but with major focus on emotional character payoffs.
  • Not everyone survives – While no names are confirmed, the Duffers have implied not all characters will make it to the end.
Duffer Brothers on how their play ‘The First Shadow’ influenced season 5!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ-0Lsiil-E Side note: The first shadow is based on a 1950s story about Creel’s childhood and what made him the villain that he is.

Is Stranger Things going to be like Dungeons and Dragons too?

Stranger Things has many similarities to the OG show Dungeons and Dragons. So many fans expect connections between DnD and Stranger Things ending.

1. The Final boss battle – Vecna as the campaign villain

Just like in D&D, the party has been building toward one ultimate confrontation: defeating Vecna. In the game, this usually requires every character’s strengths — fighters, wizards, rogues — coming together in one climactic dice roll. In Stranger Things, the same applies: Eleven’s powers, Steve’s courage, Dustin’s wit, Max’s resilience, and Will’s connection to the Upside Down will all matter in the last battle.

2. The Party’s Survival Is Never Guaranteed

In D&D, a DM can choose to let the party survive — or let characters die for narrative weight. Stranger Things fans worry about deaths in Season 5 for the same reason. Just like in D&D, sacrifices may need to be made to beat the villain. Will all characters roll high enough to make it out alive? That’s the question.

3. Eleven as the Overpowered Wizard

Every D&D party has that one character who feels like they have the most firepower — usually a wizard or sorcerer. Eleven mirrors this archetype. She’s the “caster” whose abilities can turn the tide, but even in D&D, magic alone doesn’t win the game. It’s about teamwork, strategy, and heart.

4. Will Byers as the True Dungeon Master

From Season 1’s opening scene, Will was always the Dungeon Master, creating stories, designing campaigns, and pulling his friends into the game. There’s a poetic symmetry if Season 5 ends with him — no longer possessed, no longer haunted — guiding his friends through one last D&D session, closing the campaign of their lives.

5. Rolling for Redemption

D&D allows for redemption arcs. A villain can be reformed, or a morally gray character can find peace. Stranger Things has characters like Billy, Max, and even Steve who mirror this. In the “campaign ending,” fans hope for more than just killing Vecna — they want redemption, closure, and emotional victories that matter just as much as physical ones.

Stranger Things season 5 ending fans expect

Will Byers finally free

Will’s arc began with fear, possession, and being tethered to the Upside Down. The ending he deserves? A cathartic moment where he feels that shadow lift from him — not just because Vecna is gone, but because he chooses to step into the light of who he is. Maybe he paints again, laughs with his friends, and finally says out loud the truths he’s been hiding about himself. His freedom isn’t just from monsters, but from silence.

Eleven finds peace

For Eleven, victory isn’t just about killing Vecna. It’s about choosing her own life. Imagine her standing in a quiet Hawkins, the war finally over, watching her friends live — and realizing she doesn’t have to fight anymore. She cuts her hair how she wants, she goes to the mall without fear, she eats Eggo waffles at peace. Maybe she even whispers, “Papa, I’m done with you.” The truest victory for El is finally being just a girl.

Steve Harrington’s happy ending

Steve has grown from the jerk jock to the heart of the group. Fans want him to find the happiness he’s been denied. Maybe he opens a little record store in Hawkins, or becomes the cool babysitter-turned-uncle for all the kids. And yes — he deserves love. Whether Nancy chooses him or someone new comes along, Steve finally gets to be chosen. No more heartbreak, just contentment.

Max Mayfield wakes up

Max’s fight against Vecna was raw and unforgettable. But leaving her in limbo would feel cruel. Fans deserve to see her open her eyes again. Maybe she can’t walk right away, maybe she’s scarred — but she’s alive, and her smile returns. Her survival is a message: trauma can wound you, but it doesn’t define you. Max’s ending is simply being able to skateboard down the streets of Hawkins again, headphones on, living her life.

Joyce & Hopper, finally together

This one’s been building forever. Hopper and Joyce deserve their family. Imagine them finally sitting at the Byers’ dinner table, Hopper carving turkey while Joyce teases him. Jonathan, Will, and El sit nearby, laughing. Hopper looks around at this mismatched but perfect family, and he realizes: he made it home. For a man who lost everything, that’s the win.

Robin’s peace

Robin’s story isn’t about monsters — it’s about belonging. Her happy ending? Not just surviving Hawkins, but fully living her truth. Imagine her walking hand-in-hand with a girlfriend, not hiding, not apologizing. She keeps her wit, her sarcasm, her awkwardness — but finally, she isn’t afraid. Robin gets the future she thought she’d never have.

Nancy Wheeler’s right choice

Nancy’s arc has always been tangled between the past (Steve) and the present (Jonathan). Her true ending? Making a decision not out of guilt or nostalgia, but based on what she truly wants. Maybe she goes to college, writes her heart out, and finally claims her voice — with the right partner standing beside her, not because the story says so, but because she chooses them.

Nancy Wheeler’s right choice

The party united

The show started with a group of kids around a D&D table. The finale should end there too. Imagine Will Deming again, Dustin cracking jokes, Lucas teasing Max, Mike and El exchanging shy glances. No monsters, no sirens, no portals. Just kids playing the game that started it all. That last roll of the dice symbolizes what the fans want most: their childhood reclaimed, safe at last.

A New Hawkins

The town itself has been scarred by the Upside Down. But what if, instead of ending in ashes, we see Hawkins rebuilt? Families return, the high school buzzes, Starcourt Mall is replaced with something brighter. Hawkins finally heals — and so do its people.