Stranger Things Bonus Episode Confirms What Many Expected About Finale

It has now been two weeks since the Stranger Things finale aired on Netflix, with fans feeling mixed over how the long-running series ended. Turns out, there might be a reason for that - the Duffer Bros couldn't agree on arguably the most important decision they had to make.

After almost a decade-long run and 42 episodes, Stranger Things finally came to an end on 31 December. Now that the dust has settled (and let's be honest, immediately after the show ended), fans have been left with heaps of questions.

With everybody, except Eleven’s, fate tied up neatly in a little bow, it seems as though the Duffer Brothers consisting of Matt and Ross Duffer hoped that ambiguity and plot holes would be left at the door.

However, following a recent documentary bonus episode that delved into the making of Season 5 that aired on 12 January, it's a bit clearer why Stranger Things’ finale may have missed the mark for some fans.

Why Eleven’s Fate Remains a Mystery

According to One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, the Duffer brothers had opposing ideas when it came to the end of the show, especially concerning Eleven’s fate.

As a result, the pair settled on ambiguity.

However, it was another brief statement that sent alarm bells ringing for viewers as Matt Duffer said, “We went into production without having a finished script for the finale”.

Listen, I am no show writer but it would seem as though a finished script is something you would need before beginning production or filming, especially as this concerned the finale of one of the biggest television shows of all time and even more so if the fate of its main character had not been fully decided upon.

Netflix

Viewers Have Been Sharing Their Thoughts

“I would’ve never guessed,” one viewer shared.

Not only that, but with another viewer spotting potential ChatGPT tabs during the documentary, it seems as though there may be a reason why Season 5 of Stranger Things currently sits at a divisive 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Upon learning the news that the script had not been completed ahead of production, viewers were understandably frustrated but it did add a lot more context to the less-than-enjoyable finale.

“We can tell,” one fan shared.

Another agreed, adding, “I feel bad for the production team having to deal with those Duffer brothers because I know they were fed up."

“Not having a script is insane. Do you know how hard it is to build massive sets and plan everything without knowing what’s even happening? The amount of stress they were probably under is actually crazy.”

The Duffer Brothers claim that this allowed the cast to have “more freedom” when it came to the finale but it seems as though the viewer scores tell a different story.