Warning: This piece contains spoilers.

The widely beloved show Stranger Things released its series finale on New Year’s Eve 2025, concluding almost 10 years of storytelling. It premiered in three parts: The first, the day before American Thanksgiving, the second on Christmas Day, and the third on New Year’s Eve. Splitting the season across the holidays kept fans engaged and helped the show amass 105.7 million total views, making it one of the most-watched TV shows today. But despite the vast number of views, did the content of this final chapter help or hurt the esteemed show’s legacy?

The variety of opinions on this season has spurred much discourse on the internet. While some are satisfied with the ending, many are left wanting more. Unanswered questions regarding the Mind Flayer’s true desire, the origin of Henry Creel’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) mysterious stone, and how Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) recognized Will (Noah Schnapp) in the first season made the ending unsatisfying for many viewers.  

Don’t get me wrong, some TV shows benefit from unanswered questions, which can enrich the narrative, but this is not the case for Stranger Things. The key issue lies in the Duffer Brothers consistently introducing new plotlines as the show went on without clear plans to resolve them. Of course, they could not tie up every loose end, as there were far too many and too little time, but the constant addition of storylines left many viewers frustrated. 

Stranger Things was initially pitched as an anthology series, with each season featuring a new storyline and different characters. The first season’s tremendous and unexpected success, earning 18 Emmy nominations and 5 awards, likely led to the shift to film a continuous story. However, this change of plans necessitated expanding a plot that was only intended to last one season, perhaps explaining why the story seems unresolved at times.   

As the seasons progressed, the show became increasingly action-packed, leaving less time for viewers to connect with the characters themselves. In the first season, viewers learned a lot about Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) as a character, but in the final season, they barely hear his thoughts, with many describing him as “oblivious.” The first season also carried a nostalgic 1980s tone, heavily inspired by The Goonies, but that charm faded over time as the story grew darker, moving away from the nostalgia that watchers knew and loved. 

So, will the disappointment of fans across the world stain the reputation of Stranger Things? Unlikely. The series has been extremely iconic for the past decade, with many viewers growing up alongside it. By representing the developmental changes of adolescence, the series deeply connected with its young audience, allowing it to stay relevant. 

Even the most subpar of endings cannot tarnish a beloved show’s reputation forever. Take Game of Thrones, for example: Fans were extremely disappointed with the show’s ending, yet it remains widely loved and watched. Its prequel series, House of the Dragon, has also been a major success, with more spinoffs in the works.

So, while I didn’t love the ending of Stranger Things, I love the series because of the nostalgia it brings me and the characters I have connected with over the past decade. The show’s final episode was two hours and five minutes, which is relatively short compared to the time spent watching the entirety of the show. Many times in storytelling, the ending isn’t the most important part; it is the journey to reach that point. Stranger Things will no doubt continue to be seen as successful despite its ending, because ultimately, does the ending really matter in the grand scheme of the show’s impact?