After nearly 10 years, five seasons and 42 episodes, the beloved “Stranger Things” franchise came to a close as its final segment was released about three weeks ago on New Year’s Eve. With a total run time of over 45 hours, the show has done more than simply unite fans from across the globe. For many, it’s served as a beacon of nostalgia, becoming deeply intertwined into our childhoods and representing the transition into adulthood.  

The show contains elements of horror and science fiction, taking inspiration from classic films and literature from the 1980s, such as John Carpenter’s “Halloween,” Stephen King’s “It,” as well as the game Dungeons and Dragons and real events like the Cold War. These things ultimately combine to create an authentic and supernatural story, leaving viewers eager to know how tensions will be resolved.  

 (Spoilers ahead.) 

Set in the 1980s, the series takes place in the seemingly normal town of Hawkins, Ind. after a local middle school student, Will Byers, goes mysteriously missing. As his friends and family attempt to locate him, a strange girl with telekinetic abilities appears. Viewers later learn that this girl, known as Eleven, is directly tied to Will’s disappearance, as he was abducted by a creature from an alternate dimension, otherwise referred to as the Upside Down.  

Throughout the subsequent seasons, more details about Eleven and her abilities are revealed as flashbacks are used to depict her upbringing in the secret government program run by Dr. Martin Brenner at Hawkins Lab. Such events are also used to explain the origins and functioning of the Upside Down, which is home to other sinister characters that are later introduced.  

Prior to its release, Matt and Ross Duffer, a pair of brothers who created the show, claimed season five would bring everything back in a full circle style, providing a complete ending to the main plotline. They also hinted that details from season one and two would be referenced, particularly Will’s relevance to the Upside Down and Eleven’s past.  

However, in the weeks following the series finale, many began to voice their dissatisfaction with how the show had ended, claiming there were too many plot holes. Common criticisms included the lack of “Demogorgon” monsters in the final battle, the sudden disappearance of the military and Eleven’s ambiguous death. This sparked an abundance of fan theories online, all of which attempted to justify or rebut such topics, some even suggesting that a secret ninth episode had yet to be released.  

Despite these controversies, all can agree that this dissonance is representative of a common reality: many outcomes in life are the opposite of what we expect or even desire. Much of this can also be associated with growing up and leaving childish attributes behind.  

So, in some ways, the ending to this sensational, sentimental show is more definitive than viewers may initially realize.  

Regardless of one’s opinions on this matter, we can all agree that “Stranger Things” has taught us many important lessons about relationships and identity: true friends are worth fighting for and our individuality should be embraced. These lessons are sure to extend beyond the finale of the series, resonating deeper than any resolution ever could.