The Duffer Brothers reveal whether Eleven is actually dead after *that* Stranger Things finale

After the Stranger Things finale aired, viewers were left with one massive question that refuses to go away: Is Eleven actually dead at the end of the show?

The final episode sees Eleven sacrifice herself to close the Upside Down for good. There’s an explosion, emotional goodbyes, and a very clear sense that this is the end. Unsurprisingly, people were absolutely heartbroken. No matter how bad you thought the Stranger Things finale was, that scene was pretty emotional.

However, the Duffer Brothers have now spoken about the ending.

So, is Eleven really dead?

via Netflix

Speaking to Netflix’s Tudum, Ross Duffer revealed that there was never a version of the finale where Eleven survived and went back to normal life with the group.

“There was never a version of the story where Eleven was hanging out with the gang at the end,” Ross said.

Instead, the ending is deliberately left open. On the surface, Eleven appears to die when the bomb goes off and destroys the Upside Down. But later, Mike tells a Dungeons & Dragons story suggesting another possibility, that Eleven and her sister Kali used an illusion to fake her death, allowing her to escape and live peacefully somewhere else.

Matt Duffer explained that Eleven symbolises the magic of childhood, and that magic couldn’t remain if the story was going to properly end. “She represents magic in a lot of ways and the magic of childhood,” Ross added. “For our characters to move on and for the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to come to a close, Eleven had to go away.”

Most Read

Father who does OnlyFans with his son explains why they do it, and it honestly just gets worse

Sorry in advance: Here are all the unhinged pics and clips of Beavo’s mum on OnlyFans

‘F**king loser’: One of the Stranger Things cast just dragged Chappell Roan, and people are angry

Importantly, the Duffers also made it clear that Eleven was never meant to become a “regular” girl, despite Hopper’s hopes for her future. “There was no version where she just lost her powers and lived a normal life,” Ross explained.

So, whether Eleven is alive somewhere or truly gone isn’t really the point. What matters is that she can no longer be part of the group’s lives.

Matt Duffer added that even if Eleven is alive, the characters can never know for sure. “If Eleven is out there, the most that they could hope for is a belief that it’s true,” he said. “Everything falls apart if that were the case. So if that’s the narrative, this is really the best way to keep her alive. And it’s about Mike and everyone finding a way to move past what’s happened.”

In other words, the ending forces the characters and the audience to sit with uncertainty. Just like growing up, you don’t always get answers, and sometimes you have to choose what you believe.

So, the Duffers don’t outright confirm that Eleven is dead. But they do confirm that her story with the group is over, and that’s what really makes the finale hurt.

The end of Stranger Things really is the end of an era.

For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.