Well folks, that is a wrap. After ten long years, the hit show “Stranger Things” has finally come to an end. Premiering on July 15, 2016, “Stranger Things” season one hit Netflix and fans fell in love with it. In November and December of 2025, the Duffer Brothers gave us the last season of the show, season five.
This season has showcased numerous positive developments. Character development is a huge change during this season. You learn why Dustin Henderson is no longer the happy and charismatic boy we all grew to love, considering he was grieving the loss of his best friend, Eddie Munson. You also get to see Eleven growing stronger as she prepares for the most important battle of the show: the final battle against Vecna. Lastly, you get to see what happened to Max Mayfield after season four.
The pace of this season was immaculate. The first few episodes of the show were slow, but it was paced that way on purpose. The reason for the slower pacing is to show you the character development and immense growth among the Hawkins crew. Once you see what all these characters were going through, the action ramps up quickly. It leads to the final plan to defeat Vecna, then the final battle begins.
Another key element to this show was the nostalgic feeling and the music they used in it. Kate Bush’s hit song, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” remains present in the show, as it is Max’s song that keeps her safe from Vecna’s demonic grasp. You then hear Prince’s hit “Purple Rain” playing over a heavy-hearted moment between Mike and Eleven. Other notable songs this season include: “When Doves Cry” by Prince and “Upside Down” by Diana Ross. The musical score this season really helped to set the tone. Some instances the music pulled at the heartstrings, and I even needed to grab some tissues!
The ending of this show left off in a bittersweet way. Some viewers were pleased with the ending, while others were outraged and thought the ending was rushed and was not done properly. Still, I will leave you with this: season five answered every question we had—except for one. Why in the world would anybody want to move to Hawkins?
