Stranger Things: A Second Opinion on why the finale is one of the best ever

(SOME SPOILERS AHEAD)

PLOT: As Vecna prepares to destroy the world as we know it, the party must put everything on the line to defeat him once and for all.

REVIEW: Stranger Things has always been about friendship, fear, and the messy, sometimes painful magic of growing up together. After five seasons of nostalgia-soaked sci-fi horror, the final episode, The Rightside Up, does not just wrap things up. It reminds you why this show mattered in the first place, and why it managed to stick with audiences for nearly a decade.

Season 5 was a roller coaster for me. It was ambitious, often to the point of feeling overstuffed, and there were stretches where the pacing dragged under the weight of its own mythology. At times, it felt like the show might not be able to pull all of its threads together in a clean or satisfying way. Going into the finale, I had genuine doubts, and maybe a little worry.

Thankfully, those doubts disappeared once it matters most.

The finale pulls the season into focus and delivers a conclusion that feels thoughtful, emotional, and earned. Instead of trying to outdo itself with nonstop spectacle, The Rightside Up remembers what Stranger Things has always done best: grounding big genre stakes in small, human moments. The danger facing Hawkins is real and overwhelming, but the episode never loses sight of the people standing in the middle of it.

The scale is massive, the tension never lets up, and the final stretch delivers exactly what it needs to. But the real power comes from the character payoffs. These moments work because they are built on years of shared history, trauma, loyalty, and love. Long-running arcs reach natural conclusions that feel true to who these characters have become, not who the plot needs them to be.

Some of the strongest beats are also the quietest. Looks held a second too long. Conversations that do not need to spell everything out. The show trusts the audience here, and that trust pays off.

From the outset, The Rightside Up never shies away from high stakes. Vecna’s plan to merge the Abyss and the Upside Down threatens everything the Hawkins crew has fought to protect, and the final battle is big, loud, and packed with heart. But it’s the character moments, the emotional payoffs, that give the episode its weight. Will’s psychic contribution, Joyce’s badass resolve, and Eleven’s choices all resonate because we’ve lived through these characters’ joys and tragedies with them.

The defeat of Vecna, the Mind Flayer, and the destruction of The Upside Down may fulfill our expectations of spectacle, but it’s the resolution of relationships reminiscent of The Return of the King’s lengthy epilogue: Steve finally finding peace, Nancy and Jonathan accepting where they stand, and the gang’s bittersweet goodbyes. That’s what makes this finale linger in the mind long after the credits roll.

And it’s damn near impossible to talk about Stranger Things without mentioning the music. Music has always been part of Stranger Things’ DNA, but the finale’s needle drops hit on another level. When “When Doves Cry” comes in, it immediately sets the tone for the takedown of The Upside Down. There is a sadness and reflection baked into that choice that signals the beginning of the end. But this isn’t the only Prince jam we get.

Then “Purple Rain” kicks in. This was especially exceptional since it has never been licensed outside of the Purple Rain movie, and from that moment on, I was an emotional wreck. No exaggeration. And I stayed wrecked for the next 45 minutes straight until the credits rolled. I won’t go into the exact details of what transpired in this scene, but I will say it does not feel manipulative or flashy. It feels honest, like the show finally allowing itself to letting go.

One of the episode’s standout moments comes during the graduation ceremony, where Dustin delivers a genuinely heartfelt speech that perfectly captures the spirit of the series in a very John Hughes way. Awkward, sincere, emotional, and funny in that very specific Stranger Things way. The scene is capped off with Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper”, which feels exactly right and a welcome tribute to Eddie. It is defiant, triumphant, and a reminder that these kids have been through hell and kept standing.

The final needle drop is the most fitting of all. As the show winds down and the group sits together for one last Dungeons and Dragons campaign, David Bowie’s “Heroes” plays, and honestly, I can’t think of a more perfect choice. It is not about winning. It is not about saving the world forever. It is about friendship, endurance, and the idea that being a hero sometimes just means showing up for the people next to you.

It is inevitable that some viewers will walk away feeling let down or underwhelmed. There will be those who argue the show lacked the guts to kill off a major character, as if tragedy is the only metric for meaningful storytelling. But Stranger Things understands something many finales miss: not every great story needs to end in death to resonate. Emotional weight comes from investment, from time spent with characters, and from watching them change. Loss can be powerful, but survival, healing, and moving forward can be just as impactful.

What The Rightside Up ultimately pulls off is rare. It honors the legacy of the show without turning into a self-congratulatory victory lap. It embraces the horror, the humor, and the heart that defined Stranger Things, even after a final season that did not always feel steady. The epilogue gives the characters and the audience more than enough room to breathe, to reflect, and to say goodbye.

By the time the credits roll, this does not feel like a show that simply ran out of story. It feels like one that knew exactly when to stop. Season 5 may have started as my least favorite, but it ends with one of the most emotionally satisfying series finales I have ever seen.

And in the end, that final image says everything. They were not just heroes. They were not just survivors. They were friends around a table, rolling dice, and telling stories together. And that’s what Stranger Things was always about. Not the monsters, not the mythology, but the bonds that carried them through it all.

FOR ANOTHER OPINION ON THE FINALE – CHECK OUT OUR TV CRITIC ALEX MAIDY’S REVIEW