5 'Stranger Things' Burning Questions Left Unanswered After Season 5 Finale

The conclusion of Stranger Things' fifth season brought an end to the long-running saga, giving viewers the long-awaited battle and emotional farewell they had been waiting for.

However, upon closer inspection, the finale leaves behind more than nostalgia – it leaves behind a number of significant questions that the Duffer Brothers intentionally (or unintentionally) left unanswered.

1. What Happened to Eleven?

It seems, viewers must decide for themselves whether to believe Mike's theory that Eleven is still alive.

How could she have entered his mind to close the Upside Down if Dr. Kay had already targeted her with dynamic suppression powers? Perhaps the characters only saw a powerful illusion created by Kali while Eleven hid beyond the weapon's range.

However, this raises a question: how could Eight have maintained such a massive illusion if the lab where she was located was destroyed at the beginning of the battle?

Did Eleven die after all? The creators left this question open, allowing us to speculate whether her sacrifice was final or part of a cunning plan.

2. What Happened to the Connection Between Will and Vecna?

From the beginning of the series, Will was mentally connected to Vecna, who observed the town through Will's eyes and compelled him to dig tunnels. Then, the characters realized the connection was two-way and that Will himself had begun spying on the villain.

This raises the question: if the connection had become dangerous, why didn't Vecna sever it, considering he established it? Perhaps the bond had become unbreakable over the years.

Then again, why didn't Will feel any pain when the Mind Flayer, who was also linked to Vecna, died? Or when Henry was beheaded? After all, he had previously experienced physical pain when parts of the hive mind were destroyed.

3. What Is The Void?

In Season 5, a shocking truth is revealed: the Upside Down is not a parallel universe but rather a space-time wormhole that connects Hawkins to the mysterious Void, the source of all monsters.

Even the characters don't know the nature of this place: is it another planet or another reality? A key detail is that the tunnel allows time travel, meaning The Void could be Earth's future or past.

The Duffer brothers announced a spin-off that will provide answers to some questions. However, they warned that the new series will have a different mythology and will not delve into the Mind Flayer's past. Therefore, a full revelation of The Void's mystery is unlikely.

4. Why Was the Mind Flayer So Easily Defeated?

The final battle with Vecna was unexpectedly brief and straightforward. Fans calculated that the fight lasted only 6 minutes and 34 seconds – less time than it took for Will to confess in the previous episode.

How could such a powerful villain, who was planning to conquer the world, fail against a handful of teenagers with flamethrowers? What happened to his army of demogorgons, vines, and bats that terrorized last season?

Their help could have turned the tide of the battle, yet they were absent at the crucial moment. It's unlikely that there will be a convincing explanation for this unfortunate oversight.

5. What Kind of Stone Did Henry Creel Find?

The origin of Vecna is revealed in the final episodes. While exploring a cave, 8-year-old Henry Creel encounters a mad scientist. Acting in self-defense, Henry accidentally kills him and finds a strange stone in his suitcase. The stone instantly soaks into Henry's wound.

This connection to The Void allows Henry to see the Mind Flayer and hear its call, awakening his homicidal urges.

The nature of the stone remains a mystery. Is it part of another world, or is it the Mind Flayer's very essence? Perhaps the key lies in the first expedition into The Void, depicted in the stage prequel First Shadow.

We learn from it that Dr. Brenner knew of another dimension even before the events of the series began, thanks to a secret military teleportation experiment.

Although the stone isn't mentioned in the play, the Duffer brothers have promised that its secret will be revealed in an upcoming spinoff.