After almost ten years, Stranger Things has wrapped up, and while some fans are unhappy with the conclusion, the finale continues to spark intense conversations. A significant topic of interest on social media revolves around the destiny of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). In the finale, she seems to give up her own life by remaining in the Upside-Down as the connection to the Abyss is destroyed, thwarting the military’s attempts to misuse her abilities for additional experiments.

In the final scene, amid a D&D game, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) proposes an alternate theory. He speculates that the vision of Eleven in the Upside-Down was a projection from Eight/Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), suggesting that Eleven may have evaded capture to adopt a new identity. The Duffer Brothers leave this ambiguous, but fans theorize that there are hints pointing to Eleven’s survival.

One hint can be found on the bookshelf in the Wheeler’s basement, where the D&D binders are placed. A behind-the-scenes photo shared by Noah Schnapp displays a book titled The Empty Copper Sea by John D. MacDonald, which is a story about a staged death. This could bolster Mike’s theory, although it might also represent his fixation stemming from grief.

In the end, the Duffer Brothers have not clarified Eleven’s fate, allowing fans to ponder. The final season of Stranger Things is now accessible for streaming on Netflix.