Throughout its tenure, “Stranger Things” has often faced criticism for its reluctance to eliminate major characters. While characters like Barb (Shannon Purser) and Eddie (Joseph Quinn) did meet their ends, their deaths occurred within the same season they were introduced, preventing audiences from forming long-term attachments. Unlike these characters, the core group has enjoyed significant plot protection, often dodging perilous situations. As the series approached its conclusion in Season 5, many speculated that it was an opportune moment to see some main characters depart more permanently. So, what actually transpired?

At Looper, we made predictions about potential character deaths in the “Stranger Things” finale, and we were somewhat accurate with one guess. However, the ultimate episode of the series didn’t feature an overwhelming number of deaths. Despite this, there were a few significant departures worth discussing, including one ambiguous exit. Although “Stranger Things” didn’t wrap up as the bloodiest series on TV, let’s delve into the final episode’s list of casualties, excluding the numerous unnamed soldiers who met their fate.

As the series finale unfolded, it seemed inevitable that the Hawkins crew would eventually defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Crucially, the episode unveils the intricate symbiotic connection between Vecna and the Mind Flayer, a relationship that ultimately leads to their downfall. As Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) engages Vecna within the Mind Flayer, the damage inflicted on him simultaneously weakens the Mind Flayer. Meanwhile, the rest of the team targets Vecna with intense firepower, strategically undermining him through their combined efforts.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed Vecna might embark on a redemption arc. Will (Noah Schnapp), utilizing his psychic link to Vecna, attempts to convey that he’s merely being manipulated, just as Will once was. He implores Vecna to break free from the Mind Flayer’s influence. However, Vecna relishes his connection with the Mind Flayer and remains steadfast in his quest to merge Dimension X with the real world, leading to his permanent demise.

After a pretty epic battle, Eleven is able to use her psychic powers to force Vecna down onto a spiky thorn inside the Mind Flayer. Note to self: Don’t set up an evil base with a bunch of nonsense pointy things you could easily get impaled on. But Vecna isn’t quite dead yet, and it’s Joyce (Winona Ryder) who gets the final licks in as she swings an axe down on Vecna’s neck, decapitating him. 

For a minute, it appeared as though the villain could receive a brief redemption arc. With his psychic connection to Vecna, Will (Noah Schnapp) tries to tell him that he’s being used just like he was. Will urges Vecna to break free, but he likes being with the Mind Flayer and perseveres with his plan for Dimension X to merge with the real world. It proves to be his undoing, and he seems dead for good.

“Stranger Things” Season 5 brought back a controversial character in the form of Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) after she had starred in what’s widely regarded as the worst episode — Season 2’s “The Lost Sister.” She had been experimented on just like Eleven and had developed the ability to create illusions. We catch up with her in Season 5 with the government experimenting on her to create more psychically-gifted children. She ultimately tells Eleven that to stop the madness and potentially another Vecna getting created, the two of them have to die, and she’s more than willing to sacrifice her life for the greater good. 

After the military captures her and Hopper (David Harbour), she has a gun pointed at her, and she seems to want Hopper not to give up Eleven’s location for her sake. Murray (Brett Gelman) blows up a helicopter, creating just enough chaos for Eleven to get the upper hand and kill the soldiers. However, Kali’s accidentally shot in the stomach and dies before the mission to kill Vecna is complete. 

Of course, later in the episode we see how Kali may have survived the initial gunshot wound when Mike (Finn Wolfhard) talks about how there’s a chance Eleven could have survived her fate (more on that in a moment). But even if Kali survived long enough to create the illusion of Eleven’s death, she still would’ve perished when the Upside Down got destroyed. No matter when exactly she died, she did ultimately give her life to stop Vecna once and for all. 

Vecna, as the villain, has to die. Kali was always pretty expendable. But the “Stranger Things” series finale really needed to kill off a major character to raise the stakes, and that seemingly happened with Eleven. When the team gets out of the Upside Down before it gets destroyed, they’re apprehended by the military. Eleven stays behind in the wormhole as it’s collapsing, and she enters into a psychic vision with Mike to tell him that she loves him. It’s a sweet moment before the Upside Down blows up, and she’s taken with it. 

18 months later, Mike and his friends play a game of Dungeons & Dragons where he talks about all of their fates, like Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) excelling in college and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) finding happiness in their relationship. But he also offers a glimmer of hope when it comes to Eleven, namely that Kali was able to create the illusion of Eleven dying in the Upside Down while she escaped elsewhere. In his version of events, Eleven is now living in a far off place away from the government. But how would Mike know all the specifics?

When asked how they could know that it’s true, Mike responds, “We don’t. Not for sure. But I choose to believe that it is.” It’s just a theory, maybe one Mike needs to believe happened so that he can continue with his life. As it stands, Eleven’s probably dead. The Duffer brothers have poured cold water on past rumors of an Eleven spin-off, but if Netflix wants to bring her back for a new series at some point down the line, the door’s open for her still being out there somewhere.