The Best Social Media Reactions to the ‘Stranger Things’ Finale

On 31 December 2025 (and in Malaysia’s case, New Year’s Day), millions around the world sat in front of the screen waiting with bated breath as the final episode of Stranger Things aired. After nine years, Netflix’s pop culture phenomenon would conclude after five seasons. The Duffer brothers, writers and creators of the hit series, had a lot riding on this two-hour finale to bring it home. 

After all, the show first captivated audiences with its dark sci-fi horror premise set in the nostalgic ‘80s, following a group of nerdy kids facing a supernatural force in their small town of Hawkins after one of their friends went missing. There was almost a decade’s worth of mystery, secrets, and character plotlines built up over the years, with fans endlessly theorising about where these threads would go.

So, did the Duffer brothers stick the landing and deliver a satisfying finale that would cement Stranger Things as a modern TV classic? As always, the internet had no qualms weighing in their thoughts—and they range from emotional and sentimental to disappointed and outraged. 

Ahead, we compiled some of the most buzz-worthy social media reactions on X to find out what fans liked and didn’t like about the Stranger Things finale.

[Warning, major spoilers ahead!]

To believe or not to believe

what it feels like believing mike’s theory pic.twitter.com/Gx7jZX6ye9

— stranger things scenes (@strangersceness) January 1, 2026

I did kinda think it was a cop-out at first, but Mike’s explanation of El being framed as literally just a story that you as a viewer can choose to believe or not believe is kinda really cool

— Cheer Steddie Djoing (@Cheer_Nymph) January 1, 2026

this fandom cannot be real pic.twitter.com/TZtUAclV9B

— hills (@moonsinfant) January 3, 2026

A new meme is born

Me when I stub my toe pic.twitter.com/mhjukOBpyC

— party poison #1 fan (@hourlytozier) January 2, 2026

Not bad, but not good

trying to understand the colossal downfall of stranger things.. i do not know how to explain it but volume 1 of season 5 was PHENOMENAL, volume 2 was a definite downgrade and the finale felt so rushed and disappointing it felt like a whole different show? pic.twitter.com/LGp6jxKGV4

— raf | stranger things spoilers (@zoeyduatch) January 1, 2026

You know what, the last 20 mins of Stranger Things pretty much rescued the whole of the last series. Bittersweet, generally really lovely writing on childhood and ageing.

— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) January 2, 2026

Is this still Stranger Things?

every shot from the stranger things finale looks like this pic.twitter.com/NIJGgJYZSH

— manic nixon dream girl (@kennixonette) January 2, 2026

i genuinely turned and said “wtf am I watching” during this scene I actually cannot lie pic.twitter.com/Ukg6noaKvt

— grace (@gracieethings) January 1, 2026

when you turn on the fake background setting in a zoom call pic.twitter.com/CO6wUMpcnw

— lǝzɐH ✶⋆.˚ (@y0usaidyes) January 3, 2026

A lot left unanswered

And incase anyone was wondering, here are all the plotholes in Stranger Things 5. pic.twitter.com/E4jq7awkDR

— 🚬 (@bangbyers) January 1, 2026

people thinking the stranger things finale is gonna fix all the plot holes pic.twitter.com/miqPeBg4zo

— mel (@bylerDNI) December 28, 2025

The biggest plothole in Stranger Things 5 was how Derek fit through that small opening pic.twitter.com/BQOfvu17th

— Stranger Things Memes (@SThingsMeme) January 1, 2026

Those who loved it 

me being happy with the stranger things finale and coming on twitter to see everyone complaining pic.twitter.com/vhLfVfFPRp

— 𐚁 (@shesatyrantt) January 1, 2026

Stranger things finale is a great sendoff for all the beloved characters. The 45 minutes epilogue is the best writing of this season and I loved it more than the action sequences. The shot of Mike watching the kids starting to play D&D is so peak and powerfully emotional. pic.twitter.com/kNux6z1MIZ

— Bala (@pitchedoutside) January 1, 2026

The Stranger Things finale was amazing and, in my opinion, ended the show in the best way possible. The final fight was intense, Vecna’s death was satisfying, and Eleven’s ending—closing the gate and leaving it unclear if she lived or died—was exactly how I wanted her story to…

— Relay (@RelayTS) January 1, 2026

That last thing we see in Stranger Things…Genuinely a perfect ending pic.twitter.com/gllvHZGId9

— Relay (@RelayTS) January 1, 2026

What A Beautiful Ending To An Amazing Show. Goodbye Stranger Things. #StrangerThings #StrangerThings5 pic.twitter.com/8scg1YR6Tl

— Phys (@Physics_Wrestle) January 1, 2026

Wasted potential 

stranger things finale episodes used to be something else… how did you fumble your own show like that like the potential was actually INSANE! pic.twitter.com/4iIjyxCVKf

— softie (@softiealiaa) January 2, 2026

main villain killed halfway in, nobody important died, no explanation on henry creel origin story, & only 18 month time jump. stranger things finale was the stupidest fucking ending i’ve seen right up there with the umbrella academy pic.twitter.com/8teznmICcy

— serenity ⋆｡°✩ (@crescentseren) January 1, 2026

After sleeping on it, I can still confirm that the finale to Stranger Things was one of the most anticlimactic, safest, and unsatisfying endings to any show I’ve ever seen.

— Dante Turo (@DanteOnDeck) January 1, 2026

I love when my scary mist monster conveniently becomes a comically weak fleshy Kaiju so that the heroes can defeat it via literal video game logic in 5 minutes after 9 years of buildup.Such a satisfying end to Stranger Things! pic.twitter.com/etvwTbv3zD

— Mischief (@MischiefsYT) January 1, 2026

i cant believe stranger things genuinely used to be a scary show that had stakes😭😭 like at one point the mind flayer was genuinely terrifying

— ceo of kory (@korysverse) January 1, 2026

Shoutout to the women!

stranger things women you burned brighter than the sun when you were angry and that’s exactly why this hurts so bad. you will be missed. pic.twitter.com/nxaroWiOF4

— softie (@softiealiaa) January 2, 2026

Nancy’s solution to everything #StrangerThings5 pic.twitter.com/WLXhDNuDkv

— ⋆｡𐙚 Syl 𐚁⋆˚ (@sylaxoo) January 1, 2026

ITS JOYCE FUCKING BYERS WHO KILLED VECNA and all the memories of friends and dears bieng displayed when she’s killing OH GOD IT WAS EMOTIONAL#StrangerThings #StrangerThings5 pic.twitter.com/blP88DUFDC

— sanmeyo (@oyemnassxo) January 1, 2026

KAREN WHEELER YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS #StrangerThings5 #StrangerThings pic.twitter.com/rcq59ZRHnh

— alejo (@alejandropgrc) December 26, 2025

Stranger Things, you will always be iconic 

I have watched many shows, but none created the emotional connection i felt with the characters in Stranger Things. Once you watch it, HAWKINS BECOMES HOME pic.twitter.com/XEWJSj1ahP

— ` (@chixxsays) January 1, 2026

Stranger Things is probably the last show I’ve watched since Breaking Bad where I think the finale did the series justice. Incredible series. Incredible finale. Really really good watch.

— Nutzy (@Nutzypoo_ttv) January 1, 2026

me during the credits: pic.twitter.com/J6ZhQwUFDm

— Stranger Things Updates (@Updates_SThings) December 31, 2025

At least, there’s one positive…

Stranger Things 5 wasn’t perfect but it is not even remotely in the same stratosphere as the disaster that was Game of Thrones Season 8

— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) January 1, 2026

OUR VERDICT

Can a season be both good and bad at the same time? In the case of Stranger Things, season 5 was definitely the case. While the final episode provided a satisfying conclusion to its ensemble cast, the season as a whole left much to be desired. Throughout our watch, it became clear that the Duffer brothers were prioritising a happy resolution for all our main characters to tie the series up in a warm and fuzzy bow. However, in doing so, it led to a season that felt overwhelmingly safe and defanged, with an overconvoluted plot to fit its bloated cast of characters.

Up until season 5, Stranger Things had done a great job at raising the stakes and keeping the tension (even in similarly divisive seasons such as seasons 3 and 4, the show still delivered some suspenseful scenes, where we could not be sure our favourites would make it out alive). However, this season doesn’t quite reach the heights of what used to make the show so special.

Many plot threads that were built up over the seasons are left hanging. What was the significance of Vecna kidnapping specifically 12 kids? Why were there no demogorgons, demodogs, or demobats at the Abyss when it’s supposed to be their place of origin? Why does the military let all of our cast go when Hopper and Nancy have killed at least a dozen soldiers each? Why does the Abyss look like a desert when it’s been established that heat weakens the creatures? How did Max manage to graduate even though she was in a coma for two years? The list goes on and on, once the veneer of emotional hugs and friendship toasts lifts.

It’s by no means at the Game of Thrones level of disastrous finales, but if said episode falls so short of fans’ expectations that they’re convinced there’s a secret real final episode (take a trip down #conformitygate, it’s a great time), then it certainly says something about how far Stranger Things has fallen in terms of quality, plot, and writing.

In saying all that, did we still ugly cry by the end of it? Yes. Almost an hour goes into the character resolutions, so the finale’s emotional beats will still hit hard for long-time fans, even with all the glaring plot holes. Just don’t think too hard about it, or else it’ll all start crumbling apart like the Upside Down. Like the kids we’ve followed for nearly a decade, Stranger Things has outgrown the small town of Hawkins for better or for worse. Perhaps, it is time to say goodbye, after all.

Final rating: 7/10

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