Lucas and Max get a happy ending in the Stranger Things 5 finale, but the Duffer Brothers have cast doubt on their future as a couple in college.

Max made "a deal with God" and ran straight up the hill into Lucas' arms. It was magic. We talk about it ahead of the Stranger Things finale.

Stranger Things' director Shawn Levy on directing Max's return, that Jonathan-Nancy scene, Will's big moment and his final day on the set.

Questions remain about the fate of Eleven, and talk of a secret 9th episode on Jan. 7 has bubbled up on social media.

Conformity Gate believers ultimately think that the real finale will air on January 7, 2026, due to the dice in the credits reading seven and the fact that Will Byers went missing for seven days in season 1. January 7 also marks Orthodox Christmas, so it would fit season 5's release pattern of dropping episodes during the festive period.

The main concern of The First Shadow is how a kid like Henry Creel can become a remorseless child-snatching monster like Vecna. And over the course of the play, Henry's actions get more and more violent, leading up to the big Creel Murders that were a focus of Stranger Things season 4.

The executive producer who co-directed the penultimate episode of the Netflix mega-hit with the Duffer Brothers says he was "a sobbing wreck" watching the ending, and is bringing lessons learned to Star Wars.

For a lot of the fans involved in the online conversation, Max was the most affected by Holly's sudden leading role. "Holly should have been a secondary character to Max. Holly should have had a smaller role compared to Max and the show should have explored more through the lens of Max," opined a Redditor.