Stranger Things Season 5 premiered on December 31 with the episode “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up,” marking the official end of Netflix’s hit series after nearly a decade.
But, as is often the case with any major television show finale, fan debate has intensified in the days since the show’s conclusion.
Reaction to the final season has been mixed to say the least. Among the most common complaints is the handling of Eleven’s death. While the finale suggests Millie Bobby Brown's beloved character dies, her ultimate fate is left ambiguous, which has left fans hoping for more closure or a happier ending feeling dissatisfied. Broader criticism has been directed at the overall quality of the season, which includes its lack of high stakes.
Now, an online petition calling for “an extended cut” of Season 5 has attracted hundreds of thousands of signatures. At the same time, rumors of a “secret episode” — described by fans as a “true ending” and said to arrive on Netflix in January — have spread online like wildfire. However, the streamer has not announced any additional episodes beyond the upcoming Season 5 behind-the-scenes documentary “One Last Adventure”.
While Eleven will continue to exist within the wider franchise, Millie Bobby Brown will not be returning to the role in future live-action projects. A new live-action spinoff centered on the “briefcase rock” introduced in the finale is in development, although the Duffer brothers have confirmed that it won't have any “common characters” with the flagship series. And as for the upcoming 3D animated series Tales From ’85, which takes place between seasons 2 and 3, Eleven/Jane Hopper will be voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt.
For fans looking to engage more directly with the story, the next chapter arrives in a different medium. The asymmetric online multiplayer survival horror game Dead by Daylight, developed and published by Canadian studio Behavior Interactive, has officially unveiled its second Stranger Things chapter, following the original DLC released in 2019.
Watch the trailer for Dead by Daylight x Stranger Things Chapter 2 below. It features appearances from Dustin Henderson, Eleven, Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington, and Eddie Munson battling Vecna (AKA Henry Creel/One).
Related: New ‘Stranger Things' Update Could Hint at AAA Open-World Game : Disney Fanatic
Many fans might not have gotten the ending they wanted, but at least they'll have a say in how the upcoming Stranger Things chapter ends. While it isn't part of canon, fans will at least be able to engage and interact with their beloved characters — and the world they inhabit — in a chapter they can influence without need of online petitions.
“Following the previous Stranger Things Chapter released in 2019, which featured The Demogorgon, Steve Harrington, and Nancy Wheeler, the world of the acclaimed Netflix series continued to expand,” the official synopsis reads.
Stranger Things Chapter 2 launches in Dead by Daylight on January 27. For more information, visit the official website.
Stranger Things seasons 1 — 5 are streaming on Netflix.
Will you be playing Stranger Things Chapter 2? What are your thoughts on the Season 5 finale? Let us know in the comments down below!
