Top nine Stranger Things characters with the most satisfying series endings

Collider reports the Stranger Things series finale wrapped the story as Hawkins — and the world — were saved from Vecna, and ranks nine characters by who received the most satisfying endings.

The roundup notes the town returns to normal and many characters move on: Mike didn’t get the exact happy ending he wanted but finds a form of closure; Robin pursues a college degree; Nancy drops out to take an entry‑level job at a local newspaper; Karen and Ted Wheeler survive their attacks; and the kids graduate high school. The piece highlights individual outcomes across the cast, including Max recuperating and remaining with Lucas, Will confronting Henry and helping defeat him, Dustin delivering a valedictorian moment that honors a fallen friend, Steve becoming a teacher and coach, Jonathan heading to NYU to pursue filmmaking, and Joyce delivering the final blows to Vecna while Hopper proposes to her.

Not all conclusions are definite: Eleven’s fate is described as ambiguous — presented as a sacrifice but also framed by Mike as possibly an illusion in which she escaped — and Hopper’s mention of Montauk is noted as an Easter egg rather than a confirmed next step. The series is listed as running from 2016 to 2025, and several character arcs are left open or hinted at rather than fully detailed.

Key Topics

Culture, Stranger Things, Joyce Byers, Eleven, Jim Hopper, Vecna