The viral claim around the Internet
Stranger Things is at the peak of its hype with its season finale, and things leveled up thanks to a recent X post from DiscussingFish. The account claimed that the Duffer Brothers filmed three different endings for the Stranger Things series finale and that Netflix would randomize which ending each household sees, just like Charlie Brooker’s interactive Black Mirror film Bandersnatch from 2018. It even teased that one ending supposedly confirms a long-running fan theory. However, this is absolutely not true, as DiscussingFish is known for satire and fabrications, and Stranger Things Season 5 will not have randomized endings.
What the Duffers actually said about the ending
In reality, the Duffer Brothers have opened up about shaping the finale in a much more grounded way. They shared in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter that although the story evolved season by season, they had known the final scene since starting season two. They never planned multiple seasons in advance but instead created each one as its own strong, standalone chapter. As the world waits for the finale, the brothers admitted they feel both excited and nervous to finally show fans the ending they have been building toward for years.
“As we started out season two — we’ve known for a really long time what the final scene of the show was going to be, which is nice because that gave us a north star,” Matt Ross expressed.
Kali’s return and why it matters for eleven
Season 5 also brings back Kali, first seen in the controversial season 2, and her return is officially meaningful this time. In season 5, episode 4, Eleven finds Kali trapped in a machine inside the Upside Down, setting up her bigger role for the next part of the show. The Duffers told The Hollywood Reporter that Kali will strongly influence Eleven’s journey and was always meant to come back in a way that truly impacts the story. Meanwhile, the next three episodes premiere on December 25, and the grand finale lands on Netflix on December 31.