The finale ran almost as long as a feature film—about two hours and eight minutes—and delivered a broadly happy ending. The action-heavy episode attempted to give closure to nearly every major character. While the fate of Eleven remained somewhat open-ended, the story hinted at an alternative future for the show’s protagonist, allowing viewers space to imagine their own conclusions.
Yet one major question dominated post-finale conversations on social media: why did the show’s ultimate villain, the Mind Flayer, seem so weak?
When first introduced in Season 1, the Mind Flayer—then known as the Shadow Monster—was portrayed as a vast, unseen intelligence ruling the Upside Down. It felt ancient, omnipotent, and terrifying. Over the years, expectations grew that the alien, spider-like entity would emerge as an almost unstoppable force.
Mind Flayer was shown as a much bigger entity in earlier seasons of Stranger Things
Instead, viewers watched as the creature was defeated within minutes by a group of teenagers wielding spears, flare guns, and flamethrowers. For many fans, the scale simply didn’t match the buildup.
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“The Stranger Things finale felt like a return to the show’s prime form. It felt big and epic,” one user wrote on X. “But the plot armor—and how easily Vecna and the Mind Flayer were defeated—will definitely be controversial.”
Another viewer was harsher: “This gigantic, ancient eldritch horror that’s lived for millions of years gets taken out by kids with spears and flamethrowers? The Mind Flayer was such a disappointment.” Some accused the creators of rushing the conclusion. “Even though the Mind Flayer twist made sense, it felt rushed. The plot focused too much on Vecna, only for him to be easily killed. The stakes felt zero because nobody died,” one post read.
Despite the criticism, the finale was a massive success for Netflix. The surge in viewers briefly caused technical glitches on Wednesday night, echoing a similar outage during the Season 5 premiere on November 26. The disruption lasted about a minute, with users seeing an error message before service was restored.
Ratings-wise, Season 5 was the most-watched title worldwide during its release week. Between December 22 and 28, the final season logged 34.5 million views—its second-best week after a record-breaking debut in November.
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things follows a group of children in Hawkins, Indiana, who confront supernatural forces linked to the Upside Down after befriending a girl with extraordinary powers.
Hours before the finale aired, Ross Duffer shared an emotional Instagram post reflecting on the show’s decade-long journey, calling the experience “emotional and cathartic” and thanking fans for allowing them to end the story as they had always envisioned.
NYT News ServiceThe ‘Stranger Things’ Cast
Even as fans argue over the Mind Flayer’s underwhelming end, one thing is clear: Stranger Things exits as a cultural phenomenon—messy, debated, and deeply loved.
