Millions watched the final of Stranger things. But its ending drew mixed reactions from fans, especially regarding Eleven’s fate. Now Millie Bobby Brown, the actress who portrays the child with special powers, is breaking her silence.
“I like that ending, that there is such a greater purpose in Kali’s powers,” she says Tudumreferring to Mike Wheeler’s theory of her living in a remote village; however, the star didn’t clearly say yes or no to it. “Everything has a purpose, and everything has a reason.”
This ambiguity is consistent with the Duffer Brothers’ vision of the show’s ending. “There was never a version of the story where Eleven was hanging out with the gang at the end,” says Ross Duffer.
“For us and our writers, we didn’t want to take away her powers. She represents magic and the magic of childhood in many ways,” he continues.
Ross adds that Eleven’s unresolved fate helps the other characters move on in their lives in the hope that she is still alive somewhere.
“In order for our characters to move forward and to bring the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to a close, Eleven had to go.”
He continues, “We thought it would be nice if our characters continued to believe in that happier ending, even though we didn’t give them a clear answer as to whether that’s true or not. The fact that they believe in it, we just felt was a better way to end the story and a better way to represent the conclusion of this journey and their journey from children to adults.”
Likewise, Ross’ brother and co-creator Matt adds, “And the reality is that if Eleven is out there, the most they can hope for is the belief that it’s true, because they can’t interact with him.”
“Everything falls apart if that were the case. So if that’s the story, this is really the best way to keep her alive. And it’s about Mike and everyone finding a way to move past what happened,” he concludes.
Stranger things is streaming on Netflix.
