Party’s Over - The End of Stranger Things
Author Kyle Massa writes, “When characters feel realistic, when we become invested in them, they become mirrors. We see our own traits reflected back at us, both the good and the bad. We draw parallels between our lives and theirs. So, when one of them dies, we see parts of us dying, too. And nobody likes that.”
Although the Duffer brothers spared us many of our beloved characters, the end of the story certainly leaves us feeling this way.
Stranger Things first debuted in 2016 and released its final episode on December 31, 2025. After years of watching a group of actors grow up, somewhere along the way, we grew up too.
The culmination of the 5 season series was nothing short of a national phenomenon. Stranger Things had a unique ability to fully transport millions of people back to the 80’s - a decade that feels nostalgic, comforting, and simple.
It seemed each time a new season was released, the 80s were trending again. Whether inspired by Steve’s mullet, Nancy’s perm, or Dustin’s graphic tees, fans reverted to old style trends. The use of popular 80’s music brought decade-old songs back to the top of the charts. Kate Bush’s "Running Up That Hill" increased its streams by 9000% after the release of Stranger Things 4.
Kellogg’s reported a 14% increase in Eggo sales after the first season of the show, while demand for Levi’s and Converse products spiked significantly after each season.
Following the series finale, fans were - for lack of a better word - devastated. Some anonymous comments on Facebook read:
“I cried so hard I could barely breathe last night and still feel messed up this morning. I think I'm going to have to restart from season one, episode one.”
“And now we are sitting here trying to act normal when all I want is to crawl back into that dusty Indiana town and pretend we still have time.”
“Happy New Year to me. Stranger Things depression so real I can’t get out of bed.”
TikTok on January 1st, 2026, looked a lot like emotion-filled edits, crying adults, and Prince’s Purple Rain.
Fans were in mourning, and understandably so. For long-time fans, it truly does feel like we knew these characters, and for many of us, they were a pivotal part of our childhood.
Where the Party is Now…
The media spotlight has remained relentlessly fixed on the Stranger Things cast, even after the series wrapped. Here’s what we know about where they are, and where they’re going.
Millie Bobby Brown is spending time with her husband Jake Bongiovi and their adopted child, as well as taking online classes through Purdue University. She continues her skincare line, Florence by Mills, and will star in Enola Holmes 3, to be released this summer.
Finn Wolfhard is focusing on his music career and his band, The Aubreys. He will star in the upcoming stunt comedy film, Crash Land, but doesn’t plan on furthering his acting career.
Noah Schnapp is wrapping up his degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He is advocating for mental health support for child actors and aims to continue acting in movies.
Sadie Sink is currently starring as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet on the West End. She will also appear in Spider-Man Brand New Day this summer and is rumored to be in future Marvel films. Sink is also working on a film adaptation of John Proctor is the Villain, and her modeling career is taking off.
Caleb McLaughlin stars in the newly released basketball film GOAT. He hopes to focus on family and is looking for Broadway roles and fashion partnerships.
Gaten Matarazzo is opening up about his health condition, Cleidocranial Dysplasia, and advocating for support. He is interested in Stranger Things spinoffs and potentially other acting roles.
I felt like something was wrong with me. Friends I talked to felt the same way. Is it sad that I’m in mourning over the finale of a Dungeons and Dragons show? Turns out, nothing was wrong with us. The grief of transitioning from childhood to adulthood is a real psychological concept, and for young adult fans, we have a tangible representation of it.
Regardless, all good things must come to an end eventually. For now, we can continue watching, and rewatching, and rewatching, and rewatching, and rewatching… over and out.
