The long-awaited ending of Stranger Things has finally arrived—but fan reactions have been sharply divided. The series finale, titled “The Rightside Up,” has become one of the lowest-rated episodes of the Netflix hit, according to IMDb users.
Currently holding a 7.9 rating from over 76,000 votes, the episode ranks near the bottom of the show’s overall episode list. Only three installments scored lower: The Lost Sister (Season 2), Suzie, Do You Copy? (Season 3), and The Bridge (Season 5), the latter holding the worst rating with a 5.5.
While the score may fluctuate slightly as more viewers weigh in, even an improvement would still place the finale among the least popular episodes. Still, it fares far better than the infamous Game of Thrones finale, which sits at a dismal 4 on IMDb.
Netflix outage overshadows the premiere
The episode premiered on New Year’s Eve and was accompanied by technical issues on Netflix, as massive numbers of fans attempted to stream the finale simultaneously. Many users were met with error messages instead of the long-anticipated conclusion, triggering widespread frustration on social media.
“Waking up at 2 a.m. just to watch Netflix crash during the Stranger Things finale is unreal,” one fan posted on X. Others pointed out that similar outages had occurred during previous major releases of the series.
A polarizing conclusion
Beyond the technical chaos, the story itself ignited intense debate. The finale sees the heroes of Hawkins finally defeat Vecna, with Eleven and Will playing key roles, while Joyce and Hopper destroy the interdimensional bridge to the Upside Down. However, Eleven’s apparent sacrifice and the time jump to 1989 left many viewers divided.
Some fans criticized the lack of major character deaths, unresolved plot points—particularly regarding Will’s connection to the Mind Flayer—and an extended epilogue that took up much of the episode’s runtime. Others felt the emotional resolution was fitting and appreciated the open-ended nature of the ending.
Co-creator Ross Duffer further fueled discussion by suggesting that Eleven’s fate is intentionally left to interpretation, stating that she “lives in people’s hearts, whether literally or not.”
All five seasons of Stranger Things are now available on Netflix, closing the door on one of the most influential series of the past decade—with a finale that continues to spark conversation worldwide.
Fuente: Espinof.com, Infobae.com
