'Stranger Things' Star Sadie Sink Reveals Unexpected Theory on Eleven's Fate

Netflix's iconic and most-watched series Stranger Things officially came to an end on New Year's Eve with "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up."

(SPOILERS)

In the series finale, Eleven remained in the Upside Down after defeating Vecna - at the suggestion of her "sister", Kali and in an attempt to keep her friends safe. A time jump after her sacrifice suggested that El was dead, but Mike chose to believe a story that she found a way to survive and remained hopeful she was living somewhere away from Hawkins.

Duffer Brothers Give Their Take

In a postmortem interview with Netflix's Tudum, Matt and Ross Duffer revealed their take on the finale.

“What we wanted to do was confront the reality of what her situation was after all of this and how could she live a normal life,” creator Matt Duffer told Netflix’s Tudum in a postmortem interview. “These are the questions that we’ve been posing this season that Hopper just doesn’t even want to think or talk about. Mike’s obviously talked about it a lot, but it’s sort of this fantasy version that would never work.”

Matt noted that there “are two roads” that Eleven could have taken. “There’s this darker, more pessimistic one or the optimistic, hopeful one,” he added. “Mike is the optimist of the group and has chosen to believe in that story.”

Sadie Sink Shares Her Theory on What Happened to Eleven

Sadie Sink, who plays Max, was a guest on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and was asked whether she believed Eleven was alive or dead. Instead of choosing the optimistic route - and the one fans would prefer - she chose violence.

“What do I think? I think she’s dead,” she said. “Is that a hot take?”

.@SadieSink answers what she thinks happens to Eleven at the end of @Stranger_Things… ???? #FallonTonight #StrangerThingsOnFallon pic.twitter.com/9zDvjw3HOS

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) January 6, 2026

Sink elaborated on why she decided Eleven didn’t survive, adding, “I think Mike’s story is one last story. Then they say goodbye to childhood, but that is one final tale. It is a coping thing. It is stronger [if Eleven died]. That is my interpretation.”

The Duffer brothers knew this was always going to be the ending, with Eleven not part of the final group in some way, shape or form.

“There was never a version of the story where Eleven was hanging out with the gang at the end. For us and our writers, we didn’t want to take her powers away,” Matt Duffer explained. “She represents magic in a lot of ways and the magic of childhood. For our characters to move on and for the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to come to a close, Eleven had to go away.”

Ross continued: “We thought it would be beautiful if our characters continued to believe in that happier ending even if we didn’t give them a clear answer to whether that’s true or not. The fact that they’re believing in it, we just thought it was such a better way to end the story and a better way to represent the closure of this journey and their journey from children to adults.”

Is El alive?

Related: Netflix Quietly Cancels 'Stranger Things' Creators' Next Show