Image Credit: Netflix
The ending of Stranger Things inevitably sparked heated debate, dividing audiences, with the fate of Eleven, a symbolic character in the series since the first episode of the Netflix show, being the main topic of discussion. Many fans found the ending so heartbreaking that they hoped for an alternative ending. Another star of the series has now weighed in on this issue, sharing his interpretation of Eleven’s fate. Actor Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas Sinclair, expressed his point of view on the ambiguous ending of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, focusing on what he believes really happened to the character played by Millie Bobby Brown.
During an appearance on ABC’s The View, where he was a guest to promote his upcoming animated film Goat, McLaughlin was asked what he thought of Eleven’s fate in the epilogue that aired on December 31. Before he could even answer, host Alyssa Farah Griffin implored him, “Don’t break my heart.” The actor’s response, however, was quite clear. “I’m sorry for the fans of the character,” McLaughlin said, “but for me it’s clear: rest in peace, Eleven.” When McLaughlin added, “I think she’s gone. I really believe Eleven is resting in peace.”
The ending of Stranger Things deliberately left room for interpretation. In the final episode, Eleven sacrifices herself in the ruined Upside Down to save her friends, allowing them to escape. In the brief coda set 18 months later, we see the now grown-up protagonists expressing their belief—or perhaps hope—that Eleven has somehow survived. According to McLaughlin, however, there is a clear distinction between what the characters think and what he believes as an actor. “Lucas, in his heart, thinks Eleven is alive,” he explained. “But I, as Caleb, believe that she’s really gone.” The actor also reiterated that, in his opinion, the story ended definitively with the fifth season.
This isn’t the first time a cast member has offered such a drastic interpretation of the ending. Last month, Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield, said during an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that she believed Eleven was dead. According to the actress, the characters’ speculations in the epilogue are just “a way of dealing with grief” rather than a real indication of survival. These are words that many fans will find hard to accept, especially considering the enormous emotional bond built up over ten years of storytelling. The finale of Stranger Things marked the end of one of the biggest television and streaming phenomena of the last decade, but it also highlighted how difficult it is to satisfy such a vast and passionate audience.
Source: Deadline
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