Sadie Sink Offers Her Take on Eleven’s Uncertain Destiny
Sadie Sink reflects on the ambiguous ending of Stranger Things, hinting at Eleven’s possible fate and what Mike’s final story might truly represent.
Stranger Things wrapped up its fifth series with a flourish, leaving viewers to puzzle over the fate of Millie Bobby Brown’s character. The ambiguity surrounding Eleven’s end has sparked plenty of debate, and Sadie Sink, who portrays Max Mayfield, has now weighed in with her own interpretation. Appearing on The Tonight Show, she didn’t mince words:
“I think she’s dead,”
she said, suggesting that Mike’s narrative is less a continuation and more a final chapter, a way of bidding farewell to the innocence of youth.
The story in question is the one Mike conjures up during the epilogue, set a year and a half after Eleven’s ultimate act. Following the climactic confrontation with Vecna, the group returns to Hawkins, only for Eleven to step back through the gate as Hopper’s device detonates. Her sacrifice, intended to thwart Dr Kay and the military’s plans to reopen the portal, appears to cost her everything.
Mike’s Version of Events
Yet, Mike refuses to accept this outcome. In his mind, there’s another explanation. He imagines that Kali, injured and stranded in the Upside Down, managed to project a hologram of Eleven. This clever ruse, he believes, allowed the real Eleven to slip away unnoticed, evading the guards and escaping into the wider world. Mike’s vision has her travelling in search of a place with many waterfalls—a dream the two had once shared.
It’s a comforting story, but one that exists only in Mike’s imagination. The reality of what happened to Eleven remains shrouded in mystery, with only a select few in the know.
Behind the Curtain
Series co-creator Matt Duffer has confirmed that he and his brother Ross are privy to the truth, as is Millie Bobby Brown herself. On the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Duffer revealed that the actress has promised to keep the secret under wraps, leaving fans to speculate for the foreseeable future.
For those keen to revisit the entire saga, the full series is now available to stream. There’s plenty more to explore for anyone still mulling over the finale’s unanswered questions.