Netflix Just Set Up the Next Chapter of ‘Stranger Things,’ and That’s a Bad Thing

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the Season 5 finale of Stranger Things.By the time we reached the closing credits of the Stranger Things grand finale, it isn't unreasonable that some fans were expecting an MCU-esque title card announcing that their favorite characters would soon return in some upcoming Stranger Things-related project. In a long epilogue, the Duffers have proven that Stranger Things may not have to be finished after the polarizing finale. With its open-ended conclusion, there are many avenues where the series could still go, even if it undermines the mission of the five seasons of the science fiction thriller.

Although the Duffers assure people that they're not interested in moving beyond the bounds of the series, just because they say they're not going to make it happen doesn't mean they can't make it happen. Stranger Things ended in a way that made fans believe there could be more to the story than just the ending we got. If money talks and fans demand, there might be more Stranger Things in our future, but that's not the win that you might think it is.

The 'Stranger Things' Epilogue Opened Up New Story Potential for Fan Favorite Characters

The finale included only two major confirmed deaths with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Kali (Linnea Berthelsen). You might include Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in that, but it really depends on how you read that final moment, according to co-creator Ross Duffer. But it isn't just Eleven's story that is left wide open for more development.

Over the years, we watched as Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke), and Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) became friends. In the epilogue, they are reunited on the roof of the radio station, sharing their new lives with each other while planning to meet up monthly at Robin's uncle's place in Philly. It stands to reason that through these reunions, a new story might develop, especially since these four have so much baggage from the series. But for anyone over the age of 25, the idea of meeting up monthly in a city with your high school friends is a pipe dream. It's not worth exploring this story, and although it offers a chance for these characters to reunite, it's actually more bittersweet to realize this will likely be their last meeting as a trauma-bonded quartet.

And although Season 5 downplayed the romance between Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and Jim Hopper (David Harbour), the finale saw Hop pop the question to Joyce and see the two of them deciding to move out of Hawkins. Could they encounter more mysteries in Montauk? Especially if Eleven is alive? Technically, yes, but the Duffers shot those spin-off rumors down quite quickly. Besides, if Stranger Things were to explore the romantic lives of its characters, it would make more sense to follow someone like Will (Noah Schnapp), or Max (Sadie Sink) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin). But the reality is that Stranger Things was never a romantic show to begin with, and it just wouldn't make sense to follow those characters in that type of story.

Another 'Stranger Things' Show Cannot Be Copy and Paste

During Mike’s perfectly wrapped Dungeons & Dragons monologue depicting where the friends end up, we learn that Eleven may not be dead. Kali's final trick allowed everyone to believe she was dead, but faking her death allowed her to escape and live without leaving the government hot on her heels. As much as it would have been great to see her spend time with her friends again, that was never in the cards, according to the Duffers.

What is left open-ended is when we see the new generation of kids with Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) coming down to the Wheeler basement to play D&D. This easily sets up a new group who could find themselves stuck in their own thrilling nightmare. Plus, if El is alive and well, there's no question she’d be back to save the day. But that would rob the entire series of its impact, and as fun as it would be to return to Hawkins, it would cheapen the story.

Sequels are a tough sell when it comes to ensuring success, and oftentimes default to a simple copy-and-paste scenario where nothing truly changes. Stranger Things is successful, and everyone involved knows it. There are definitely viewers who are happy to see the low body count at the end of the series and are thrilled that everyone got their happily ever after, but if that was just meant as a vehicle to lead into another sequel, is that the ending that this show deserves? And if it is leading to another story, will fans return to the series if the show ends up just being a repeat of the past?

The Mysterious Saga of the Suitcase Is the Next Story

In a conversation with Variety, the Duffers revealed that the suitcase left in Vecna's cave will be coming into play in the future. While it will be in the same universe, they made it very clear: "No common characters." It's a smart decision to go in the direction of franchises like Game of Thrones; leaping back in time will allow the show to expand on the mythology and lore of the original series while bringing in familiar elements.

Where we run into a problem is the stage play, Stranger Things: Last Shadow. Season 5 pulls much from the stage play and placing a spin-off in the same timeline will lead to a variety of continuity issues even if it will clarify the events of Season 5 to viewers. Stranger Things is a majorly impactful show to the modern landscape of pop culture. As one of Netflix's giant series, it changed the way streaming and TV was released. Exploring more is inevitable, but moving beyond the original story will take care and shouldn't be done just to replay and revisit the same themes and dynamics as the original. Like how we watched the young actors grow up on screen, it's time to let Stranger Things graduate and move on.

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.