Stranger Things Stars Predicted Controversial Finale 3 Years Ago

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It is the finale you cannot escape. After nearly a decade on screen, Stranger Things gave its final farewell at the start of 2026. The epic ending brought Hawkins, Indiana to its knees as Eleven saw their ragtag group take on the Abyss. Of course, the finale's last moments have stirred up unending conversation online given all the controversy surrounding the death of you-know-who. But to be fair, the top stars of Stranger Things warned us this was coming.

No, seriously. We were warned. 3 years ago, both Millie Bobby Brown and Noah Schnapp laid out the roadmap for Stranger Things' series finale in brutal detail, but nobody took them seriously. The whole thing came to light during an interview with The Wrap, and you can see for yourself how the spoilers broke loose.

Millie Bobby Brown & Noah Schnapp Totally Called It

The inadvertent spoilers began flowing at the end of the interview after Brown and Schnapp were asked what they wanted to see in season five. It was there the pair admitted the Netflix original needed to kill off a major character before wrapping up.

"I trust the Duffer Brothers and their creative process. What they see for Eleven has always been amazing, and I've been supportive," Brown shared before dropping the following bombshell: "The problem is that we're all afraid of one of us dying."

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven crying while speaking to Mike in Stranger Things series finale

Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown Definitively Knows Eleven’s Fate, But There Is A Caveat

Millie Bobby Brown has a definitive answer about Eleven's fate following the Stranger Things series finale, but there is a major caveat.

"One of us will die," Schnapp added before Brown added the following tidbit:

"100%. And more. They need to kill off some people, it's so big," she continued. "The Duffer Brothers are two sensitive sallies that don't want to kill anyone off. We need to be Game of Thrones. We need to have the mindset of Game of Thrones... just kill me off. They tried killing David [Harbour] off and then brought him back. It's ridiculous."

Does that sound familiar to you? If you're caught up with Netflix's flagship original, the stars' comments should be giving you deja vu.

Stranger Things' Controversial Finale Will Sting for Years to Come

For those who have finished Stranger Things, they will know that Brown was right on the money. The show's climatic battle against Vecna and the Upside Down ends with Eleven seemingly dying. The main character stays behind to ensure the Upside Down is obliterated, leaving the army (and her loved ones) to watch in horror. As the series finale ends, Stranger Things skips ahead 18 months to find Hawkins reeling from the battle, and Mike is left to wonder alongside his friends how Eleven might have secretly survived her sacrifice.

Eleven's presumed death in the series finale of Stranger Things hit audiences hard, and the blow still stings. The new year has been inundated with conversations about Stranger Things as fans both praise (and critique) the bold move. The loss of Eleven is massive, but as noted by Brown, Stranger Things was overdue for a shock to its system. The actress knew this kind of death was necessary back in 2023 as did Schnapp. Now, the rest of the world is learning to live with that truth whether they want to or not.