Will Major Characters Die in the Stranger Things Season 5 Finale?

The Last Ever Episode on Netflix

The anticipation has been high for the concluding chapter of Stranger Things as Season 5 drops its finale on Netflix. Fans are eager to know if any of their favorite characters meet their end in this epic battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

The Battle Against Vecna and the Upside Down

Throughout the season, Hawkins' gang has been gearing up for the ultimate confrontation with Vecna, who has targeted Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) and her classmates. As explained by Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), the Upside Down is an interdimensional bridge sustained by exotic matter, linking Hawkins to the Abyss—the true source of the demogorgons and the Mind Flayer—and the place where El (Millie Bobby Brown) previously banished Vecna.

Holly is one of 12 children Vecna seeks to merge the Abyss with the real world. To save Hawkins—and potentially the entire world—the gang must work together. But with such high stakes, the question remains: do any major characters die in the process?

Who Dies in the Season 5 Final Episode?

In the season finale, titled “The Rightside Up,” Eleven sacrifices herself to disrupt the cycle of the government’s experiments that used children's blood to enhance powers. While El's death is not shown directly on-screen, she is absorbed into the vortex after the explosion that opens the gateway to the Abyss. The last scene features Mike telling the gang he prefers to believe she's in a beautiful land, far away, where she remains safe.

Confirmed deaths in the finale include:

• Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), Eleven's sister, who played a pivotal role in the final showdown
• Vecna, the formidable villain at the heart of the season

Final Thoughts

While some beloved characters survive, the season’s ending provides a bittersweet farewell, with El's sacrifice leaving a lasting impact. Fans will have to wait for more details as the season concludes—more insights and surprising twists are likely to follow.

More updates to come…