In the Upside Down’s Abyss, the series finale of Stranger Things Season 5 has a huge fight against Vecna and the Mind Flayer. Eleven, Kali, and Max work together in their minds to fight Henry Creel (Vecna), while Hopper, Joyce, and others fight the huge Mind Flayer on the ground. Joyce kills Vecna by cutting off his head with an axe, which fulfills her role as the first person to believe in the supernatural threats.
Several important deaths happen, such as Kali/Eight, who dies after helping Eleven fight Vecna’s tricks. The Mind Flayer, which is a huge creature that holds Vecna, is killed by gunfire, fireballs, and El’s internal attack. At the end, Eleven seems to give up her life, facing military forces after winning, which is what Kali had suggested earlier.
Hopper and other main characters strap on dynamite but live through the chaos, putting off sacrificing themselves. Will learns how to use new powers to control Demogorgons, which is a big step forward for him. Max wakes up from her coma-like state to help in the mental battle, and the Hawkins crew—Steve, Nancy, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike—saves kidnapped kids from Demogorgon attacks.
Vecna and the Mind Flayer become a hive-mind monster, but they lose to coordinated attacks that close gates and seal the Upside Down. The Duffer Brothers picked Joyce for the final strike to honor her bravery in Season 1. Fans’ favorites mostly live, and they start 2026 on a hopeful note even though they lost.
